Math 13 (44400) - Spring 2008

An Introduction to Abstract Mathematics

Notes & Questions

• We will be covering large parts of chapters I--V of Foundations of Higher Mathematics: Peter Fletcher & C. Wayne Patty, 3rd Ed, Brooks Cole
• LaTeXed notes will appear semi-regularly, so buying the book is not obligatory, though it will help you. The notes will not be as thorough as the book and are no substitute for attending lectures.
• Homework Questions will be set each week, some of which are to be handed in each week. Though some of the questions will be taken from the course text, all questions, and selected answers will be posted on the website, so you don't need the book for this either.

• A rough breakdown of the grading is as follows --- depends on resources available: Final Exam 40-50%, Midterm 20-30%, Quizzes/Homework - the rest!
  
• Only the questions you are asked to hand in on the weekly homework will count and be marked. If you especially want your answer to another question to be graded, please indicate! The best thing to do with extra questions is to bring them to office hours where they can be discussed.
• The course is primarily about Proving things and being Rigorous - thus practising proof construction by attempting the homework questions is the only way you will get a good grade. Just trying the easier example questions from the book or waiting til the week before the final to begin studying will not get you through. This doesn't mean that you should photographically memorise proofs, rather you should be trying to build your own.
• The final exam will be in class on Wednesday June 11th at 8am, and will be comprehensive. This course, and my approach it, will be a little different to that which you'll have experienced in most of lower division:
  • I try very, very hard to write exams that will be extremely difficult for those who don't understand the course and have merely memorised a few types of examples questions. Your mission is to convince me that you've been paying attention and that you understand the course material, not that you can copy simple questions with different numbers in them. Make no effort to understand things and you'll end up with a very depressing percentage; I routinely hand out grades of <15% for people who thought they could treat Pure classes like calculus. Make an effort to really understand what's going on and work steadily through the course, and the final will be easy :)
  • I try to set exams that will effectively separate a class. An average of 60-65% is most likely.
  • I have a good idea what sort of work constitutes an A, and what constitutes a pass. I then carve up the intervening letter grades equally. This is not the same as curving, where the top 10-15% get an A, etc., etc.. If I feel that everyone deserves an A then they will get one. If no-one deserves an A then no-one gets one.
  • Because I don't curve, you are not in competition with your classmates. Talk to them and compare approaches to questions; you will learn more discussing with other people that you will from me.