Course Descriptions

Second semester of the two-semester sequence MATH 101-102. Detailed treatment of analytic geometry, including conic sections and exponential and logarithmic functions. Same trigonometry as in MATH 104.

One-semester review of manipulative algebra, introduction to functions, some topics in analytic geometry, and that portion of trigonometry needed for calculus.

Various topics that might enrich an elementary school mathematics program, including probability and statistics, the integers, rational and real numbers, clock arithmetic, diophantine equations, geometry and transformations, the metric system, relations and functions. For Pre-Early Childhood and Pre-Elementary Education majors only.

Basic calculus with applications to problems in the life and social sciences. Functions and graphs, the derivative, techniques of differentiation, curve sketching, maximum-minimum problems, exponential and logarithmic functions, exponential growth and decay, and introduction to integration.

Continuation of MATH 127. Elementary techniques of integration, introduction to differential equations, applications to several mathematical models in the life and social sciences, partial derivatives, and some additional topics.

Honors section of Math 131.

Honors section of Math 132.

Honors section of Math 233.

Honors section of Math 235.

Descriptive statistics, elements of probability theory, and basic ideas of statistical inference. Topics include frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, commonly occurring distributions (binomial, normal, etc.), estimation, and testing of hypotheses.

The goal of this course is to help students learn the language of rigorous mathematics.

Students will learn how to read, understand, devise and communicate proofs of mathematical statements. A number of proof techniques (contrapositive, contradiction, and especially induction) will be emphasized. Topics to be discussed include set theory (Cantor's notion of size for sets and gradations of infinity, maps between sets, equivalence relations, partitions of sets), basic logic (truth tables, negation, quantifiers), and number theory (divisibility, Euclidean algorithm, congruences). Other topics will be included as time allows. Math 300 is designed to help students make the transition from calculus courses to the more theoretical junior-senior level mathematics courses.

This course will introduce students to writing in mathematics, both technical and otherwise. Writing assignments will include proofs, instructional handouts, resumes, cover letters, presentations, and a final paper. All assignments will be completed using LaTeX. By the end of the semester, students should be able to clearly convey mathematical ideas through their writing, and to tailor that writing for a particular audience. Students will also learn about LaTeX offline and online editors, file sharing and version control (GitHub).

Essentially all serious mathematics is written using some variant of the LaTeX software, and developing proficiency with this tool is an important part of the course. We will cover a variety of types of writing related to mathematics, such as: critique of seminar presentations and written articles; (auto)biography of mathematicians; expository writing about mathematical topics; aspects of writing a research article; opinion pieces; precise short communications (e.g. abstract, memo, tweet, blog post, newspaper headline); essays about aspects of mathematical culture (e.g. jokes, songs, anecdotes, sociological aspects).

Satisfies Junior Year Writing requirement.

Introduction to groups, rings, fields, vector spaces, and related concepts. Emphasis on development of careful mathematical reasoning.

An introduction to functions of a complex variable. Topics include: Complex numbers, functions of a complex variable and their derivatives (Cauchy-Riemann equations). Harmonic functions. Contour integration and Cauchy's integral formula. Liouville's theorem, Maximum modulus theorem, and the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra. Taylor and Laurent series. Classification of isolated singularities. The Argument Principle and Rouche's Theorem. Evaluation of Improper integrals via residues. Conformal mappings.

Calculus of several variables.
While MATH233 covers the case of up to three variables we will try to build intuition and methods for functions of any number of variables. The emphasizes will on integration over ``shapes'' though we will recall where needed the differentiation of mappings.
Some topics: change of variables, parametrizations of shapes, Jacobians, implicit functions, inverse functions; multiple integrals, line and surface integrals, divergence theorem, Stokes' theorem, fundamental theorem of multivariable calculus.

Foundational material in mathematical finance. Course covers interest rates, annuities, bonds, forwards, futures, options and other derivative securites. (Basis of actuarial exam in financial math exam fm/2).

We learn how to build, use, and critique mathematical models. In modeling we translate scientific questions into mathematical language, and thereby we aim to explain the scientific phenomena under investigation. Models can be simple or very complex, easy to understand or extremely difficult to analyze. We introduce some classic models from different branches of science that serve as prototypes for all models. Student groups will be formed to investigate a modeling problem themselves and each group will report its findings to the class in a final presentation. The choice of modeling topics will be largely determined by the interests and background of the enrolled students. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BA-Math and BS-Math majors.

We will explore several approaches to geometry: constructions with straight-edge and compass, axiomatic approach of Euclid and Hilbert, analytic geometry via linear algebra, and Klein's approach using symmetries and transformations. This will open the doors to many non-Euclidean flavors of geometry. Projective and spherical geometry will be studied in some detail.

Abstract algebra forms a key part of the ideas behind high school mathematics and is the basis for several parts of the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure for secondary school math teachers. This course will cover the parts of abstract algebra most important for building a deep understanding of the ideas of high school mathematics and their interconnections. It will focus on the properties of rings (especially the integers and polynomial rings over fields), and fields. During the course, we will be making some of the connections between these topics and high school mathematics; this is definitely a course in abstract algebra, not a course on how to understand or teach high school mathematics, but I hope that the things you learn in this course will deepen your understanding of, and change the way you think about, some important parts of high school algebra.

This class is designed to help students review and prepare for the GRE Mathematics subject exam, which is a required exam for entrance into many PhD programs in mathematics. Students should have completed the three courses in calculus, a course in linear algebra, and have some familiarity with differential equations. The focus will be on solving problems based on the core material covered in the exam. Students are expected to do practice problems before each meeting and discuss the solutions in class.

This course is an introduction to mathematical analysis. A rigorous treatment of the topics covered in calculus will be presented with a particular emphasis on proofs. Topics include: properties of real numbers, sequences and series, continuity, Riemann integral, differentiability, sequences of functions and uniform convergence.

This course is an introduction to the mathematical models used in finance and economics with particular emphasis on models for pricing financial instruments, or "derivatives." The central topic will be options, culminating in the Black-Scholes formula. The goal is to understand how the models derive from basic principles of economics, and to provide the necessary mathematical tools for their analysis.

Basic concepts (over real or complex numbers): vector spaces, basis, dimension, linear transformations and matrices, change of basis, similarity. Study of a single linear operator: minimal and characteristic polynomial, eigenvalues, invariant subspaces, triangular form, Cayley-Hamilton theorem. Inner product spaces and special types of linear operators (over real or complex fields): orthogonal, unitary, self-adjoint, hermitian. Diagonalization of symmetric matrices, applications.

Introduction to computational techniques used in science and industry. Topics selected from root-finding, interpolation, data fitting, linear systems, numerical integration, numerical solution of differential equations, and error analysis.

The course will introduce numerical methods used for solving problems that arise in many scientific fields. Properties such as accuracy of methods, their stability and efficiency will be studied. Students will gain practical programming experience in implementing the methods using MATLAB or Scilab. We will cover the following topics (not necessarily in the order listed): Finite Precision Arithmetic and Error Propagation, Linear Systems of Equations, Root Finding, Interpolation, least squares, Numerical Integration.

For graduate and upper-level undergraduate students, with focus on practical aspects of statistical methods.Topics include: data description and display, probability, random variables, random sampling, estimation and hypothesis testing, one and two sample problems, analysis of variance, simple and multiple linear regression, contingency tables. Includes data analysis using a computer package.

This course provides a calculus based introduction to probability (an emphasis on probabilistic concepts used in statistical modeling) and the beginning of statistical inference (continued in Stat516). Coverage includes basic axioms of probability, sample spaces, counting rules, conditional probability, independence, random variables (and various associated discrete and continuous distributions), expectation, variance, covariance and correlation, probability inequalities, the central limit theorem, the Poisson approximation and sampling distributions. Introduction to basic concepts of estimation (bias, standard error, etc.) and confidence intervals.

This course provides a calculus based introduction to probability (an emphasis on probabilistic concepts used in statistical modeling) and the beginning of statistical inference (continued in Stat516). Coverage includes basic axioms of probability, sample spaces, counting rules, conditional probability, independence, random variables (and various associated discrete and continuous distributions), expectation, variance, covariance and correlation, probability inequalities, the central limit theorem, the Poisson approximation and sampling distributions. Introduction to basic concepts of estimation (bias, standard error, etc.) and confidence intervals.

This course provides a calculus based introduction to probability (an emphasis on probabilistic concepts used in statistical modeling) and the beginning of statistical inference (continued in Stat516). Coverage includes basic axioms of probability, sample spaces, counting rules, conditional probability, independence, random variables (and various associated discrete and continuous distributions), expectation, variance, covariance and correlation, probability inequalities, the central limit theorem, the Poisson approximation and sampling distributions. Introduction to basic concepts of estimation (bias, standard error, etc.) and confidence intervals.

Continuation of Stat 515. The overall objective of the course is the development of basic theory and methods for statistical inference from a mathematical and probabilistic perspective. Topics include: sampling distributions; point estimators and their properties; method of moments; maximum likelihood estimation; Rao-Blackwell Theorem; confidence intervals, hypothesis testing; contingency tables; and non-parametric methods (time permitting).

Continuation of Stat 515. The overall objective of the course is the development of basic theory and methods for statistical inference from a mathematical and probabilistic perspective. Topics include: sampling distributions; point estimators and their properties; method of moments; maximum likelihood estimation; Rao-Blackwell Theorem; confidence intervals, hypothesis testing; contingency tables; and non-parametric methods (time permitting).

Regression analysis is the most popularly used statistical technique with application in almost every imaginable field. The focus of this course is on a careful understanding and of regression models and associated methods of statistical inference, data analysis, interpretation of results, statistical computation and model building. Topics covered include simple and multiple linear regression; correlation; the use of dummy variables; residuals and diagnostics; model building/variable selection; expressing regression models and methods in matrix form; an introduction to weighted least squares, regression with correlated errors and nonlinear regression. Extensive data analysis using R or SAS (no previous computer experience assumed). Requires prior coursework in Statistics, preferably ST516, and basic matrix algebra. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BA-Math and BS-Math majors.

This course will introduce computing tools needed for statistical analysis including data acquisition from database, data exploration and analysis, numerical analysis and result presentation. Advanced topics include parallel computing, simulation and optimization, and package creation. The class will be taught in a modern statistical computing language.

General theory of measure and integration and its specialization to Euclidean spaces and Lebesgue measure; modes of convergence, Lp spaces, product spaces, differentiation of measures and functions, signed measures, Radon-Nikodym theorem.

The analysis and application of the fundamental numerical methods used to solve a common body of problems in science. Linear system solving: direct and iterative methods. Interpolation of data by function. Solution of nonlinear equations and systems of equations. Numerical integration techniques. Solution methods for ordinary differential equations. Emphasis on computer representation of numbers and its consequent effect on error propagation.

The purpose of the teaching seminar is to support graduate students as they teach their first discussion section at UMass. The seminar will focus on four components of teaching: Who the students are, teaching calculus concepts, instruction techniques, and assessment.

Riemann surfaces are one of the most fundamental objects in mathematics and physics. They arise as zeros of equations in two complex variables, the complex 1-dimensional manifolds (complex curves). They also arise from conformal geometry, namely 2-dimensional oriented real manifolds with a conformal class of Riemannian metrics. That these two view points are equivalent, is already a non-trivial result. Thus, any surface you see in 3-space is in fact an example of a Riemann surface. Special such surfaces, obeying variational constraints, arise in geometry as minimal surfaces and in physics as string propagations. If the Riemann surface is compact, a deep results says that it can be described by complex algebraic equations and we are in the realm of algebraic geometry. At which point we could also contemplate Riemann surfaces over any field, e.g. Diophantine equations, Langlands program etc.

This course will explore these different facets of Riemann surfaces. The necessary concepts such as vector bundles and holomorphic structures will be developed as the course progresses. The main results proven in the course include the integrability of almost complex structures in complex dimension one, Riemann-Roch for vector bundles, Serre's GAGA principle, and the Abel-Jacobi theorem describing the moduli space of holomorphic line bundles. Possible applications (or final project topics) include the classification of holomorphic vector bundles over the Riemann sphere and elliptic curves, algebro-geometric integrable systems, moduli spaces of higher rank holomorphic vector bundles, and non-Abelian Hodge theory.

Prerequisites:

good knowledge of abstract (linear) algebra, complex variables, basic topology, perhaps some exposure to basic concepts of manifold theory (e.g. Spivak's book on Calculus on manifolds or Hitchin's notes on Differentiable Manifolds).

Literature:

Hermann Weyl: The Concept of a Riemann Surface (good historical reading).
Griffiths and Harris: Principles of Algebraic Geometry (selected chapters).
Knoeppel, Pedit, and Pinkall: Riemann Surfaces from a Differential Geometric View Point (pdf lecture notes).
Nigel Hitchin: pdf lecture notes on Geometry of Surfaces, Differentiable Manifolds, and Algebraic Curves.
Simon Donaldson: Riemann Surfaces, Oxford Graduate Texts in Mathematics.
R. Narasimhan: Compact Riemann Surfaces, Lectures in Mathematics. ETH Zuerich.
Otto Forster: Lectures on Riemann Surfaces, Springer-Verlag 1981.

Topics to be covered: smooth manifolds, smooth maps, tangent vectors, vector fields, vector bundles (in particular, tangent and cotangent bundles), submersions,immersions and embeddings, sub-manifolds, Lie groups and Lie group actions, Whitney's theorems and transversality, tensors and tensor fields, differential forms, orientations and integration on manifolds, The De Rham Cohomology, integral curves and flows, Lie derivatives, The Frobenius Theorem.

Elliptic curves, as the only smooth projective algebraic curves equipped with a group law, play a central role in modern arithmetic geometry.

The first part of a two-semester graduate level sequence in probability and statistics, this course develops probability theory at an intermediate level (i.e., non measure-theoretic - Stat 605 is a course in measure-theoretic probability) and introduces the basic concepts of statistics.
Topics include: general probability concepts; discrete probability; random variables (including special discrete and continuous distributions) and random vectors; independence; laws of large numbers; central limit theorem; statistical models and sampling distributions; and a brief introduction to statistical inference. Statistical inference will be developed more fully in Stat 608.
This course is also suitable for graduate students in a wide variety of disciplines and will give strong preparation for further courses in statistics, econometrics, and stochastic processes, time series, decision theory, operations research, etc.
You will be expected to read sections of the text book in parallel with topics covered in lectures, since important part of graduate study is to learn how to study independently.

This course will introduce students to Bayesian data analysis, including modeling and computation. We will begin with a description of the components of a Bayesian model and analysis (including the likelihood, prior, posterior, conjugacy and credible intervals). We will then develop Bayesian approaches to models such as regression models, hierarchical models and ANOVA. Computing topics include Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. The course will have students carry out analyses using statistical programming languages and software packages.

Regression is the most widely used statistical technique. In addition to learning about regression methods this course will also reinforce basic statistical concepts and expose students (for many for the first time) to "statistical thinking" in a broader context. This is primarily an applied statistics course. While models and methods are written out carefully with some basic derivations, the primary focus of the course is on the understanding and presentation of regression models and associated methods, data analysis, interpretation of results, statistical computation and model building. Topics covered include simple and multiple linear regression; correlation; the use of dummy variables; residuals and diagnostics; model building/variable selection, regression models and methods in matrix form; an introduction to weighted least squares, regression with correlated errors and nonlinear including binary) regression.

In this course, we will apply several novel machine learning algorithms, including normalization methods, classification and regression analysis on cancer patient data sets to arrive at personalized cancer treatments. We will develop several algorithms for analyzing cancer data sets, including gene expression data sets. We will review, develop, and evaluate some computational biology methods. We will implement most of these methods in Python. Although programming skills, machine learning, or computational biology background are preferred, they are not required for this course. Importantly, this is a research based course; it is an introduction on how to do research in computational biology. We all work as a team to learn cutting-edge methods in computational biology and hopefully find ways to improve them. We will read some recently published papers and implement methods that have been introduced in these papers. Except the first few lectures, a team of students will present the papers and their implementation of methods. Students should be interested in Python programming, computational biology, and doing research as a team member. There is no exam or final project. Students will be evaluated based on their participation, presentations, and works, including their codes and HWs.

This course is intended as an introductory course in statistical machine learning with emphasis on statistical methodology as it applies to large-scale data applications. At the end of this course, students will be able to build and test a latent variable statistical model with companion inference algorithm to solve real problems in a domain of their interest. Course topics include: introduction to exponential families, sufficiency and conjugacy, graphical model framework and approximate inference methods such as expectation-maximization, variational inference, and sampling-based methods. Additional topics may include: cross-validation, bootstrap, empirical Bayes, and deep learning networks. Graphical model examples will include: naive Bayes, regression, hidden Markov models, principal component, factor analysis, and latent variable/topic models.