Mathematical Ideas

Department of Mathematics
GETTYSBURG COLLEGE
MATH 103, Mathematical Ideas, Spring 2005

Instructor: B. Doytchinov Office: Glatfelter 214 phone: x 6625 e-mail:bdoytchi@gettysburg.edu

Office hours: Mo, We, Fr 1:30-3:30pm Tu 11:00am-1:00pm also, by appointment

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GRAPHING CALCULATOR

COURSE CONTENTS

• Math and Politics Voting and apportionment.
  Chapter 12.
• Probability and Statistics Computing probabilities. Law of large numbers. Descriptive statistics. Data distributions. The Normal distribution. Statistical inference.
  Chapters 7, 5, 6.
• Exponential and Linear Models. Linear and exponential growth. Doubling time and half-life. Population growth. Logarithmic scale. Modeling with linear and exponential functions.
  Chapters 8, 9.
• The Mathematics of Finance. Compound interest. Saving plans and investments. Loan payments, mortgages.
  Chapter 4.

COURSE GOALS

• Develop an understanding of major mathematical concepts and of multiple frameworks for their analysis: analytical, graphical, numerical, and verbal.
• Learn to combine alternative methodologies and perspectives for the investigation of mathematical problems. Accurately and efficiently perform computations, both by hand and with a graphing calculator.
• Be proficient using the mathematical ideas, tools, and techniques to solve problems, both novel and familiar.
• Develop effective communication skills, and learn to express your mathematical work in a clear, precise, and elegant manner. Apply mathematics as a language with which to model the world.

LECTURES

There are three lectures per week, conducted on MWF. Section A meets 9:00-9:50am in Glatfelter 302, Section B meets 11:00-11:50am in Glatfelter 303.

You are supposed to attend all lectures. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to make a copy of the classnotes from another student and make sure you learn what you have missed.

You are expected to actively participate in class by asking questions, making comments, working on the assignments, and sharing your insights with others.

HOMEWORK

TESTS, EXAMS, GRADING POLICY

There will be six in-class tests, on January 26, February 11, March 2, March 16, April 8, and April 20. There will be a three-hour Final exam. For section A, the final exam will be on May 4, 8:30-11:30am, for section B, the final exam will be on May 6, 1:30-4:30pm.

There will be regular, short, in-class quizzes based on recent homework. No make-up quizzes will be given for any reason. Your lowest three quiz scores will be dropped.

GRADES

ATTENDANCE AND CLASS PARTICIPATION

Attendance in Math 103 is required.

You are expected to actively participate in class by asking questions, making comments, working on the assignments, and sharing your solutions with others.

HONOR CODE

As you already know, Gettysburg College operates under an Honor Code.

On each piece of work you submit for grading, you should write out the Honor Pledge by hand and sign it. The Honor Pledge is as follows: I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid, nor have I witnessed a violation of the Honor Code.

Every student is responsible for abiding by the provisions of the Honor Code, beginning with the first day of classes. Specific details about the ways the honor code applies to this course can be found here.

• Syllabus and Schedule in pdf form.
• Homework.
• Honor Code - details for this course.

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