Math 107: Math in Society
SYLLABUS – Fall Quarter 2009
WELCOME TO MATH 107. Math 107 is your opportunity to explore mathematics that is
interesting, beautiful, fun, powerful, aggravating – oops, I mean challenging.1 We will draw
from the following topics: the mathematics of social choice (such as voting theory), 3D graphing,
growth (such as population growth) and symmetry (such as in fractal geometry), financial
mathematics, history of mathematics, and statistics. We will investigate applications and will
look at some subjects from an historical perspective. We will do all this in a cooperative setting.
Math is best learned by doing it, so we will do many problems in class and you will have
frequent homework assignments (oh, great).
In addition to discussing many mathematical ideas and techniques for problem solving, in
this course we will emphasize the development of critical thinking to (help) make sense of the
world. This includes skills such as reading carefully, recognizing unstated assumptions, paying
attention to details (as well as the bigger picture), and connecting past learning with current
topics. When you have successfully completed this course, you will not only have learned a lot
of mathematics, but also have improved your ability to read challenging material, understand it
and use it.
Instructor info
INSTRUCTOR: Larry Wiseman
OFFICE: C190E
OFFICE PHONE: 253-840-8356
OFFICE HOURS: Daily 11:10–11:50 am, MW 4:30-5:00 pm and TTh 5:00-5:20 pm; other times
by appointment. I am happy to meet with you outside of class to discuss the course,
homework, other mathematical questions you might have, etc.
EMAIL: lwiseman@pierce.ctc.edu.
Student success
YOUR SUCCESS: Your learning and success are important to me. I want you to succeed by
really knowing and understanding the material and being able to show it. You can give yourself
your best opportunity for success by doing the following:
1) Review regularly – After every class, I recommend reviewing material discussed as
soon as is convenient.
2) Read and work ahead – It can be helpful to read each section and begin the
homework for it before we discuss the section in class.
3) Ask questions – Feel free to ask me questions any time, in class or outside of class.
4) Study by yourself – Quality time.
5) Study with others – I encourage you to form study groups. Working with others on
homework is fine, though it is probably best if you make a first attempt at each
problem on your own.
1
Individual perspectives may vary.
PARTICIPATION: Your presence and participation are valued and important parts of this
class. Please attend class every day, if possible, arriving early enough that you are ready to go
when class begins. Your participation in class can have a big impact on what you and others
learn from this class. To increase participation (not to embarrass anyone), I may sometimes call
on students in class. If you miss a class, please get notes and assignments from a classmate.
Once you have done this, I will be glad to answer any questions you have about the material, but
I will not repeat the presentation(s) you missed.
COURTESY: The following can be distracting to other students and should be avoided during
class: private conversations, eating, texting, and other use of cell phones or laptop computers. (If
a medical condition, such as hypoglycemia, requires you to eat a small amount of food in class,
please do this discreetly.)
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Please inform me if you need course adaptations or special
accommodations because of a disability, or if you have medical information that needs to be
shared with me in the event that the building needs to be evacuated. If you use an alternative
medium of communicating, please let me know so that appropriate accommodations can be
made.
PROBLEM SOLVING SUGGESTIONS: You will learn the most from the homework only if
you make an honest attempt at every problem that seems difficult to you at first. Don’t give up
too soon! Here are some suggestions if you are not sure what to do:
1) Reread your text and lecture notes about relevant material and sample problems.
2) Find a simpler example or try to create a simpler example.
3) Try something and see where it leads.
4) Spend at least a half hour on a problem, then if you don’t seem to be getting
anywhere, give it a rest or seek help.
STUDYING: Doing homework and studying are not the same thing (though they can be put
together – see “Ceiling Test” handout). You may need to review a concept or procedure many
times before it becomes your own. Be an active participant in your own learning. In addition
to spending enough time with the material, it may be helpful to occasionally ask yourself if you
are really understanding what you are reading, doing, etc., and ask yourself questions like, What
am I learning from this problem/reading/lecture? Then try to commit to memory what you
are learning. I suggest preparing for class by doing the reading and the homework and making
a list of any questions you have.
Along these lines, here are a couple other thoughts that seem true to me:
– If you want to learn something, you are ultimately the only person who can do it,
though others may help facilitate your learning.
– One generally gets about as much out of something as one puts into it.
ABOUT MATH ANXIETY: The fact that “math anxiety” is a familiar phrase shows that many
people are not confident about their ability to learn, understand and do mathematics. But one
important thing about mathematics is that it is logical – it is understandable. Everyone in this
class has the ability to learn the math in this course as well as more advanced courses if they are
willing to spend enough time working at it. This doesn’t mean it will always be easy, that
understanding will always come quickly, or that you will get every problem right on every test.
It does mean that you can learn math well if you give it enough quality time.
The best way to deal with math or test anxiety is to use that energy to prepare thoroughly.
However, sometimes this by itself is not enough. If you do become anxious before or during a
test, one thing I recommend is to take several deep, slow breaths. This has been scientifically
shown to be calming. (Breathing slowly reproduces the physiological conditions of a calm state
and in this way increases calmness. Fast breathing reproduces the physiology of an anxious
state.)
STUDENT EMAIL ACCOUNTS: If you have not done so already, please activate your Pierce
College (Google) email account and either check it regularly or have messages to it forwarded to
whatever email account you check most often. I will sometimes send you course materials and
info about the class via your Pierce College email account. To activate your Pierce email, go to
www.pierce.ctc.edu/sos and follow the instructions.
Instructional methods for this course are subject to change, especially in the event of
widespread illness or campus closures. If such a situation occurs, I will probably be
communicating with the class through email.
Materials
TEXT: Excursions in Modern Mathematics with Mini-Excursions (Seventh Edition), by Peter
Tannenbaum. Please bring your text to class since we will often be using it during class.
CALCULATOR: You will need a calculator for some problems.
Grading
GRADING: Your course grade will be based on your percentage of total possible points from
attendance, homework, projects, writing assignments, tests, and the final exam. You can
calculate your grade so far at any time by adding up your total points and dividing by the number
of points that have been possible. The following indicates how a percentage of total possible
points translates to a decimal grade:
4.0 = 96+%
3.9 = 95%
3.8 = 94%
3.7 = 92-93%
3.6 = 91%
3.5 = 90%
3.4 = 88-89%
3.3 = 87%
3.2 = 86%
3.1 = 84-85%
3.0 = 83%
2.9 = 82%
2.8 = 80-81%
2.7 = 79%
2.6 = 78%
2.5 = 76-77%
2.4 = 75%
2.3 = 74%
2.2 = 72-73%
2.1 = 71%
2.0 = 70%
1.9 = 68-69%
1.8 = 67%
1.7 = 66%
1.6 = 64-65%
1.5 = 63%
1.4 = 62%
1.3 = 60-61%
1.2 = 59%
1.1 = 58%
1.0 = 56-57%
0.9 = 55%
0.8 = 54%
0.7 = 50-53%
0.0 = 0-49%
ATTENDANCE: You will receive ½ point for each day that you attend class. If you arrive after
I take role, I do not guarantee that you’ll receive credit for attendance that day unless you check
with me after class about it. On days when homework is due, I’ll use homework for attendance.
If you are present, but not turning in homework, please turn a sheet of paper with your name, the
date, and the words “I’m here!” … or something to that effect.
Please attend class every day, if possible, arriving early enough that you are ready to go
when class begins. If you miss a class, please get notes and assignments from a classmate. Once
you have done this, I will be glad to answer any questions you have about the material, but I will
not repeat the presentation(s) you missed. [Note: If you find it necessary to miss a class, it is
possible for you to receive attendance credit for that day. However, what will be required
involves a fair amount of work and is not equivalent to being in class. See me if it is necessary
for you to miss a class day and you want further information.]
HOMEWORK: See Homework handout.
PROJECTS: There will be two projects worth 30 points each: one on mathematical topics chosen
by students, the other on 3D graphing.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: In addition to writing components to the projects, there will be a
writing assignment on voting theory worth 5 points and another on fractal geometry worth 10.
An optional writing assignment worth up to 2 points out of 2 is to write a summary of the
reading for a chapter we are about to begin.
TESTS: We will have several tests during the quarter, worth up to 30 points each. If you cannot
take a test at the scheduled time, you may make arrangements with me to take it earlier (but not
later) for full credit. If an emergency prevents you from taking a test on time, please contact me
when you have a good opportunity. If arrangements can be made for you to take a make-up
exam before I return tests to the class, you may do so, but there will be a 20% reduction of your
score so that there is no benefit from having extra time to prepare for the test.
No test score will be dropped. The tests will be closed book with no notes allowed.
Unless otherwise indicated, you may use a calculator on tests.
FINAL EXAM: We will have a comprehensive final exam worth 50 or 60 points. Our final is
scheduled for Noon–2:00 pm on Wed., Dec. 9 in the regular room. On the final exam, you may
use one 8½ by 11 inch sheet of notes, prepared by you, with whatever other information you
wish.
ACADEMIC HONESTY: In this class, it is fine (and encouraged) to work with others on
homework, but not on tests. Cheating is not expected to occur, but if it does the following will
apply:
On a test, any student who uses notes, copies another’s work, or cheats in any other way
will receive a score of zero for that test. Any student who knowingly allows another student to
copy one’s work on a test, or in any other way assists another student in cheating, will also
receive a score of zero for that test. Cheating and/or assisting another to cheat on more than one
test will result in a course grade of 0.0.
“STAR” EXTRA CREDIT: If you wish to do extra (unassigned) problems for practice and show
me your work, I will consider this to be extra credit in your favor. I will also consider your class
participation and the conscientiousness of your work throughout the quarter to be extra credit if
they are particularly strong. (These sorts of extra credit go in my records as stars. Typically,
having a fair amount of this extra credit increases the course grade by 0.1. Extra credit for points
will also be available on tests.)
Misc.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR CLASSROOMS: Call 911 and then Campus Safety in
response to an imminent threat to persons or property. In the event of an evacuation (intermittent
horns & strobes), gather all personal belongings and leave the building using the nearest
available safe exit. Be prepared to be outside for one hour and stay a minimum of 200 feet from
any building or structure. So long as it is safe to do so students are expected to stay on campus
and return to class after evacuations that last less than 15 minutes. Do not attempt to re-enter the
building until instructed by an Evacuation Director (identified by orange vests) or by three horn
blasts or bell rings. Please notify the nearest Campus Safety Officer or Evacuation Director of
anyone left in the building or in need of assistance. The phone number of Puyallup Campus
Safety is (253) 840-8481.
COURSE PREREQUISITE: Satisfactory placement test score or a grade of at least 2.0 in Math
98 (Intermediate Algebra).
WITHDRAWALS: Please talk with me first if you wish to withdraw. The last day to withdraw
is Tues., Nov. 10. The last day to withdraw without a W on your transcript is Tues., Oct. 6.
“HOLIDAYS”: There will be no classes on the following days: Fri., Oct. 30 (All District Day);
Wed., Nov. 11 (Veterans’ Day); Wed.-Fri., Nov. 25-27 (RPD Day and Thanksgiving).
A final word: I hope you will enjoy this course and find it valuable for your growth and
education. If you find you are having difficulties or concerns, please let me know if there are
things I can do that will help the course go better for you. Gaining deeper mathematical
understanding and stronger problem solving ability takes time, but the rewards can be great.