Math 121:
Mathematical Ideas

Instructor:

Andrew Leahy
Office: SMC E-211
Office phone: 341-7439
Home phone: 342-1961
E-Mail: aleahy@knox.edu
AIM: aleahy44

Office hours:

Monday 3rd Hour
Tuesday 6th Hour
Wednesday 5th Hour
Thursday 3rd Hour

You can also set up an appointment (by phone or e-mail) or stop by and see if I'm available. I teach 2nd MWThF and 6th MWF and I have an independent study which needs to be scheduled, but I'm free most other times and I'm in or near my office most days until around 4:45.

Course Mechanics:

Meetings: MWF Period Six, SMC A-219

Text: Mathematics: A Practical Odyssey by Johnson and Mowry.

We will cover Chapters 1-5 and parts of Chapters 10 and 13 (Chapter 13 is available online). A tentative outline of what sections we will be covering on a day-by-day basis is available as a spreadsheet here.

Assessment:

Quizzes (approximately 50%)

There will be a brief quiz on each Friday on which we meet. You quiz score will be calculated on the basis of your performance on the best seven of those nine quizzes.

In-Class Work (approximately 50%)

"Suggested" and "Required" homework will be assigned daily. You are strongly encouraged to look at a selection of the "Suggested Homework Problems" but you will not be required to turn them in. (However, similar problems may be seen on quizzes.) "Required Homework Problems" will be due on the day specified. You are welcome to ask me questions about problems during office hours and, when time is available, we will spend time in class discussing problems from the text.(But not "Required" problems!) The quality of the explanations you provide will be factored into your homework scores.

A final (poster?) presentation should be expected. Details will be announced later.

A brief paper will be assigned later in the term.

Regular attendance in class is expected. Penalties may be assessed if a student has more than a few unexcused absences.

Course Goals:

The primary goal of this course is to provide a broad overview of topics in mathematics which are accessible without a lot of prerequisites. However, I hope that you will begin to develop an understanding of what mathematics is really all about.