MATH 288 : Intro to Proof : Fall 2021
(4 credits)
MWF 12:40-4 pm, CST 229
Instructor
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Office hours
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The following hours are tentative -
I'll finalize office hours
after the 1st week
M: 10-11am. T: 10-11am. W: 10-11am.
And by appointment or walk-in.
The best way to contact me, in order of
preference, is: [1] in person,
[2] by email, [3] by phone.
Open door policy:
I keep my posted office hours to
a bare minimum, to avoid being locked into a rigid schedule
all semester. However, I am happy to assist students well
beyond my office hours. Students are encouraged to just
drop by whenever needed.
Anytime my
office door is open you're welcome to stop by and check whether
I am available.
Also, please do not hesitate to make an appointment
if my posted office hours don't work for you.
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Class website |
https://cs.earlham.edu/~pardhan/courses/intro_proof/
The website is a central component of this
class, and you are responsible for regularly checking it for
announcements, homework assignments and various
supplementary handouts. I prepare for class with the assumption
that students have reviewed the website and followed through on
posted instructions.
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Textbook
Write Your Own Proofs in Set Theory and Discrete Mathematics,
by Amy Babich and Laura Person, Zinka Press, 2005.
(ISBN: 0-9647171-7-4)
It is also available in the form of a
Dover publication, 2019. (ISBN13: 978-0486832814)
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Course
credits
This course is worth 4 credits, and
will meet for in-person classes 8 hours each week for 7 weeks.
This is consistent with the standard practice of 4-credit courses
meeting for 4 hours per week during a regular
14-week semester. In addition, students should expect a
workload outside class
of about 15 hours each week.
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Requirements this class fulfills
This class is required for majoring
or minoring in math. It is also a prerequisite for MATH 420
(Abstract Algebra A) and MATH 430 (Analysis A). In addition,
it fulfills the writing requirement in math, plus the
Abstract Reasoning (AR)
component of Earlham's General Education requirements.
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Description & objectives
This course is unique in that its central
goal is to teach mathematical language and
process, rather than mathematical
content. It is designed to help students
transition to higher mathematics, and to prepare for upper
level courses in the major sequence and beyond. To accomplish
this overarching purpose we will focus on a set of key
foundational topics, together with learning the language and
process for constructing abstract mathematical solutions and
proofs. By the end of this course you will be on the path
to becoming a producer of mathematical knowledge as much
as a consumer of it.
Although we will learn some new mathematics along the
way, our emphasis throughout the semester will be on learning
and refining how we do mathematics, and how to communicate
mathematical content. Thus, you will be expected to
pay careful attention to details, and to develop solutions
that are not only correct, but are also rigorous and complete.
In many ways, this class is very similar to a foreign
language class! To succeed, you will need to memorize
vocabulary (e.g., definitions) and the rules of grammar (e.g.,
logic & key theorems). You will also need to
learn to put them together to write meaningful
prose (e.g., to write proofs).
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Student
learning goals and outcomes
Upon successful completion of this
course, students will be able to
1. |
Understand deeply
the basic principles of logic and a range of standard
proof techniques used in mathematics.
Why this goal?
Mathematical logic is special in that the outcome of
logical analysis is independent of who the logician is.
Qualities such as intelligence or "IQ" that are often associated
with logical reasoning in other areas of life play no role in
determining the outcome in mathematical logic. Only
systematic and correct application of the rules of logic
matters, and it leads everyone to the same end result.
In turn, these rules of logic comprise the foundation of proof
techniques used in mathematics.
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2. |
Apply those techniques in the context of
essential mathematical
structures such as sets, relations (including orderings and
equivalence relations), functions, etc.
Why this goal?
Although advanced mathematics consists of a mind-bogglingly
diverse range of ideas, most of these are built
upon the foundational concepts of set theory, relations,
functions, and other similar building blocks.
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3. |
Gain comfort working with definitions,
theorems and other abstraction strategies used in mathematics.
Why this goal?
Whether you are learning, exploring or communicating
mathematics, the use of definitions, theorems and
abstraction strategies is indispensible to all of these enterprises.
They comprise the backbone of the language of mathematics.
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4. |
Develop rigor,
clarity and precision in mathematical reasoning,
communication and proof-writing skills.
Why this goal?
To cultivate the discipline and habits of mind that will
help the student transition smoothly and successfully
into becoming a learner of advanced mathematics.
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5. |
Use the LaTeX suite of
software tools to typeset and publish professional quality
mathematical writing.
Why this goal?
A key challenge in typesetting mathematical writing
is the ubiquitous need to include symbols, equations,
and various other mathematical objects (vectors,
matrices, arrays, etc.). LaTeX not only provides an
exceptionally high-quality, open-source technology
framework to meet these needs, but it also continues to be
widely used for mathematical writing throughout the world.
In fact, most mathematics periodicals, journals, and conference
organizers require all documents submitted for publication
to be typeset using LaTeX.
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These aspirations broadly support all
5 learning goals of the Math Department, and the 7 goals
of an Earlham education (see the Appendix attached
to this Syllabus).
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Course prerequisites:
Mathematical Discovery (MATH 190).
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Assessment &
grading policy
Your final grade will be based on combined
performance on: quizzes and classwork,
writing assignments, homework problems,
one exam during the semester, and a final
exam. Each will contribute the
following proportions:
Quizzes & Classwork | 30% |
Writing portfolio | 15% |
Homework | 15% |
Mid-term exam | 20% |
Final exam | 20% |
Letter grade boundaries for this course
are not set in advance. They will be determined at the end of
the term, based on factors such as overall class
performance, level of difficulty of tests, quizzes, and assigned
work, etc.
At a minimum, the following standard scale
for letter grades will be honored:
A+: 97.0-100; A: 93.0-96.9; A-: 90.0-92.9;
B+: 87.0-89.9; B: 83.0-86.9; B-: 80.0-82.9;
C+: 77.0-79.9; C: 73.0-76.9; C-: 70.0-72.9;
D+: 67.0-69.9; D: 63.0-66.9; D-: 60.0-62.9;
F: below 60.
NOTE that all students must also satisfy the
following minimum requirements to receive a grade of C- or better:
* Take both the exams (mid-term and final).
* Turn in at least 75% of the homework problems.
* Turn in at least 75% of the quizzes and classwork.
* Turn in a complete writing portfolio.
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More details
about assessment categories
Quizzes and classwork:
In-class quizzes and/or classwork
will be frequently assigned throughout the semester.
A key purpose of the quizzes is to help us accomplish
learning goals 1 and 3 (listed above). Often, a quiz will simply
ask for a complete and mathematically formal statement
of a defintion or a theorem, or to apply a formal rule of
logic to some given situation. Classwork, on the other
hand, will be much like homework problems, and will serve
the purpose of hands on learning and practice in class. This
will help us accomplish learning goals 1 through 4.
Students will sometimes do classwork in teams and, in such
cases, turn in a common "team solution" for grading.
Writing portfolio:
A key goal of this class is to help you learn
to clearly, precisely and completely express mathematical
solutions in writing. With this in mind, I will periodically assign
proofs on which students will need to do multiple rewrites in
an effort to attain perfection. Your writing portfolio will serve
as the mechanism to facilitate and keep a record of your work.
The grading of portfolio work will strongly consider written
aspects of your proof, together with its mathematical content.
In particular, I will carefully assess your usage of both
English and mathematical grammar, and whether you really said
everything that was needed to make your solution correct and
complete. The writing portfolio will be particularly helpful for
accomplishing learning goals 2, 4 and 5.
Homework:
The purpose of homework is to help
you learn mathematical content and to give you practice
with proof strategies and other solution techniques.
Exercises will be assigned from the textbook and other
sources at various points throughout the semester.
These must be turned in at the beginning of class on the
indicated due dates. Homework exercises
will help us accomplish learning goals 1 through 4.
Exams:
There will be one mid-term exam during the term, plus a
final exam at the end of the term. The exams will help
fulfill and assess goals 1 through 4.
The tentative date of the mid-term exam is
August 27.
The final exam date and time is set by the
registrar's office.
According to their calendar, the final exam
will be held
Monday, Sep. 27, at 1 pm.
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Important dates
* Last day to
add this course: August 11.
* Last day to drop: Sep. 10.
* Date of final exam: Sep. 27.
NOTE: Last drop date applies to Earlham students only.
Students cross-registered through IU-East or other institutions must
follow the dates and rules of their own institution.
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Academic integrity
After several years of writing standard,
boiler-plate stuff in this section, I have decided to replace it with
a more authentic message from my heart to yours. Before getting
into details, I would like to share 3 key ideas that profoundly
shape my thinking, and prompt me to explore more effective ways
towards academic integrity:
- Academic infractions are a much bigger problem at
Earlham than many of us would like to believe or admit.
- The problem is NOT our students!
Earlham students are as good (or better!) than their peers at
other institutions in terms of moral values and ethical standards.
- Infractions at Earlham can be significantly reduced using
a combination of strategies, collectively developed by students
and faculty.
These three points summarize my overall perspective, and
will frame the rest of my discussion on this subject.
By far the
single biggest phenomenon that has radically transformed today's
academic integrity / infraction landscape is technology --
particularly the internet and cell phones.
In my view, Earlham's
traditional approach to academic integrity has been rendered
completely obsolete by these technologies. If I were an Earlham
student today, I would encounter many situations where the
temptation to infract would be extremely high, because these
technologies make it so easy, and the risk of getting caught is
virtually zero.
This is the main reason why I say that you, the
student, are not the problem. You are human, just like me
and my faculty colleagues. It is a fact of life that many humans
succumb to temptation when the rewards are sufficiently high,
and the risks sufficiently low.
Yet, the fact remains, a growing rate of
academic infractions is a terrible thing
to ignore: They sink an institution's reputation, decrease the
value of students' education, lower student & faculty
morale, and more. Clearly, we need to explore and develop
new strategies that are more effective for our times, and also
preserve Earlham's distinctive approach to such matters. We
will set aside some class time to discuss and formulate
specific policies for helping students (joyfully!) meet and exceed
the highest standards of integrity in this class. In the meantime,
I invite you to reflect on some practical ways that would most
help and support you in avoiding the use of inappropriate
sources for completing and turning in your graded work.
I would like to conclude with the following excerpt
from the Earlham Academic Integrity Policy:
"The College trusts students who enroll
at Earlham to be
honest seekers of truth and knowledge. This trust is extended to
all students by other students and by teachers ...
Giving or receiving aid inappropriately on
assignments and tests, or plagiarizing by using another person's
words or ideas without credit, constitutes a serious breach of our
trust in one another and in the integrity of the search for truth.
Those who believe they have witnessed violations of academic
integrity should feel the obligation to speak about this to the
suspected offender. The witness also should feel obligated to
report the suspected offender to the instructor if the person
fails to offer a satisfactory explanation and refuses to report
him or herself. ...
Violations of academic integrity, because they undermine our
trust in one another and in the credibility of the academic
enterprise, are taken very seriously. Penalties for violations
range from failing assignments or tests to suspension or expulsion
from the College.
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Makeups
In-class items: There will be no makeup for missed
in-class items (e.g., quizzes, classwork, class participation,
etc.) regardless of reason. I will drop your lowest two scores
as an implicit way of making up for missed items.
Homework: Past-due assignments will not be
accepted except in rare circumstances, provided the student
receives prior consent from the instructor.
Exams: Make-up exams will not be given
except in cases of documented illness or emergency.
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Academic accommodations
Students with a documented disability
(e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, visual, hearing, etc.)
who need to arrange reasonable
classroom accommodations must request accommodation memos
from the Academic Enrichment Center (main floor of Lilly
Library) and contact their instructors each
semester. For greater success, students are strongly encouraged
to visit the Academic Enrichment Center within the first two weeks
of each semester to begin the process. For further details, please visit
https://earlham.edu/academics/academic-support-and-special-programs/academic-enrichment-center/accessibility-services/
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Other sources of help
- The Academic Enrichment Center:
The Academic Enrichment Center (AEC), located in
Lilly Library,
provides assistance with study habits and skills as well
as a peer tutoring service. The AEC is staffed by trained
peer tutors for either pre-arranged group tutoring sessions
(provided for many math, science and social science
courses) or one-on-one tutoring sessions for other
courses. Peer tutoring is a free service offered to all
Earlham students. Please visit
https://earlham.edu/academics/academic-support-and-special-programs/academic-enrichment-center/peer-tutoring/
for more information.
- The Earlham Writing Center:
The Writing Center is dedicated to providing students
with advice and resources about writing. Students can meet
one-on-one with trained consultants who will contribute feedback
to writers at any stage of the writing process: brainstorming,
drafting, researching, revising, and polishing. This is a free, walk-in
service on the main level of Lilly Library.
In addition to dropping by, students may
also schedule an appointment in advance
using the online scheduler found at:
http://www.earlham.edu/writing-center/.
Also, if you want help with specific grammar topics related
to your own writing,
https://www.grammarly.com/edu is available
for all Earlham students to proofread their papers and learn
more about grammatical errors.
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