LIBERAL ARTS MATHEMATICS
A PROJECT BASED APPROACH
By Mark Roland
Dutchess Community College
Liberal Art Math Student?
Characteristics
▫ Non Math & Science Majors
▫ Area of study may be unknown, Humanities, History,
The Arts, English, Liberal Arts , etc
▫ Afraid of math, poor math skills, math anxiety
▫ May never take another mathematics class
▫ Dislikes or “Hates” math
▫ Would rather be doing anything other than math
▫ Math may be an obstacle in obtaining their degree
Math is just not exciting
Survey of Mathematics
Catalog Description
The course will allow students the opportunity to
explore mathematics through interesting real life
applications, as they strengthen their critical thinking
and practical problem solving skills. Students will be
required to use contemporary technology, perform web
research and will work collaboratively throughout the
course. Topics will include geometry, probability,
statistics, and finance. Other topics may include history
of mathematics and modern mathematical systems.
Textbook
Using and Understanding Mathematics A
Quantitative Approach
By Jeffrey Bennett and William Briggs
Custom Edition provided by Pearson Publishing
used in all other sections:
My in class sections use My Math Lab Only
SUNY General Education Course
Objectives met by this course
• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and
Decision Making
• Mathematics
• Reading and Writing
• Computers and Technology
Technology in the Classroom
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Graphing or Scientific Calculator
• Internet
• Online Calculators
Setting The Tone on the First Day
• Course Introduction
• Using Technology right from the start
• Ice Breaker
▫ As a discussion through DCC course management: ANGEL
• Math Autobiography:
▫ Handed in through an ANGEL drop box

First day of class last statement

If you can say at the end of the semester that you didn’t “hate” coming to
class and you learned something, then we had a successful semester
A familiar site in any math class
Geometry Assignment
First cooperative assignment
Teacher chosen groups of two or three students
working together answering word problem questions
that are all based upon area, perimeter,
circumference, and the Pythagorean theorem.
Basic Geometry
• Area and Perimeter of
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Square
Rectangle
Triangle
Trapezoid
Parallelogram
Rhombus
• Area and Circumference of the circle
• Pythagorean Theorem
Example Exercise
Find the area of
the triangular
shaped lot in
Acres.
Numbers in the Real World
Uses and Abuses of Percentages
• Percent increase and Decrease
• 50% off and another 25% off at register =75% off
• Absolute and Relative Change Difference
Putting Numbers in Perspective:
• Spending a Billion Dollars
• Student Example 1
• Student Example 2
Student Statement:
• Spending 1 billion was fun, but it was definitely a lot harder than
I expected. After doing this exercise, I realized just exactly how
much those both are”
• A billion dollars sure is a lot of money!
Test 1
• Written in class part 75 points
• Take home section 25 points
▫ Students find 2 articles that talk about change or
difference; provide summary of article,
mathematical calculations and interpretation of
the mathematics
Statistics & Probability with
Microsoft Excel
Creating Graphs from Data
• Student Example
Statistics Assignment
• Mean, Median, Mode, Standard Deviation
• Normal Distribution
Probability with Roulette
• Teacher Example
Stock Project
Student Directions
• Student Examples
▫ Student 1
▫ Student 2
Financial Mathematics
Online Calculators
• Links
▫ http://www.wiley.com/college/mat/gilbert139343
/wave_s.html
▫ http://www.bankrate.com/calculators.aspx
On Line Calculators
$$Financial Mathematics$$
Personal Savings:
• Simple Interest
• Compound Interest
▫ Compounding Periods:
• Systematic Savings: Retirement Assignment
• Formula Sheet
$$Financial Mathematics$$
• Loans
▫ Credit Card Debt
▫ Car Loans
▫ Student Loans
• Home Ownership
▫ Mortgages
▫ Amortization Schedule
Test 2
• In Class Test vs. Take Home Test?
• Covers Statistics, Probability, and financial
mathematics
• Required to create graphs and use amortization
schedule to answer questions
Semester Project
• All general education objectives of the course are
met with this project
• Researching
• Use of technology
• Real World Project
Final Exam / Final Project
House Project
• Student Directions
• Student Examples
▫ Example 1
▫ Example 2
Student Feedback
1. “This is a great course which is actually
useful, everyone should take this course”
2. “When I learned how to calculate how long
it would take me to pay off my student
loans I had to share it with my parents.
They made me calculate how long it would
take to pay off their mortgage.”
3. “I hated coming to math the first day, now
its my favorite class”
Student Feedback
1. “Everything I learned I will use in everyday
life.”
2. One of my favorite classes, I actually
learned something unlike some other
classes
3. “This is the first A I ever had in a math class,
EVER”.
Math can be Exciting
Contact Information
roland@sunydutchess.edu
Thank You
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