Math 2000 Course Outline

Fall 2000

Instructors: Bill Briggs	Office: CU-Denver Building 611 (BB)
Phone: 556-4809 (BB) Email: wbriggs@math.cudenver.edu	Office Hours: TTh 11:30-12:30, 2:00-3:00 in Science 130/132 or by arrangement
Text: Using and Understanding Mathematics, Bennett and Briggs, Addison Wesley, 1999
Course web page: http://www-math.cudenver.edu/~wbriggs/2000f00/top.html

Course Goals: Welcome to Math 2000, a mathematics course designed specifically to give you an awareness of the role that mathematics plays in today's society - in everything from population crises to financial planning, from environmental issues to the spread of diseases. In addition, the course has the goal of providing you with some essential mathematical tools and restoring your confidence in your ability to use those tools. If successful, this course should improve your quantitative skills and prepare you for future courses, for careers, and for life itself !

Prerequisites: The only prerequisite for the course is that you have met the entrance requirements for the university, namely three years of high school mathematics sometime in your past. A calculator is required for the course; you will need a calculator that can do at least basic arithmetic and exponents (cost less than $15).

Email and Internet: As a CU-Denver student, you have an email account on the server OURAY. It only needs to be activated, which takes about five minutes. I can show you how to do this or you can visit the Computing Center at NC 2514. It is to your benefit to use email for this course. I will always answer email promptly, usually early in the morning. This is the best way to get your questions answered quickly. As a citizen of the 21st century, it is also essential that you know how to use the World-Wide Web or Internet. This is easily done from campus or from home. This course has a web page on which you will find class notes, assignments and solutions, and projects guidelines. Please make use of this resource!

Reading: As liberal arts students, it is safe to assume that you like to read! The course will move rather quickly through the text, covering a chapter every one or two weeks. Please read the text actively with a pencil in hand. Use the margins of the book to make notes. Stop to work the Time-Out to Think problems and always answer the review questions at the end of each unit.

Assignments: Mathematics is not a spectator sport! No one learns mathematics without practice and discovery; furthermore, that's how to have fun. The key to success in any mathematics course is to do at least the minimum assigned work, and to do it on schedule. There will be 10 - 12 regular assignments (approximately one each week) that will vary in character; they will involve reading, writing, short answers, calculations, and yes, story problems! Each assignment will have a clearly marked deadline, and it must be observed; late assignments cannot be accepted without a legitimate explanation. To compensate for unforeseen circumstances, two of the assignment scores will be dropped in the grading. Please see the preface to the book for guidelines on the presentation of solutions. All assignments must be written neatly or done on a word processor, and they will be graded on spelling, grammar and organization, as well as content.

Projects: A term project is required of all students. The subject may be taken from a list of projects or may be of your own choosing (with instructor approval). All projects must deal with practical applications of mathematics in everyday life.

An outline and bibliography for the project is due no later than October 19 and the final project is due no later than November 30.

The bibliography must contain at least three references or web sources. Projects are typically 4-6 pages long. They must be typed neatly with perfect spelling and grammar, fully documented, well organized, and detailed in explanations and conclusions. You may work in groups of no more than two people; everyone in a group gets the same grade. More details on projects will be forthcoming.

Exams: There will be a midterm exam on October 12 and a comprehensive final exam during the final exam period in December. The exams will be in-class, with open book and open notes allowed. For this reason, you should become familiar with the book and make careful notes either in the book or in a separate notebook.

Grading policy: Your final grade will be determined as follows:

Graded assignments (lowest two scores dropped)	70%
Project	15%
Midterm exam	5%
Final exam	10%

Drops and incompletes: You have until the tenth week of classes to drop the course with only the instructor's (but not a Dean's) signature. The incomplete policy of the department and college is strictly enforced: incompletes are given only in situations in which a student who has been in good standing all semester, is prevented from completing a course assignment (for example, the final exam) by circumstances beyond his/her control (for example, hospitalization, death in the family.

Advice: I will do everything I can to help you, work with you, and make this a meaningful course. But you must take the course seriously and put in the necessary effort: If you spend from 10-12 hours per week on the course, turn in assignments on time, attend classes regularly, and take advantage of office hours, you will not only pass this course, but find it a beneficial experience. So please decide early in the semester whether you can give the course the time and energy that it needs. If you can’t, then don’t even try because you will waste your time. If you can, then welcome aboard and let’s get started!

Teaching Enhancement Project for Math 2000: I am always trying to make Math 2000 a better and more beneficial course for students. As part of that effort, I have been awarded a small grant from CU-Denver to look at the ways in which students (non-math/science/engineering majors) learn mathematics and to develop more effective teaching methods for the course. I have enlisted the help of Mitch Handelsman, who is a professor in the Psychology Department. He (and maybe a graduate student of his) will be sitting in on this class this semester. From time to time, he may want to get your reactions to the class or try a new teaching technique. I am very excited about this project, and I hope you feel free to talk with either Mitch or me about the class.