Sylvain BONNOT  

MAT 360 
Geometric Structures 
 
Spring 2008

We will meet on TuTh : 12:50pm to 2:10pm in Library N3063.

First day of class: Jan 29th, 2008.
Final exam : TBA.

Office hours:
every Thursday from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm in my office, 5D-148 in the Math Tower.
My office is in the I.M.S (Institute for Math. Sciences), located on floor 5 and a half.

How to contact me?
the best way is to email me there: bonnot at math dot sunysb dot edu

Our textbook:
Textbook: Euclidean and non Euclidean Geometry : Development and History, (Fourth Edition) by Marvin Jay Greenberg, Editor: W.H. Freeman and Company.  (I will use the latest edition, i.e the fourth edition, so if you have another edition just make sure that you do the required exercises.)  texbook

Link to Current Homework: The Homework is an important part of this class. Click here to go to the homework page.
Course notes and announcements:

  • And here are the solutions for the practice final. On tuesday afternoon I'll be available for office hours, so don't hesitate to find me...

  • The solutions for the last 2 HW have been posted, and on Monday I will post the solutions for the practice exam. If you need to find me, I'll be in my office as usual, so stop by, or email me if you have any questions.

  • Please try this practice final and don't forget to prepare questions for the review session on Thursday!

  • I decided that you won't have a new HW due next week: so the last one was HW8 (that you can return on Tuesday May 6th).

  • There is a new HW for next week, but it is a short one...

  • Solutions of Midterm II Please have a look at these solutions for the midterm II. It seems that most of you found it quite hard, so very likely the average should be a bit lower than last time...

  • Solutions Practice Midterm II Please read these solutions for the practice midterm II.

  • For next week : Don't forget that midterm II is this on Thursday April 17th, same room, same time... Also don't forget to bring with you the list of axioms! On the HW page you have now the solutions of the last two HW. There won't be any HW for next week (the week of the exam). On Monday I'll post the solutions for the practice exam. Also prepare your questions for Tuesday: at least half the time will be spent reviewing for the test.

  • Practice exam for next week Please try this practice midterm II and very soon I'll post the solutions together with the solutions for the last HW...

  • Splitting of letter grades: Here is what I propose for the letter grades, concerning our last midterm: A: anything above 85//A-: between 80 and 85//B: between 65 and 80//B-: between 59 and 65//C: between 59 and 49// C-: between 49 and 30//D: below 30.No F for this midterm...

  • Solutions for Midterm I: Here are the solutions of the midterm in one big file. Your exam will be graded soon (grade available on request, in few days...) Have a nice break! Also, there will be a new HW available soon, but you will have lots of time for it...

  • Solutions for the practice exam: first half, second half. Tomorrow is the review session, so bring your questions with you...

  • No HW is due for the week of the exam! But I suggest that you try the practice exam and prepare some questions for me on Tuesday. This tuesday we will have a review session, as I told you.

  • Practice Midterm I is available! Please, do try this at home: PracticeMidterm I.

  • Midterm is next week! Don't forget that Midterm I is on Thursday March 13th, usual room, usual time. It will cover the first 3 chapters, and will contain 4 or 5 problems (similar to the HW problems).

  • Very important! For next week's test you need to print this Official-Prof.Bonnot-approved-cheat-sheet that is gathering the axioms we studied. Again you need to print this and to bring it to the midterm. "Unapproved cheat sheets" are not welcome, and will be destroyed on location (as well as their owners)...

  • Hmmm...all right, since my explanations were confused last time, here is what I should have said the other day: a clearer explanation

  • Please notice that I made a little change in HW3 (exercise 2): I had forgotten to define the lines in the model, now it is ok...

  • HW3 is now available on the HW page, it is shorter than the previous one...

  • HW2 is available on the HW page.

  • There was a small mistake in the first problem, it is corrected now (it's 2AM.CB instead of just AM.CB).

  • HW1 is available on the HW page... Also if you want to witness how a circular motion can be transformed into a linear one by an "inversor", you should have a look at that page... Then click on movie, but you can also click on the little animation to the right and drag one point: you will see the other one moving on a vertical line.

  • First day of class is on Tuesday January 29th.

    • Quick intro: The goal for this class is to really build plane geometry from scratch (I mean, from a small number of axioms). Also we will show how different sets of axioms can lead to more "exotic" geometries. But my personal goal is to convince you that Geometry is "everywhere" and that it is at the root of mathematics, both historically and conceptually.

    Link to Current Homework: Regularly you will have to consult this homework page to know what has been assigned.

    Syllabus (T.B.A) :

    Week Sections Covered
    1 Intro to euclidean, and hyperbolic geometry, Euclid's axioms
    2 Classical ruler and compass constructions, altitudes, medians, Pythagorean theorem, geometry of the triangle, circle inversion
    3 Various proofs about circle inversions, basics of logic, incidence axioms, affine plane, intro to projective plane
    4 (Prevision) End of construction of the projective plane, Hilbert axioms of betweenness

    Exams:

    Midterm 1  Th. March 13th Usual room
    Midterm 2   Th. April 17th Usual room  
    Final   Thursday, May 15, 11:00 AM- 1:30 PM Usual room

    Homework and grading policy: Here is how your final grade will be computed. of the following:

    Exam I 25%
    Exam II 25% 
    Final Exam 35%
    Homework 15%

    Late homework will not be accepted.

    DSS advisory:

    If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may affect your course work, please contact Disability Support Services (DSS) office: ECC (Educational Communications Center) Building, room 128, telephone (631) 632-6748/TDD. DSS will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. Arrangements should be made early in the semester (before the first exam) so that your needs can be accommodated. All information and documentation of disability is confidential. Students requiring emergency evacuation are encouraged to discuss their needs with their professors and DSS. For procedures and information, go to the following web site http://www.ehs.sunysb.edu and search Fire safety and Evacuation and Disabilities.