If you need to meet with us at a time other than a regular office hour, please call or send an e-mail.
 

Class location and time: Ford Hall 130, 10:10 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. MW

Text: Mathematical Problem Solving for Elementary School Teachers [July 18, 2002 version or July 17, 2001 version], by Dennis White, available at Alpha Print, 1407 4th St. SE in Dinkytown, 379-8535

Prerequisites: Math 3113 Topics in Elementary Mathematics I, and by implication: Math 1031, College Algebra and Probability.

The following material will be covered:

• Probability [Ch. 7: Probability & statistics I ]
• Real & complex numbers [Ch. 10]
• Geometry [Selected topics from chapters 8, 12, and/or 13]
• Statistics [Ch. 11: Probability & statistics II ]
   

Class structure : Our schedule for a typical class will be a variation of the following:

1. We will collect previously assigned homework and group projects.
2. I may say a few things at the board, presenting the new material and answering questions. (10 to 15 minutes)
   But only rarely will I give a full-fledged lecture: You need to read the relevant material in the text.
3. The class breaks up into groups of size 4, and cooperatively works on exercises. (1 hour or somewhat more)
   During this process Mr. Bryant and I will observe and offer suggestions for your group.
4. We have a break of 10 minutes.
5. Members of various groups present their groups' solutions to selected exercises at the board.
   Members of the class, and the instructors, may ask questions and offer comments.
   Using these questions and comments as additional input, the presented problems are to be written up as group projects
   and handed in at the beginning of the next class.
6. I may say a few more things at the board  and/or there may be some time to start working on the group writeups.

You should keep a "math notebook" to record your group work and other notes relating to your work in the class.
This is very important, since a lot of basic information will be developed during the group work.
You will need this information for the tests.

We will establish new groups after each test.
 

Class philosophy (a few comments):

• Some of the subject matter has been selected because it will be useful in later courses and/or in your profession.
• Other subjects have been chosen because they are accessible without knowledge of a lot of advanced theory:
  That is the technical meaning of the word "elementary" in the course title:   Topics in elementary mathematics
• The problem solving skills that you will develop are of equal or greater importance than the actual subject matter.
  • It is intentional that there are no answers in the back of the book, but you certainly can compare answers
    with other class members. Some answers will be posted on the class webpage in time for test reviews.
  • I try to avoid assigning excessively difficult problems, but I will assign some that are fairly challenging.
    Those tend to be chosen to emphasize an important point, or because the answer is surprising
    or otherwise interesting.
• The use of cooperative learning groups is an important part of our design for helping you to develop problem solving
  skills. Accordingly, it is important for group members to actually work together.

Your grade will be decided by the following weights:

Other requirements and recommendations:

• All students must contribute to the class discussion, in particular at the board. Therefore, regular attendance is required.

 
• You should read the material to be discussed in each class before coming to class.

 
• Homework will be collected at each class. You may hand in no more than 5 late assignments - by the beginning of
  the second class after the due date. We will not accept late homework beyond this deadline or beyond quota.

 
• Absence from exams: Missing a mid-term exam is permitted only for the most compelling reasons. You should obtain
  my permission in advance to miss an exam. Otherwise you will be given a 0. If you miss an exam, you must take a
  make-up test promptly. Except in extraordinary situations, all students missing the final exam will fail the course.

 
• Incompletes, Withdrawal, S/N: The grade I is assigned only when a student has satisfactorily (a C- grade or better)
  completed all but a small portion of the work for the course, and has made prior arrangements to complete the work.
  This means, for example, if you quit attending class after the first exam, and then request an I at the end of the term,
  your request will be denied.

 
• If you drop a class by the end of the eighth week of the Semester (Monday, March 18), you will receive a W; that grade
  does not count against your GPA. I cannot assign a W grade unless you have taken the necessary action.
   
• If you are registered for the S/N grade option: To get an S for this course you must obtain a grade of at least C-.

 
• Scholastic Conduct: Each student should read his/her college bulletin for the definitions and possible penalties for cheating. During the exams you must do your own work. You are encouraged to discuss assigned homework problems informally with other members of the class, but you must hand in your own final versions of the assignments and must not copy someone else's final version.

Students suspected of cheating will be reported to the Scholastic Conduct Committee for appropriate action.
 
• I will adhere to the University Senate policy on Grade Definitions and Undergraduate Academic Workload Expectations.
  For details, see:http://www1.umn.edu/usenate/policies/grades&acadwork.html
   

Class webpage: An updated version of this syllabus will be maintained at the following URL:
http://www.math.umn.edu/~roberts/math3118
Other materials will be posted there, including a grade report, homework solutions, and exam solutions - at least to the extent that
this activity remains feasible.

Exercises and reading assignments are linked here.
 

Back to the class homepage.