MTH 120S, Spring 1998
Introduction to Theoretical Mathematics 
TH 12:40 - 1:30 , 218 Physics
Greg Lawler, 128B Physics

Office Hours: TW 10:30 - 12:00

This half-credit course is an introdcution to theoretical mathematics with an emphasis on writing proofs. We will cover material selected from: naive set theory and countability, elementary number theory, properties of real numbers. The Thursday period will be a "lecture" and the Tuesday period will be for class presentation of solutions of homework exercises.

Text

D'Angelo and West, Mathematical Thinking, Problem Solving and Proofs

We will start by covering the first five chapter, and then we will choose a couple of
more chapters to discuss

MIDTERM AND OTHER SCHEDULE INFORMATION

The midterm will be handed out in class on Tuesday, March 24 and is due at 1:30 on Tuesday, March 31. It can be returned to the classroom at 1:30 or it can be put in my mailbox before that time. There will be no class on March 24 (except to pick up the exam), March 26, or March 31 (except to return the exam). On April 2, we will have an 1 1/4 hour class and after that we return to our usual schedule. Here are the solutions of the practice problems handed out in class on March 12. Solutions in pdf format

Assignments

There will be weekly assignments handed out Thursday for oral presentation the following Tuesday and to be handed in the following Thursday.   A number of problems will be assigned each week, but each student will be responsible for one "packet" of problems.  Different students will be responsible for different "packets"; assigments will be given out each Thursday.  Students may discuss the problems  among themselves before (and during) the Tuesday period, but the write-ups must be done individually. I will record here which students have which packets --- I will identify students by the first two letters of their last name.

PS 1 (due January 20)  Reading; Chapter 1.  Problems:  Packet A [Ha,Ki,Po,Sa] (1.3, 1.10, 1.15),
Packet B [Fo,Hu,Mc,Th] (1.4, 1.7, 1.12), Packet C [Jo,My,Ro] (1.5, 1.9, 1.21)

PS 2 (due January 27)  Problems: Packet A [Fo, Ha, Jo, Sa] (1.25, 1.29, 1.31 ab);  Packet B [Ki, Hu, My, Mc] (1.26, 1.30 abcd, 1.31 cd); Packet C [Po, Ro, Th] (1.28, 1.30 efg, 1.31 ef)

PS 3 (due February 3)   Reading: Chapter 2, pp. 17-26; Problems: Packet A [Hu, My, Po, Sa] 2.3, 2.6, 2.8abc, 2.9; Packet B [Fo, Ki, Mc, Ro] 2.4, 2.8def, 2.10, 2.12; Packet C [Ha, Jo, Th] 2.5, 2.7, 2.8gh, 2.13

PS 4 (due February 10) Reading: rest of Chapter 2. Problems: Packet A [Jo, Mc, Po, Ro] 2.15, 2.24, 2.27; Packet B [Fo, Ha, Th] 2.16, 2.22, 2.28; Packet C [ Ki, My, Sa] 2.19, 2.23, 2.29

PS 5 (due February 17) Reading: pp. 35-46. Problems: Packet A [Ha, Ki, Sa] (3.5, 3.7ac, 3.18); Packet B [Fo, Mc, Th] (3.7bd, 3.10, 3.14); Packet C [Jo, My, Ro] (3.11, 3.12, 3.19)

PS 6 (due March 3) Reading: Remainder of Chapter 3. Problems: Packet A [ Fo, Jo, Sa] 3.23, 3.25, 3.27cd; Packet B [Ki, Ha, Po, Th] 3.24b, 3.26, 3.30; Packet C [Ro, Mc, My] 3.24d, 3.27ab, 3.29

PS 7 (due March 10) Reading: Chapter 4, Problems: Packet A [Jo, Ki, Mc] 4.5, 4.20, 4.31b; Packet B [Sa, Fo, Ro] 4.6, 4.37, 4.31c; Packet C [Th, My, Ha] 4.7, 4.38, 4.31d

PS 8 (due April 7) Reading: pp. 80-84 (the section on Cardinality). Packet A [Jo, Mc, My, Th] 5.10, 5.13, 5.16; Packet B [Fo, Ha, Ki, Ro, Sa] 5.7, 5.12, 5.14

PS 9 (due April 14) Reading: pp. 231-233. Packet A [Jo, My, Ro, Sa] 13.1, 13.10, 13.14; Packet B [Ha, Ki, Mc, Th] 13.8, 13.12, 13.15

PS 10 (due April 21) Reading: pp.106-110. Problems Packet A [Jo, Ki, Mc, Ro] 7.1, 7.5, 7.16; Packet B [Ha, My, Sa, Th] 7.3, 7.4, 7.18
 

Tests

There will be a take-home midterm and an in-class final exam. Grades will be determined from homework, class participation, and the exams. 

Return to: Greg Lawler's home page

Last modified: 16 April 1998