Math 300, Fundamental Concepts of Mathematics

Spring 2008

• Instructor: Eric Sommers
• Time and Place: TTh 9:30-10:45 AM, LGRT 202
• Textbook : Gilbert and Vanstone An Introduction to Mathematical Thinking
• E-mail: esommers@math.umass.edu.
• Office: LGRT 1223K. Office Phone: 5-6013.
• Office Hours:
  • Monday, 3-4
  • Tuesday, 2-3
  and by appointment. For an appointment, just talk to me before/after class or send me e-mail.

• TA: Shaohan Hu
• E-mail: hu at student dot umass dot edu
• Office Hours:
  Wednesdays, 3:30 - 4:30 in the undergrad lounge on the 15th floor of LGRT

Announcements and useful stuff:

• The final exam is Tuesday, May 20 at 4 pm in LGRT 103. No notes or calculators are permitted.
• Review sheet for the final: Review sheet
• There will be a review session on Monday, May 19, time and place TBA.

Homework

• Homework 1, due Thursday, Feb 7.
• Homework 2, due Thursday, Feb 14.
• Homework 3, due Thursday, Feb 28. In problem 8(a), the hint should be
• Homework 4, due Thursday, March 6.
• Homework 5, due Thursday, March 27.
• Homework 6, due Thursday, April 10.
• Homework 7, due Thursday, April 17.
• Homework 8, due Thursday, May 8.

• Tuesday, 4-4:50 in LGRT 1114
• Wednesday, 2:30-3:20 in LGRT 1114
• Wednesday, 4:40-5:30 in LGRT 1114

• Basic Number Theory (2.1, 2.2, 2.5)
• Logic and quantifiers and set notation (1.2, 1.3, 1.4)
• Discussion of proofs (1.1, 1.5, 1.6)
• Congruences (3)
• Proof by induction (4.1); Binomial Theorem (4.2)
• Functions and Bijections (6.1 - 6.6)
• Rational, Real, and Complex Numbers (assorted sections in book)
• Group Theory or Topology (Handout).

Grading policy:

• We will have weekly homework assignments. These will count for 30% of the grade.
• There will be two midterms (one in-class and one take-home). These will count 20% each.
• The final exam (in-class) will count for the remaining 30%.