Math 485 Section 1
Seminar in Mathematical Problem Solving
Course Information:
Class meetings will be in Swart 4 from 3:00 – 5:00 PM on Wednesdays.
Attendance is expected. This is a team-taught course with two co-instructors.
Their contact information and office hours are summarized in the table below.
Co-Instructors
Phone
Email
Office Hours
Dr. Grady Bullington
424-7351
bullingt
Dr. Kenneth Price
424-1047
pricek
In Swart 121 on Mondays, Tuesdays, &
Fridays in Swart 121 from 9:00 – 10:00
In Swart 239 on Mondays & Tuesdays from
2:00 – 4:00 & Wednesdays from 2:00 – 3:00
Contact one of the instructors if you need to meet outside of office hours.
Text: Principles of Mathematical Problem Solving by Erickson and Flowers.
Calculator: A scientific calculator, like the TI-84 Plus, is highly recommended.
You may not use a calculator on a mobile phone or laptop computer.
Description:
Unlike many of your previous math classes, the majority of each period
will not involve covering new material. You will also not be assigned
lengthy exercise sets. The course focus is on strategies and methods for
solving problems.
For our purposes, we will simply say that exercises are easy types of
problems. Exercises only apply ideas covered in class. Solving exercises
reinforces the statements of definitions and applications of theorems.
In contrast, problems are often open-ended and require you to decide what
mathematical tools are needed. Problem solving skills will be very useful
to you no matter what your emphasis and career goals are.
By the end of the semester you will come to see mathematical ideas as a
source of interesting problems and a resource of tools for solving them.
Key elements of problem solving will be covered in class, clarified by
examples, and highlighted by rehearsal. You will also learn how to better
communicate your solutions.
Your successes completing the prerequisite courses prove you are already
a good problem solver. In Math 485 you should anticipate finding elegant
and clever solutions which often reveal deep and surprising connections
between different areas of mathematics.
Final Grades are based on percentage of points earned on the following scale.
A
91 percent or more
C
71 to 75 percent
AB
86 to 90 percent
CD
66 to 70 percent
B
81 to 85 percent
D
61 to 65 percent
BC
76 to 80 percent
F
below 61 percent
Three components determine your final grade.
1. Problem sets are worth 72% of your final grade.

Problem sets will be assigned approximately on a weekly basis.

Problems will usually come from the textbook.

Solutions may be submitted in groups of up to three students.

Each problem will be graded on a ten-point scale.
2. Two verbal quizzes are each worth 10% of your final grade.

You will be asked to present solutions to problems chosen directly
from the previously assigned sets. You may use your notes, but be
prepared to answer questions and explain your reasoning.

Students will arrange a time outside of class for their quiz with each
instructor. The first must be scheduled for the week of March 27th and
the second for the week of May 8th.

Students should meet with a different instructor for each verbal quiz.
3. One extensive project is worth 8% of your final grade.
The extensive project may be completed with a group. In that case instructors
will assign a point grade to the project, but the fraction of that score allocated
to an individual student will be determined by peer evaluations.
There are three extensive project options.
i.
Submit a correct solution to a current Proposal appearing in a journal
published by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) such
as Math Magazine, the College Mathematics Journal, etc.
ii.
A presentation at the MAA Spring meeting on a topic which has been
confirmed with co-instructors. Student presenters are also reimbursed
for travel, pay a reduced rate for the banquet, receive free registration,
and are granted a one year of free membership in the MAA.
iii.
Present three “stuck problem” solutions. “Stuck problems” are
problems which have been identified as more difficult than those
typically assigned. The solution must be accurate and complete.
Extra Credit can be earned by presenting one or more “stuck problem” solutions
in addition to one of the three extensive project options.
Tentative Daily Schedule:
30-Jan
6-Feb
13-Feb
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Data
Direct & Indirect Reasoning
Contradiction
20-Feb
27-Feb
6-Mar
Chapter 4
Chapter 7
Induction
Putting pizzazz into your
presentations with technology.
13-Mar
20-Mar
27-Mar
Chapter 8
Various Moduli
Parity
Chapter 9
Spring Break
Pigeonhole Principle
Verbal Quiz 1
3-Apr
10-Apr
17-Apr
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Two-Way Counting
Inclusion-Exclusion Principle
Algebra of Polynomials
24-Apr
1-May
8-May
Chapter 14
Review of final Projects.
Maxima and Minima
Verbal Quiz 2
Chapter 13
Recurrence Relations and
Generating Functions