Instructor:

Joshua Laison

Office: MAP 310

Phone: x5674

E-mail: laisonj@kenyon.edu

M 11:10-12:00

W 11:10-12:00

F 11:10-12:00

The Heart of Mathematics: An Invitation to Effective Thinking, by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird (including mainpulative kit)
Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem, by Simon Singh
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdös and the Search for Mathematical Truth, by Paul Hoffman

Grading:

Your final grade will be calculated as follows:
 

The Text and the Problem Assignments

In this course, you will learn quite a lot of mathematics, but with a slightly different emphasis than most mathematics courses. The course is not a prerequisite for any other, and it is unlikely (but not impossible) that you will require the material you learn in this course for your career after you graduate. The material is simply presented to satisfy your own intellectual curiosity. As such, please do not race through the problem assignments with the goal of arriving at the solution as quickly as possible. Play with the ideas! Invent new problems and solve those! Discuss the problems with your friends and classmates! The problems are intended not as hurdles to be leapt over, but as puzzles to be enjoyed. I hope that you will enjoy them as much as I do.

The text is probably different from any other math text you have seen (I know that is true for me) and you might be surprised that it is actually fun to read. Certainly, reading it will provide you with greater understanding of the material of the class, and will surely improve your grade.

Reading and Written Assignments:

This class is in many senses about current research in mathematics. I have selected two books that I hope will give you a sense of the lives of some current mathematicians, and what mathematical research is all about. We will spend approximately 10 of our 42 class periods discussing these readings. For each discussion, I will ask you to write a page or so on a topic related to the reading.

Mathematics is a Collaborative Effort

I cannot emphasize this enough. It is certain that you will solve more of the homework problems if you find someone (or someones) to work on them with, and if you discuss them with me during my office hours. I strongly encourage you to work with your classmates on the homework assignments (as long as your written work is your own), and come to see me during my office hours with any questions that you might have.

Please don't consider office hours to be a resource of last resort.  I consider them to be a part of the course like any other.  There is much that I can do for you in a one-to-one situation that I simply cannot do when you are one of many students.  You should take advantage of the fact that I am easily available to help you outside of class.

Projects:

Good problem-solving and writing skills are essential to almost all successful mathematical pursuits. I will assign three projects during the course of the semester. Be sure to write in complete sentences, and include all accompanying mathematics and computation in a clear, concise, and convincing manner. Your grade will be based on both presentation and mathematical correctness. For each of these projects you will be working with one or two partners.  Your group will turn in a single project and, except in extraordinary circumstances, each member of the group will receive the same grade. You will have a chance to work on each of these projects in class.

Final Project:

Near the end of the semester, I will ask you to write a somewhat larger assignemnt on a topic beyond what has been covered in the course. I will talk more about the final project at a later date.

Late Assignments and Missed Classes

1. Do not turn in late assignments.
2. If you turn in late assignments, I will not accept them.
3. Do not miss class.
4. If for some reason you are absolutely unable to attend class (eg. triple bypass surgery) you should notify me as soon as you are aware that you intend to miss class, and make arrangements with me to turn in your work ahead of time.
5. If you wait until the following class to tell me why you have missed class, or did not turn in an assignment on time, I will have little sympathy for your plight.

Exams:

You will have two exams and a final exam during the semester. All three of these exams will be take-home exams which you will have a week to complete.

Examination Dates:

Exam 1	due by Friday, February 22
Exam 2	due by Friday, April 12
Final Examination	due by Tuesday, May 7, 9:30 PM

The final exam will be due at the time normally reserved for our final exam by the registrar.

Academic Honesty:

Though you are encouraged to work with other students on assignments, it is understood that every piece of written or computer-generated work that you submit must finally be your own (or your group's when you are working in a group).  In any case, if you work with a fellow student or students, you should make a note of this at the end of your paper.  (There is NO PENALTY for this!  It is merely a matter of academic honesty.)  If the assignment is a group assignment, the members of the group should contribute equally to writing the final product---in other words, don't put your name on a paper written by others.  For further information, consult the student handbook or ask your instructor.

Disabilities:

If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your ability to carry out assigned course work, feel free to discuss your concerns in private with me, but you should also consult the Office of Disability Services at 5453. The Coordinator of Disability Services, Erin Salva (salvae@kenyon.edu), will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are appropriate. (All information and documentation of disability is confidential.) It is Ms. Salva that has the authority and the expertise to decide on the accommodations that are proper for your disability. Though I am happy to help you in any way I can, I cannot make any special accommodations without proper authorization from Ms. Salva.