Spring 2008 Course Syllabus
Course: 4096.001.
Course Title: Senior Problem Solving Seminar.
Time: TR 2:40-4:00.
Place: Barton Room 101.
Instructor: Johnson, Michael.
Instructor Office: Wachman 524.
Instructor Email: mcrj@temple.edu
Instructor Phone: (215) 204-6764.
Office Hours: Monday 11-12, Tuesday 10-11, and Wednesday 3-4.
Prerequisites: Analysis.
Textbook: p-adic Analysis as Compared to Real, by Svetlana Katok.
Course Goals: As a writing intensive senior capstone course, the main goals of this seminar are to improve mathematical writing skills, and to strengthen each students understanding of previous core courses through an investigation of the p-adic number systems.
Topics Covered: During the following semester, we will be examining the system of p-adic numbers. The p-adic numbers are a field that contains the rational numbers, but with a different, non-euclidean metric. Just as the real numbers are constructed as the completion of the rationals, we will construct the p-adics by using a similar completion process with this new metric. We will spend time examining both the similarities and differences between the p-adic number and the real number systems. In this course, we will also be applying many ideas and concepts from analysis, point-set topology, and algebra. I expect this semester to be both challenging and exciting one!.
Course Grading: Grades will be assigned based on scores from weekly homework assignments, two exams, and a final project, according to the following percentages: Homework 35%, Exam 1 20%, Exam 2 20%, Project 25%.
Exam Dates: Tentative exam dates are February 21st and April 10th. In addition, each student will be giving a presentation on their final project on May 1st. Everyone MUST be there on this date! There will be no scheduled exam during finals week.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is necessary for successful completion of this (or any) course!.
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:
- The first day of classes is Tuesday, January 22.
- The last day to drop/add (tuition refund available) is Monday, February 4.
- Spring recess is the week of Monday, March 10.
- The last day to withdraw (no refund) is Monday, March 31.
- The last day of classes is Monday, May 5.
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.