Fall 2007 Course Syllabus
Course: 2196.001.
Course Title: Basic Concepts of Mathematics.
Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:10--11:30.
Place: 203 Barton Hall B.
Instructor: Letzter, Edward S.
Instructor Office: 526 Wachman Hall.
Instructor Email: edward.letzter@temple.edu
Instructor Phone: (215)204-8438.
Course Web Page: http://www.math.temple.edu/~letzter
Office Hours: Mondays 2:40--3:30, Tuesdays 11:45--12:45, Thursdays 1:00 -- 2:00.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of one semester of college calculus, or equivalent.
Textbook: Reading, Writing and Proving: A Closer Look at Mathematics, U. Daepp and P. Gorkin, Undergraduate Texts in Mathematics, Springer-Verlag, NY. ISBN: 0-387-00834-9.
Course Goals: Introduction to the conceptual methods and language of advanced mathematics. Introduction to effective and precise mathematical exposition.
Topics Covered: Logical propositions, quantifiers, sets, and functions. Proofs and mathematical induction. Basic properties of real numbers and integers. Other applications and examples as time permits.
Course Grading: The homework will count toward 30% of your grade. The final exam will count toward 25% of your grade. Each midterm will cound toward 15% of your grade.
Exam Dates: In-class midterms will be given Tuesday, September 25, Tuesday, October 23, and Tuesday, November 20. The final exam will be held Tuesday, December 11, 11:00--1:00. Make-up tests will only be given when missed due to justified, excused absences. Unless truly extraordinary circumstances are present, students unable to take a test for a legitimate reason must contact me before the time of the midterm.
Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken, and students are responsible for all information presented in class. Office hours may not be used to cover material missed due to unjustified absences. Students may be asked to present work to the class.
Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at (215) 204-1280, 100 Ritter Annex, to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed here.
Students will be charged for a course unless a withdrawal form is processed by a registration office of the University by the Drop/Add deadline date given below. For this semester, the crucial dates are as follows:
During the first two weeks of the fall or spring semester or summer sessions, students may withdraw from a course with no record of the class appearing on the transcript. In weeks three through nine of the fall or spring semester, or during weeks three and four of summer sessions, the student may withdraw with the advisor's permission. The course will be recorded on the transcript with the instructor's notation of "W," indicating that the student withdrew. After week nine of the fall or spring semester, or week four of summer sessions, students may not withdraw from courses. No student may withdraw from more than five courses during the duration of his/her studies to earn a bachelor's degree. A student may not withdraw from the same course more than once. Students who miss the final exam and do not make alternative arrangements before the grades are turned in will be graded F.
The grade I (an "incomplete") is reserved for extreme circumstances. It is necessary to have completed almost all of the course with a passing average and to file an incomplete contract specifying what is left for you to do. To be eligible for an I grade you need a good reason and you should have missed not more than 25% of the first nine weeks of classes. If approved by the Mathematics Department chair and the CST Dean's office, the incomplete contract must include a default grade that will be used in case the I grade is not resolved within 12 months.