There will be two lectures a week. I
will begin with comments addressing your reactions submitted the
night before called "quick answers". I cannot promise to
address all of them, but I will try to include the recurring
questions and more interesting comments. Most of
lecture-time will be spent elaborating on the mathematics that is
discussed in the textbook. The mathematical content in the
book is light and lectures will expand on that content filling in
the mathematical details. You are responsible for both the
content of the lectures and the reading. They are not the
same material twice.
This book is much
more a history book than a mathematics book. It reads like
"what mathematics was going on during all the history I learned
about in humanities?" The book begins at the dawn of human
mathematics and runs through the second world war. You have
reading assignments for each class day, roughly ranging from 10 to
20 pages. Our entire reading will come from our book, and we
will complete the entire book by the end of the course. By
the end of Thursdays and Sundays (with two exceptions - midterm
day and the final day) you are required to submit reading
reactions before class. These reading reactions must include
reactions to at least five topics in the reading. They must
be written in intelligible English. Each one will be
evaluated out of 5 points, with points deducted for fewer than
five points being addressed. As part of your submission the
day before, you will also submit lecture reactions. Again
there will be comments on five topics from the preceding
lecture. At most one of these comments may be on the opening
discussion of prior feedback. I don't want to get stuck on
old material.
Here are some sample
reading and lecture reactions from prior years. I will
drop your lowest reaction score. If you don't complete the
assignment due on 26 January, then you will use it for that
one. Think of it this way - by doing something before our
first class you earn a pass for later in the semester.