Course Outline for MATH 3Z03
Term 2, 2015/16
Table of Contents
- Course Description
- Instructor
- Lecture
- Grading Scheme
- Policy Notes
Course Description
Course Objective:
This is an inquiry course, where students are expected
to study relevant aspects of the history and development of
important mathematical concepts and ideas in a scientific
and cultural context.
Some reference
books:
- "Mathematics and its History" by John Stillwell,
Springer Verlag. (I like this book)
- "The History of Mathematics" by David Burton,
McGraw-Hill, 4th ed. (This was a textbook that I used a
few years ago)
- "An Introduction to the History of Mathematics" by
Howard Eves, 6th ed. (I actually don't have this book)
- "A History of Mathematics" by Carl Boyer,
Princeton University Press.
- "A concise History of Mathematics" by Dirk Struik,
Dover.
- "God created the integers" : edited by Stephen
Hawking, Running Press, 2005. (a collection of
beautiful original articles by the Masters, translated
into English)
Some interesting pages about the history of mathematics on
the internet:
Please let me know if you find other relevant web
pages about the history of Mathematics
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Instructor
Lectures
Tue, Wed, Fri 09:30 -
10:20 in HH/217
Grading Scheme
- Attendance and Participation
10%
- Five Assignments:
30%
- Two Quizzes:
10%
- Two Presentations with
Reports :
40 %
- Final Essay and Report:
10%
- NO Final Exam
Here are the tentative dates for all the
assignments: There will be 5 assignments. Doing the
assignments regularly is an integral part of the course.
Please hand the assignments to me at the beginning of the
lecture period on the due dates. Late assignments will
not be accepted.
Assignment #1
due: in class on
January 15th, 2016
Assignment #2 due:
in class on
January
29th, 2016
Assignment #3 due: in
class on
February
23rd, 2016
Assignment
#4 due: in
class on
March 8th, 2016
Assignment #5 due: in
class on
March 22nd, 2016
The dates for the two Quizzes will be announced in class
and on this web page.
Every student is required to do two 15 to
20-minute presentations chosen from a list of topics
suggested and approved by the instructor. The report (5 to
9 pages) on the presentation is due within a week after
the presentation. Late reports will not be accepted.
Academic Dishonesty:
You are expected to exhibit
honesty and use ethical behaviour in all aspects of the
learning process. Academic credentials you earn are rooted in
principles of honesty and academic integrity. Academic
dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way that
results or could result in unearned academic credit or
advantage. This behaviour can result in serious consequences,
e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a
notation on the transcript (notation reads: Grade of F
assigned for academic dishonesty), and/or suspension or
expulsion from the university. It is your responsibility to
understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For
information on the various types of academic dishonesty please
refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, located at http://www.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrity
The following
illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:
1. Plagiarism,
e.g. the submission of work that is not one's own or for
which other credit has been
obtained.
2. Improper
collaboration in group work.
3. Copying
or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.
Other Policy Notes:
MSAF
policy:
If you are absent from the
university for a minor medical reason, lasting fewer than 3 days,
you may report your absence, once per term, without documentation,
using the McMaster Student Absence Form. Absences for a longer
duration or for other reasons must be reported to your
Faculty/Program office, with documentation, and relief from term
work may not necessarily be granted. When using the MSAF, report
your absence
to me
(the course instructor M. Min-Oo) within 2 working
days by email (
minoo@mcmaster.ca
) and contact me in person
to learn what relief may be granted for the work you
haveto
for the work you have missed, and relevant details such as revised
deadlines, or time and location of a make-up exam. Please note that
the MSAF may not be used for term work worth 25% or more.
Further details can be found here: https://www.mcmaster.ca/msaf/index.html
and here: http://academiccalendars.romcmaster.ca/content.php?catoid=13&navoid=2208#Requests_for_Relief_for_Missed_Academic_Term_Work
Calculators:
Only the
standard McMaster calculator Casio fx 991 can be used for the
quizzes.
Important Notice:
The
instructor
and the university reserve the right to modify or revise
information contained in this course during the term. The
university may change the dates and deadlines for any or all
courses in extreme circumstances. If either type of
modification or revision becomes necessary, reasonable notice
and communication with the students will be given with
explanation and the opportunity to comment on changes. It is
the responsibility of the student to check their McMaster
email and course websites weekly during the term and to note
any changes.
Schedule of Topics (tentative)
Week 1
(05/01 to 08/01): Introductory lectures
Week 2 (12/01 to 15/01): Presentations, Assignment
#1 due on Friday
Week 3
(19/01 to 22/01): Presentations
Week 4 (26/01 to 29/01): Presentations Assignment #2 due
on Friday
Week 5
(02/02 to 06/02): Presentations
Week 6 (09/02 to 12/02): Presentations
and a Quiz
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 7 (15/02 to 20/02):
Reading Week
__________________________________________________
Week
8 (23/02 to 26/02) Lectures Assignment
#3 due on Tuesday
Week
9 (01/03 to 04/03): Presentations
Week 10 (08/03 to
11/03): Presentations Assignment #4
due on Tuesday
Week 11
(15/03 to 18/03): Presentations
Week 12 (22/03 to 25/03): Presentations
Assignment #5 due on
Tuesday
Week 13 (29/03
to 01/04): Presentations
and a
Quiz
Week 14 (05/03 to 08/04):
Final Essay
and Report due on Wednesday