Course
Information
Math 310: Discrete
Mathematics - Section 01, Fall 2009
4
Credits: MTRF 10:30 - 11:20am Bridges Room 262
Textbook: Discrete Mathematics and Its
Applications, 6th
ed, by Kenneth H. Rosen [Required]
Instructor: Justin
James, Mathematics Dept. Office: MacLean 375M
Office Phone:
477-4011
Office Hours: MTWRF 9:15am – 10:20am Email: jamesju@mnstate.edu
MTWRF 11:30am – 12:20pm Webpage: web.mnstate.edu/jamesju
Other
times by Appointment
Course Description: Methods
of proof, sets, logic, functions and relations, Boolean algebra, graph theory
and number systems. Pre-requisite: Students
must either have taken, or be concurrently enrolled in, MATH 262 Calculus II.
Course Requirements: You are expected to complete all homework
assignments, projects, and writing assignments, and to take and pass all exams
and quizzes at their scheduled dates and times.
Course Objectives and
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon
completion of the course, students will be able to do the following:
·
Solve real
world problems using mathematics/logical systems.
·
Express
mathematical/logical ideas clearly in writing.
·
Explain what
constitutes a valid mathematical/logical argument (proof).
·
Be able to
construct a valid proof.
·
Apply a
variety of higher-order problem-solving and modeling strategies.
·
Exhibit
mastery of computational skills and the ability to make reasonable estimates.
·
Understand
and be able to apply the concepts of graph theory and Boolean algebra.
Instructional Strategies: Lecture, discussion.
Attendance and Academic Expectations: You are expected to attend class regularly and on
time. The penalty for unexcused absences is that missed assignments
cannot be made up. You are expected to read
the assigned material in your textbook prior to each lecture and to attempt the
problems on the homework assignment. You
are encouraged to form a group to study and work with outside of class. You should bring your book and solutions to
recent homework problems with you to class.
Homework:
I will
collect and grade homework several times
during the semester. You will be told at
least 2 days in advance which problems to turn in. Even when homework is not collected, you
should work enough homework problems in order to fully understand the course
material. I will spend a few minutes at
the beginning of class answering homework questions, but the bulk of our time will
be spent covering new material. You are encouraged
to discuss homework with your classmates and with me outside of class during my
office hours. If my office hours do not
match your schedule, see me about arranging another time to meet.
Quizzes:
I will give quizzes
at various times during the course. Most
will be in-class quizzes, but a few may be “take home” quizzes. I typically announce quizzes one class period
before I give them so you have time to prepare for them. Quizzes will be worth from 5-15 points, depending
on their length and scope.
Your best
homework and quiz scores will be combined to contribute 170 points toward your
final grade. Expect at least one homework grade and at
least one quiz grade to be dropped.
Projects:
You will be assigned 2 projects during the course.
These projects are not intended to be incredibly formal. You should think of them as extended homework
assignments that are designed to fit together cohesively. Each project will be worth 30 points, so
projects will contribute 60 points toward your final grade.
Reflection
Papers: Twice during the semester you will be given a short
writing assignment in which you will be asked to give your personal thoughts
and reflections on different aspects of the course. These papers must be typed and should be at
least 1 page long (typed, double spaced).
These informal papers will be graded mainly on their content and
completeness, but you should write in complete sentences and clearly express
your thoughts.
Each reflection paper will
contribute 10 points toward your final grade.
Exams: This
course will have four unit exams plus a comprehensive final exam, as outlined
on the course syllabus. Be sure to mark
the date of each exam on your calendar, especially the final exam. Exams will be closed book, and closed
notes. I will allow the use of an approved calculator (no graphing calculators are
allowed). All other electronic devices
(cell-phones, etc.) are not allowed. The credit given on exam questions will be
proportional to the amount of correct work shown. Little to no credit will be given if sufficient
work is not shown, even if the final answer is correct. For your final grade, your best three exams
will be worth 100 points each, while your lowest exam will be scaled in half to
be out of 50 points. The final exam is
worth 200 points.
Weekly Problem Sessions: Every
Wednesday from 10:30-11:20pm an optional
problem solving session will be held in a room on campus (to be announced later).
Those that choose to attend will use this time to work collaboratively on
problems from the assigned homework.
I will be there to help and
give suggestions.
Course Grading Policy: Your final grade in the course will be computed as
follows:
Homework/Quizzes: 170
points
Projects: 60 points
Reflection Papers 20 points
Highest 3 Unit Exams: 300
points
Lowest Unit Exam:
50 points
Final Exam: 200
points
Total: 800
points
I will compute the
percentage of the total possible points each student earned during the semester
(rounded to the nearest .1%), and will then assign letter grades based on the
following scale. I may make slight
adjustments to this scale (down, never up), but don’t count on this happening.
96.5-100.0% A+ 81.5-86.4% B 69.0-71.4% C–
91.5-96.5% A 79.0-81.4% B– 66.0-68.9% D+
89.0-91.4% A– 76.5-78.9% C+ 60.0-65.9% D
86.5-88.9% B+ 71.5-76.4% C <60.0% F
Make-up Work: Because
you are allowed to drop several scores, I will only give make-up assignments for
extreme personal emergencies or for absences which are officially
sanctioned by the University. I will
expect written documentation in either of these cases. If you miss an exam and a make-up exam is not
warranted, you may replace your grade on one
missed exam with your un-scaled
percentage score on the final exam.
Special
Accommodations: Students
with disabilities who believe they may need an accommodation in this class are
encouraged to contact Greg Toutges, Coordinator of
Disability Services at 477-5859 (Voice) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY), CMU 114 as
soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely
fashion.
Academic
Honesty: You are expected to do your
own work. You may work with others and get help on assignments, but the
work you submit must be your own. During exams and quizzes you will not
be allowed to get help from others. Cheating and plagiarism will not be
tolerated in any course at any level. See the MSUM Academic Honesty
policy for more information on the possible consequences of cheating.
Thanks, And Let’s Have A Great
Semester!!
Math 310 –
Section 01 Course Page