MATH 179
Fall 2008
The class meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:00-1:50 p.m. in
Binnion-302
Instructor: Stuart Anderson
Office: Binnion-321 Phone: 903-886-5957
e-mail: Stuart_Anderson@tamu-commerce.edu
Text: For All Practical Purposes, 7th Edition. Parts or all of the following chapters
will be covered: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9,
10, 16, 17, 19, and 21. We may
occasionally cover enrichment activities and readings not in the text. There is enough material in the text for
a two-semester course, so several chapters will be omitted.
Course Description:
Applications of mathematics which may include graph theory, linear
programming, statistics, probability, coding theory and conic sections; logic;
topics from the history of mathematics; the mathematical method and philosophy;
mathematical writings.
Math 179 is designed for students seeking a university degree who do not
plan to take additional mathematics courses. (Some disciplines have courses for which
Math 141 or Math 175 is a prerequisite.
Please check with an advisor if you are unsure about the suitability of
Math 179 for your degree.)
Goals: In addition to a variety
of mathematical topics and mathematical applications in other disciplines, the
teacher aims to cover some of the history and philosophy of mathematics. A strong effort will be made to convey
the idea that there is a mathematical way of approaching problem solving which
can be useful in many settings - not just those involving numbers. The teacher also hopes to show that
mathematics has been a powerful agent of change in civilization. Thus, knowledge of mathematics should be
a vital component of any liberal education.
Method of Evaluation:
Tests: There will be three tests. Each test
will be announced at least one week prior to the time it is given. Be careful to invest ample time daily in
the course so that you will be prepared for each examination. Tests will count
approximately 60% of your final grade.
Homework: Homework will be assigned almost every
day. Always try to solve all
assigned problems. You can expect
the tests to contain problems similar to those assigned as homework. Selected problems will be collected and graded
on some days. Also, a quiz can be
expected from time to time covering the assignment for that day. Occasionally, there may be an
opportunity for you to present problems or assigned activities in class. The homework, quizzes and in class
presentations will count approximately 10% of your final grade.
Final: The final exam will be given on
Monday, December 8 at 1:15 p.m. The final exam will count at least 30% of your
final grade.
Make-up work: No late tests will be given.
If you miss a test, the final will be used to replace that score. No late
homework will be graded and daily quizzes will not be repeated if missed.
However, a percentage of the homework and quiz grades will be dropped to cover
days when an absence is unavoidable.
Grading Scale:
A: 90-100
B: 80-89
C: 70-79
D: 60-69
F: Below 60
Dropping the Course: It is university policy that students
must be continuously enrolled in Math 141, Math 175 or Math 179 until one of
them has been completed.
Thus, most students will not be allowed to drop this class. Otherwise, the last day to drop the
course is Friday, November 28, 2008.
Office
Hours: My office is Binnion-321. If you need to see me, do not hesitate to
schedule an appointment. If you are having difficulty in the course, please
seek help early. I will plan to be in my office at the following times:
Monday,
Wednesday, Friday: 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Tuesday,
Thursday: 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Others, by appointment.
Occasionally,
I will be out of my office for meetings or other obligations during scheduled
office hours. I will try to let you
know of these times early or will leave a note of explanation. Otherwise, you are welcome in my office.
Attendance:
It is expected that you will be regular and punctual in attendance. Class discussions and environment can
seldom be recaptured by having a friend or the instructor give you a summary of
what happened if you are absent.
Attendance may be taken into account in determining your final course
grade.
Students
with Disabilities: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal
anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection
for persons with disabilities.
Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities
be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation
of their disabilities. If you have
a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact:
Office
of Student Disability Resources and Services
Texas
A&M University-Commerce
Halladay
Student Services
Building
Room
303 A/D
Phone
(903) 886-5150 or (903) 886-5835
Fax
(903) 468-8148
StudentDisabilityServices@tamu-commerce.edu
Comment: I will do my best to present quality
lectures each day. I hope that you
will do your best to be interested in and learn from this course. Please be serious and diligent in your
efforts to master the material. Our
combined efforts can make a pleasing and valuable contribution to your
education.
All
students enrolled at the University shall follow the tenets of common decency
and acceptable behavior conducive to a positive learning environment. (See Student’s Guide Handbook,
Policies and Procedures, Conduct)
Please make certain that any cell phone in your possession never rings
during class and is never used during class; do not leave class early unless
prior arrangements have been made with the instructor; do not excuse your self
from class and then return.
EARLY INTERVENTION FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS:
Early intervention for freshmen is designed to communicate
the University's interest in their success and a willingness to participate fully
to help students accomplish their academic objectives. The university through
faculty advisors and mentors will assist students who may be experiencing
difficulty to focus on improvement and course completion. This process will
allow students to be knowledgeable about their academic progress early in the
semester and will provide faculty and staff with useful data for assisting
students and enhancing retention. Grade reports will be mailed by the end of
the sixth week of the semester.
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Document
last modified August 23, 2008.