Math 35, Summer 2010, General View of Math

This class is meant to give non-"math and science" majors a general overview of important and/or interesting topics in mathematics.

Syllabus

The Course Syllabus contains important logistical information regarding this course, including the grading scheme and a list of the topics covered. The syllabus also, contains detailed information regrading homework assignments, quizzes, and exams. My classroom policies are contained here as well (for example, the attendance policy).

Primes

Here are the files for the "Distribution of the Primes" lecture. To access the files, you will need to go to http://www.wolfram.com/products/player and download the Mathematica Player that will allow you to manipulate the files. After downloading the program, right click on the below links and save the documents to your computer. After that you should be able to access them via the Mathematica Player:
Sieve of Eratosthenes as a Mathematica Notebook.
Prime Spirals as a Mathematica Notebook.
Here is a pdf copy of the Prime Spiral that I covered in class.

Finals Information

As mentioned in the syllabus, the requirements for the final paper are as follows.

-The paper is to be 1200-2200 words in length (about 5-11 double spaced pages).

-Three references must be cited (preferably in APA style, but this is not too important). One of the references must not come from the internet.

-The paper should be expository in style and will be graded on quality of presentation of the topic, clarity, etc.

Suggested topics are as follows.

-The application of mathematics in your major.

-A further exploration of a topic covered in class.

-Exposition of some mathematical topic. Exemplary titles would be something like: "A Brief History of Infinity", "How Prime Numbers are Used in Everyday Life", "Math: Discovered or Created?", "The Influence of Mathematics on Modern Culture."

-Any other topic that you ask me about and I approve.

I am looking for a coherent presentation that demonstrates that you've spent some time exploring how mathematics influences the world around you. The paper will be due on or before midnight, Friday, August 13. I would be more than happy to read over any papers before that time or help in exploring a topic, etc.

Angel

I will be using Angel as my course management system.

You will receive emails from me through Angel and can also view your grades on Angel.

I suggest forwarding your Angel email to your main email account so you do not miss important course announcements. The instructions can be found here.