The goal of the course is to be able to write down solutions to problems that
are like the assigned exercises.
The fortnightly 50-minute tests will consist mostly of problems like the exercises. No notes, calculators, or electronic devices of any sort will be allowed
during these tests.
1. You must give some indication of how you arrived at your answer.
The answer by itself, even if correct, is normally worthless.
2. Include a few words to say what you are doing.
I can’t read your mind. Let me know what’s going on.
3. Use symbols correctly:
Use the equals sign, “=”, only between quantities that are equal.
Never use an arrow, “)”, to join two items. (An exception is
the arrow, “ !”, that is used to indicate the performance of
elementary row operations.) If you want to indicate that you
are going from one statement to another, use a word like “so”, if
appropriate. If you mean that two quantities are equal, use an
equals sign.
Don’t draw lines through numbers that you are cancelling. Write
“3x = 3y, so x = y”rather than “3/x = /3y”.
4. Make it readable.
In addition, you may be asked to state de…nitions and theorems from the
text and the notes. You must know the meaning of the terms and symbols
that you are using, and the basic facts about them.
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