Year One MORSE
Module Guide
Compiled by Iain Carson
Modified by Daniel Wilson-Nunn
Summer 2013
Version 3
Contents
0 Introduction
ii
1 Core
1.1 EC106 - Introduction to Quantitative Economics
1.2 IB104 - Mathematical Programming I . . . . . .
1.3 MA106 - Linear Algebra . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.4 MA137 - Mathematical Analysis . . . . . . . . .
1.5 MA138 - Sets and Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.6 ST104 - Statistical Laboratory . . . . . . . . . .
1.7 ST115 - Introduction to Probability . . . . . . .
1.8 ST116 - Mathematical Techniques . . . . . . . .
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2 Options
2.1 MA113 - Differential Equations A . . . . . . . . .
2.2 MA117 - Programming for Scientists . . . . . . .
2.3 MA125 - Introduction to Geometry . . . . . . . .
2.4 MA134 - Geometry and Motion . . . . . . . . . .
2.5 MA246 - Number Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.6 PH126 - Logic 1: Introduction to Symbolic Logic
2.7 ST114 - Games and Decisions . . . . . . . . . . .
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0
Introduction
This year, the first year of MORSE and MathStats is having a complete overhaul, and as such, a
number of new modules have been introduced, and old modules becoming redundant. This applies
mainly to the core modules, and as such shouldn’t affect any choices that you have to make.
I have gone to as much effort as I can to ensure that the information in this guide is still serviceable,
and that details are accurate. I will reiterate what Iain said last year in that if you have taken
a module, and had a very different experience to that in this document, let us know and we can
update this guide. Or indeed if you have taken a module that there is no information on in this document, again let us know so that we can help future generations of MORSE and MathStats students.
Daniel Wilson-Nunn
Summer 2013
This guide will go out of date every year, and so must be updated regularly. I cannot guarantee
that future execs will be diligent about this, so please check when this was last updated and see if
you can trust the comments given!
As always, use this guide at your own risk: the comments are only opinions, and are based on an
unreasonably small sample size. As such, your opinion of the module might be completely different
to what is written here. If it is, then please get in touch with a paragraph of your own about the
module, and it will be included in here too! Similarly, if you have taken a module which is not
mentioned in this guide, then please let us know your thoughts about it.
Iain Carson
Summer 2012
Regulations
The following is taken directly from the MORSE Handbook:
The normal load in the first year is 120 CATS points (12 CATS points correspond to the
equivalent of one 30 hour lecture module). The maximum load is 140 CATS.
ii
1
1.1
Core
EC106 - Introduction to Quantitative Economics
Terms 1 and 2
24 CATS credits
2 lectures per week & fortnightly classes
25% tests
75% by 2 hour exam in June
This module is split evenly into two parts: microeconomics (autumn term) and macroeconomics
(spring term). There are two class tests in each term, and one examination worth 75%, whose
questions are split evenly between the two segments. Since there are only two lectures per week and
fortnightly classes, it is advisable to do some of your own study outside the allocated time slots,
particularly your own reading for macroeconomics. To this end, I would advise buying one of the
recommended textbooks for the macroeconomics section, and perhaps looking through some of the
microeconomics books on the fifth floor of the library too.
The exam for this module is very poorly constructed, with questions often being repeated from
previous years, sometimes without any change whatsoever. So too, some of the class tests are
routinely similar to those of previous years.
I found this module strange in that lectures, seminars and exam questions are seemingly disparate.
Lectures focus on the graphical interpretations of concepts, as well as a few examples. This is in contrast to seminar questions, which seem to rely very much on economic intuition, and exam questions,
which seem mostly to be about applying mathematical techniques one after another.
Most students find this module one of the more straightforward ones, but given its size of 24 CATS
credits, it will still take a long time to revise for and learn inside out.
Iain Carson
1
1.2
IB104 - Mathematical Programming I
Term 3a
12 CATS credits
5 lectures per week
30% coursework
70% by 2 hour open book exam in June
This module is organised in an unusual way: there are five lectures per week for just five weeks.
The examination is open book, and as such, if you prepare well, you can walk in with strong backup
material for the case that your mind goes blank during the exam. The questions are generally more
straightforward than those on other papers which MORSE students take, and tend to be on the
same topics each year. Not only is game theory on EC106 - Introduction to Quantitative Economics
and on ST114 - Games and Decisions, but it is also on this module too, meaning that you can score
very well on this question, given the amount of practice you will have had by this time!
A fairly large component of the module is the coursework, the self-study of computer modelling
of linear programs on Microsoft Excel. Each student is given a set of problems generated by a
computer, based on a standard set of problems: as such, no two students are likely to get identical
problem sets. The assignments are initially marked by a computer, but this process is overseen by
human markers, who have the final say and also take into account stylistic factors such as clarity.
While the onus is on you to learn how to use the ‘Solver’ add-in, there is support provided in the
form of an online forum and one technical support session. This coursework will take up time in
the run-up to the main examination period, and along with the concurrent ST108 Applications
of Algebra and Analysis lectures, you will need to be focussed if you want to keep up with your
revision.
This module leads to IB207 - Mathematical Programming II.
Iain Carson
2
1.3
MA106 - Linear Algebra
Term 2
12 CATS credit
3 lectures per week
15% weekly assignments
85% by 2 hour exam in June
I think that this is a very satisfying mathematics module. It essentially concerns the properties
and algebra of matrices and linear maps. Many of the concepts introduced in this module are
encountered widely across mathematics, and are very intuitive if you can grasp in your head what
is really going on when you are performing operations.
There are quite a few proofs which you will need to make familiar in this module, but most of them
rely almost exclusively on sound intuition and fall out almost immediately.
There are weekly assignments for this module, which are for credit. You will go through them with
your supervisor, as you do in Analysis. The summer examination is worth 85%, the remainder
being composed of these assignments.
This module leads to MA251 - Algebra I: Advanced Linear Algebra.
Iain Carson
3
1.4
MA137 - Mathematical Analysis
Terms 1 and 2
24 CATS credits
This module is new and is a replacement for MA131 - Analysis I & II, which Iain has a description
of below:
3 lectures per week
15% weekly assignments
25% by 1.5 hour January exam
60% by 3 hour June exam
This module is generally considered to be the most weighty module by first year students, and as
such many people do not do well in it. It is certainly the most ‘mathematical’ first year module,
and in fact its content underpins most of the mathematics which you will encounter over the whole
of your university career.
There are weekly assignments and supervisions, and if you go to all of these, then you will have
your first steps on the journey. More recently, tutorials have also been added for this module in
the first term only: these have so far been fortnightly meetings with one’s personal tutor, and have
complemented the more formal exercises handed in to supervisors.
There are two exams for this module. One is in January, a joint paper also including questions on
MA132 - Foundations; the other, which focuses on Analysis II, is in the main summer examination
period. Both exams are three hours in length.
This module leads to many other Mathematics Institute module, especially MA244 - Analysis III,
MA222 - Metric Spaces & MA225 - Differentiation.
Iain Carson
4
1.5
MA138 - Sets and Numbers
Term 1
12 CATS credits
This module is new and is a replacement for MA132 - Foundations, which Vincent has a description of below:
3 lectures per week
15% fortnightly in-class tests
85% by 1.5 hour January exam
This module is compulsory for all MORSE and MathStats students. In this module, 15% of the
marks are accounted for by fortnightly in-class tests. The January exam accounts for the rest of
your module marks.
Based from my experience, this module is not as daunting as it seems. My advice would be though
to take this module seriously as it weighs 12 CATS. It is important to be aware that the exam
takes place on the first week of Term 2 (often the first day). A significant number of people who do
poorly in the written exam (which coincides with Analysis I) due mainly to the fact that they did
not revise during the term break.
The best way to revise for this module is to do as many past papers as possible because some
of questions each year are quite similar to ones in previous years. I would suggest to you try to
memorise some of the proofs in the later chapters, because there are some questions which require
you to reproduce them. In addition, I would like to add that it isn’t necessary to get any other
revision material for this module.
This module leads to further pure mathematics modules, especially MA106 - Linear Algebra, MA131
- Analysis II and MA251 - Algebra I: Advanced Linear Algebra.
Vincent Tan
5
1.6
ST104 - Statistical Laboratory
Terms 2b and 3a
12 CATS credits
30% laboratory reports
70% by 2 hour open-book June exam
This module has had a complete remodeling for 2013.
The main aims of this module in its current form are to introduce the statistical computer programming language r, and secondly to build on the probability theory learnt in ST115 - Introduction to
Probability with a basic course on statistics. r is an immensely powerful and free software that is
widely used within academia, and statistics in industry.
The statistics learnt in this course will be mainly based around simulation, sampling and data
visulaisation. All three are very important areas within statistics, and will form the basis of all
later statistics modules such as ST218 - Mathematical Statistics A and ST219 - Mathematical
Statistics B.
The techniques learnt in this module will help greatly with ST221 - Linear Statistical Modellling in
second year, which again relies heavily on the use of r.
Daniel Wilson-Nunn
6
1.7
ST115 - Introduction to Probability
Term 2
12 CATS credits
3 lectures per week & weekly example classes
10% fortnightly problem sets
90% by 2 hour exam in June
This module is an important introduction to the study of probability. You will meet the essential
concepts in probability, such as probability mass functions, cumulative distribution functions and
moment generating functions.
There are exercises given out every fortnight, which are complemented by tutorials and weekly
exercise classes, these account for 10% of your overall mark for the module. The remainder of the
credit is from a two-hour examination in the summer.
When looking for materials to support your learning, it is useful to know that ST111 - Probability
A and ST112 - Probability B are relatively similar modules.
This module leads on to all future statistics modules, and in particular ST213 - Mathematics of
Random Events, ST218 - Mathematical Statistics A and ST219 - Mathematical Statistics B.
Iain Carson
7
1.8
ST116 - Mathematical Techniques
Term 1
12 CATS credits
3 lectures per week & weekly tutorials
20% coursework
80% by exam in week 10 of term 3
This is a new module this year, and is aimed at introducing university level mathematics. It will
cover how to think and write like a mathematician by working through important areas of first year
maths including combinatorics, calculus and geometry.
Daniel Wilson-Nunn
8
2
2.1
Options
MA113 - Differential Equations A
Term 2a
6 CATS credits
2 lectures per week
100% by 1 hour exam in June
This module is fairly straightforward and is assessed 100% by a one-hour examination. The content
is essentially a shortened version of that which the mathematics students study in MA133 - Differential Equations, and as such the notes for it can be used to help you, provided you take care over
which bits are and are not included in the shortened course which you are taking.
It is advisable to take this module if you hope to take courses such as MA235 - Introduction to
Mathematical Biology in the future.
Iain Carson
9
2.2
MA117 - Programming for Scientists
Term 2
12 CATS credits
1 lecture per week & weekly programming sessions
100% assignments
This module is about learning Java and is 100% assessed by computer code coursework. There are
three main projects to be done, with one additional ‘test’ program to be done first, in order to
familiarise you with the system.
There is just one lecture per week, as well as one two-hour programming session. During these
sessions, there is set work to begin with, which teaching assistants will support you on, but as the
module progresses, the time will be given over to work on the assessment.
Once you are familiar with the style of language and code which you must learn to deal with, then
this module is relatively straightforward.
Lecture slides are usually printed out by the lecturer, and there are good online resources too.
You can take this module in either year one or year two. It is worth bearing in mind that year 2 is
weighted more heavily in the formula for your degree score, so if you are looking to optimise your
overall mark, and think that you would score highly in this module, then you might well benefit
from delaying taking it up.
Iain Carson
10
2.3
MA125 - Introduction to Geometry
Term 1a
6 CATS credits
3 lectures per week
100% by 1 hour exam in Summer
This is not an obvious choice for statistics students to take, but I think that it is a good module to
let you open up to other areas of maths which you will likely not cover in detail during your time at
university. The content is very accessible, and the module mainly relies on intuition (particularly
about symmetry), as well as an appreciation of the history of geometry, in the respect of how results
have been built up from axioms. The printed notes for this module are very good and are well worth
a read, even if only out of curiosity.
Iain Carson
11
2.4
MA134 - Geometry and Motion
Term 2
12 CATS credits
3 lectures per week
15% weekly assignments
85% by 2 hour exam in June
I would like to suggest that all more mathematically inclined first years of MORSE consider this
module.
I myself have not taken it and so can not be very objective on feedback, but from those few lectures
that I have been to, from what friends say and from past exams I have made an impression that
it is a hard module on very useful mathematical techniques that, as a third year, I now very very
much feel I have a lack of!
If you also have some interest in physics this module is totally for you.
Vainius
12
2.5
MA246 - Number Theory
Term 3a
6 CATS credits
1 administration lecture
25% weekly in-class tests
75% by 1.5 hour exam in June
The module handbook tells you most of what you need to know, since you work from workbooks.
Often seen as enjoyable at first, but as always with maths modules, you need persistence for more
abstract things. Also there is a lot of new notation, which you have to get to grips with to do
well on the weekly tests. Surprisingly, if you are the person that prefers to go for Mathematical
Olympiads and competitions in your secondary school days, this module will just be a snap of the
fingers.
Rajinder Poonian
There is one scheduled lecture for this module, but this is just to go through the administrative
side of the module.
The size of the book which you need to work through for this module is initially quite scary. There
are five parts, the first four of which are assessed by weekly class tests, which are altogether worth
one quarter of the module. There is also a ‘zeroth’ part of the book, which should usually be done
before the course begins.
Since this module is entirely self-taught, be prepared for it to take a lot of your time, which can
be really annoying since it takes place in term three, when you’ll need to spend most of your day
revising for impending exams.
The topics covered are in linear congruences and modulo arithmetic, Euler’s φ-function and the
Chinese remainder theorem, discrete logarithms and primitive roots, and continued fractions.
You can take this module in either year one or year two.
Iain Carson
13
2.6
PH126 - Logic 1: Introduction to Symbolic Logic
Term 2
12 CATS credits
2 lectures per week & weekly seminars
100% by exam in June
This module is fairly straightforward and is assessed 100% by examination. There are weekly
seminars, which you may attend if you have completed the relevant assignment.
Students are split into two groups: MORSE students often choose the ‘fast track’ option, which
involves just one lecture per week (as opposed to two). This is in part because the content comes
naturally to those who have been thinking in a mathematical way for some time now, and also
because there is a degree of content overlap between this course and parts of MA132 Foundations,
as well as A Level modules such as D1. For example, there is often an exam question on truth
tables: this should be straightforward for MORSE students.
Unfortunately, this course requires the use of a costly textbook and software (which cost around
40-45). If you wish to take part in seminars and to do the assignments, then purchase of these items
is pretty much non-negotiable.
Iain Carson
14
2.7
ST114 - Games and Decisions
Term 2
7.5 CATS credits
2 lectures per week
100% by 1.5 hour exam in June
NOTE: This module will not be running in the 2013/14 academic year due to staffing
issues
In this module you will learn basic probability also covered in ST111/2 or ST115 making the first
sections good revision. You will then use this knowledge to make decisions using rules such as the
‘Expected Monetary Value’ rule and draw and interpret decision trees. Finally Game Theory which
is also covered in both EC106 and IB104. Assessed completely by a short 1.5 hour exam in the
summer.
Tom Jin
15
All material contained within this guide belongs to Warwick MORSE Society. The views and
opinions expressed in this guide are soley those of the original authors and other contributors.
These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Warwick MORSE Society.