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Welcome to MAT118 (Mathematical Thinking) homepage!
Stony Brook, Fall 2006
This page will be updated at least once a week. Please check it regularly
for announcements.
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Announcement: There will be a review session on Sunday, December 17, 1-3:30pm in
the Math Tower, P-131. Here is the list of topics that will be covered on the final exam.
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Classes:
MWF 9:35-10:30AM Humanities 1003
Instructor: Valentina Kiritchenko
office: Math 3-102
phone: 632-8884
e-mail:
vkiritch at math dot sunysb dot edu
Office Hours: M 4-5 pm, W 4-6 pm at Math 3-102 and
M 5-6 at MLC
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Recitations:
MW 3:50pm- 4:45pm Physics P117
Teaching Assistant:
Joshua Rembaum
office: Math 4-116
e-mail:
jrembaum at math dot sunysb dot edu
Office Hours: TBA
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Syllabus
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Recitations:
TuTh 9:50am-10:45am SB Union 226
Teaching Assistant:
Andrew Clarke
office: Math 3-103
e-mail:
aclarke at math dot sunysb dot edu
Office Hours: TBA
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Last homework
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Textbook
George T. Gilbert, Rhonda L. Hatcher; Mathematics Beyond the Numbers;
John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2000
About this Course: There is much more to mathematics than just calculations and solving equations.
In this course we will examine several mathematical topics accessible to students with an understanding of
high-school mathematics. These will be selected from among the following: probability; logic; graphs, paths and networks;
tilings and polyhedra; game theory; number theory.
Grading: There will be two midterm tests, 55 minutes each, given in class - no makeups.
If one test is
missed because of a serious (documented) illness or emergency, the semester
grade will be determined based on the balance of the work in the course. A final
examination will be held on Wednesday, December 20, 8:00-10:30 am.
Students are expected to ensure when they register for this course that they
will be available for the final examination, and that they do not have too many
final exams on that date. The final course grades in MAT 118 will be determined
as follows:
Homework/Class Participation 20%, Tests 20% each, Final Exam
40%
Homework/Class Participation: You can not learn mathematics
without doing mathematics. It is essential to be an active participant in class
and to solve problems.
Each week a homework assignment will be posted further
down on this page, normally on Wednesday. It is due the following week by Friday noon in
class or directly with our teaching assistants. While you may work together with others in
the class (which can be a rewarding experience), write up your own solutions in
your own words. Since homework earns credit, it is assumed that everyone
submitting particular problems has solved them individually. The goal of the
homework is to understand the material, not to merely hand in some paper.
Late homework will not be accepted.
There are four recitation sessions for this course where you can discuss problems similar to the homework problems.
It is important that you attend one of these sessions.
Final exam:
On the final exam, there will be 8 regular problems and a bonus problem. The regular problems cover the
following topics.
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Problems
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Topics and Sections
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1
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Probability theory: elementary and conditional probability, 4.1, 4.4
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2
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Probability theory: expected value, 4.7
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3
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Probability theory: counting techniques, 4.5
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4
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Paths and networks: Euler paths, 6.1
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5
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Tilings and polyhedra: polyhedra and Euler formula, 7.3
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6
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Number theory: modular arithmetic, 8.2
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7
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Number theory: divisibility tests, 8.3
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8
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Number theory: affine ciphers, 8.6
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Approximate Course Schedule:
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Weeks
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Sections
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Sept. 6-8
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4.1
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Sept. 11-15
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4.5
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Sept. 18-22
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4.6, 4.3
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Sept. 25-29
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4.4
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Oct 2-6
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4.7, 4.8
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Oct 9-13
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6.1
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Oct 16
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1st Midterm (covers 4.1, 4.3-4.8)
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Oct 23-27
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6.2
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Oct 30-Nov 3
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7.1, 7.2
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Nov 6-8
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7.3
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Nov 10
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2d Midterm (covers 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2 )
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Nov 13-17
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8.1, 8.2
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Nov 20-22
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8.3, 8.4
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Nov 27-Dec 1
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8.5, 8.6
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Dec 4-8
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8.7, 9.1
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Dec 11-15
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9.2, 9.3
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Special Needs: If you have a physical, psychological, medical or
learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Disability
Support Services, ECC (Educational Communications Center) Building, room 128,
(631) 632-6748. They will determine with you what accommodations are necessary
and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.
Students
requiring emergency evacuation are encouraged to discuss their needs with their
professors and Disability Support Services. For procedures and information, go
to the following web site.
http://www.ehs.stonybrook.edu/fire/disabilities.asp
Week by Week Details and Homework Assignments:
September 6-8
Read Section 4.1. Do some experiments with coin tossing to see
what proportion of heads you get in the long run. You can use either a real coin or
the following
applet.
Quiz
September 11-15
Read Section 4.5. Review Section 4.1. If you submit a correct solution to
the September
problem of the month on or before October 1, you will get 5% of the course grade (even if you do
not win a prize)!
Homework 1
(due Friday, September 22): exercises 6, 8,
20, 28 from Section 4.1
and exercises 4, 6, 12, 16 from Section 4.5.
September 18-22
Read Sections 4.6 and 4.3. Read also the first part of Section 4.4
(about conditional probability). Review Section 4.5.
Homework 2
(due Friday, September 29): exercises 26, 30,
34, 36 from Section 4.5
and exercises 6, 20, 28, 32 from Section 4.6
September 25-29
Read Sections 4.4 and 4.7. Review Section 4.3.
Homework 3
(due Friday, October 6): exercises 2, 6,
16 from Section 4.3
and exercises 12, 14, 34, 38, 40 from Section 4.4
October 2-6
Read Section 4.8. Review Section 4.7. See the
solution to September problem of the month.
Homework 4
(due Friday, October 13): exercises 2, 8,
18, 22 from Section 4.7
and exercises 4, 6, 22, 28 from Section 4.8
October 9-13
Read Section 6.1. Review Sections 4.1, 4.3-4.8 and prepare for the midterm.
Homework 5
(due Friday, October 20): exercises 4, 12, 14,
16, 20, 22 from Section 6.1
and exercises 2, 4 from Section 6.2
October 16
Midterm
October 18-20
Read Section 6.2 (nearest neighbor algorithm). Review Section 6.1.
Homework 6
(due Friday, October 27): exercises 8, 16,
18, 20, 26, 30, 32, 34 from Section 6.2
October 23-27
Read Section 6.2 (greedy algorithm). Review nearest neighbor algorithm.
Homework 7
(due Friday, November 3): exercises 4, 12,
20, 24, 30 from Section 7.1 and exercises 2, 6, 10
from Section 7.2
October 30-November 3
Read Sections 7.1 and 7.2.
No homework for the next week. Prepare for the midterm.
November 6-8
Read Section 7.3. Review Sections 6.1, 6.2, 7.1 and 7.2. Prepare for the midterm.
Homework 8
(due Friday, November 17): exercises 20, 22,
24, 30 from Section 7.2 and exercises 8, 14, 20, 30
from Section 7.3
November 10
Midterm 2
November 15-17
Read Sections 8.1-8.3.
Homework 9
(due Monday, November 27): exercises 22, 32
from Section 8.1, exercises 30, 32, 34
from Section 8.2 and exercises 4, 18, 26 from Section 8.3
November 20-22
Read Sections 8.3-8.4. Review Sections 8.1-8.2
Homework 10
(due Wednesday, December 6):
exercises 10, 20, 27, 30
from Section 8.3 and exercises 6, 10, 22, 24 from Section 8.4
Projects:
You can do the following projects for an extra credit. A complete solution to each of them gives 5% of the course grade.
Partial solutions earn partial credit. You can do all three projects if you wish. Write your solutions neatly. The
deadline for projects is Monday, December 11.
Project 1:
Do Project 1 from Chapter 6 (p. 415). Give an example when your algorithm produces a better solution
than the nearest neighbor and greedy algorithms do.
Project 2: Do Project 4 from Chapter 6 (p. 416).
Project 3:
Do Project 2 from Chapter 7 (p. 460).