Lecture Time: 12:00pm – 1:50pm (MW) Location: Mary Reed 021
Instructor: Mei Yin mei.yin@du.edu
Office and Office Hours: Aspen Hall Middle 713B, 10:30am – 12:00pm & 2:00pm – 3:30pm (R), or by appointment
Course Description: The purpose of this seminar is to make available for students samples of important and realistic applications of mathematics. The goal is to provide illustrations of how mathematics is employed to solve relevant contemporary problems. No matter how simple a mathematical model is, it involves making choices and calls for creativity. The class will not assume much background in mathematics except high school mathematics.
Student Learning
Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, a student should:
1. discover what it means to be an active member of an intellectual
community by meeting rigorous academic expectations through critical
reading, discussion, research, and/or writing.
2. Engage in critical inquiry in the examination of concepts, texts, or
artifacts, and effectively
communicate the results of such inquiry.
3. practice newly acquired skills in
an active learning environment
where writing, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, presentation
and argument, and/or information literacy will shape the goals and
activities of the seminar.
Grading: Your
final grade for the course will be determined based on a numerical
weighted average calculated as follows: Attendance/Participation 20%
Homework/Discussion Questions 40% Term Paper/Presentation 40%.
This average percentage will then be converted into a final letter
grade based partially on how other students perform this quarter, and
partially on typical percentage grades from previous quarters of the
course.
Attendance: Students are expected to attend and
actively participate in every scheduled class.
Homework: Homework
and/or discussion questions will be assigned every week.
You may work on the assignments either on your own or in a group
consisting of no more than three people. The due date is every Monday at the
beginning of the class. Assignments
must be turned in promptly to receive credit. For submitted problems,
students are expected to show work and justify their answers. Please
write your name on the first page. If you are submitting multiple
pages, please staple them together. For students who are working in a
group, only one assignment should be turned in, with the names of the
group members written on the first page. The eight highest
homework scores will contribute to 40% of your final grade.
Term Paper:
Students are expected to form three-member teams and write a term paper
on a mathematical modeling project that tackles a real life situation. Each
team will give a 30 min presentation of their project during the
last week of the quarter and there will be a short Q&A session
following each team presentation.
Students with
Disabilities: If you qualify for academic accommodations because of a
disability or medical issue, please submit a faculty letter to me from
Disability Services Program (DSP) in a timely manner so that your needs
may be addressed. DSP determines accommodations based on documented
disabilities/medical issues. DSP is located on the 4th floor of
Ruffatto Hall, 1999 E Evans Ave, 303-871-2278. Information is also
available online at http://www.du.edu/disability/dsp;
see the Handbook
for Students with Disabilities.
Religious
Accommodations: University policy grants students excused absences from
class or other organized activities for observance of religious holy
days, unless the accommodation would create an undue hardship. Faculty
are asked to be responsive to requests when students contact them in
advance to request such an excused absence. Students are
responsible for completing assignments given during their absence, but
should be given an opportunity to make up work missed because of
religious observance. Once a student has registered for a class, the
student is expected to examine the course syllabus for potential
conflicts with holy days and to notify the instructor by the end of the
first week of classes of any conflicts that may require an absence
(including any required additional preparation/travel time). The
student is also expected to remind the faculty member in advance of the
missed class, and to make arrangements in advance (with the faculty
member) to make up any missed work or in-class material within a
reasonable amount of time.
Date |
Registration |
September 8 |
Fall quarter registration (new
students) |
October 28 |
Winter quarter early registration |
October 31 – November 3 | Winter quarter registration |
February 10 |
Spring quarter early registration |
February 13 – February 16 |
Spring quarter registration |