Foundations of Mathematics
Spring 2006

Some advice on writing from Ralph Boas.     Some departmental guidelines on written assignments.

The Honor Code    

The Solutions Page  View Your Grade

An Assignment Log

Download Late Homework Cover Sheet Here

Last updated on Thursday, May 04, 2006 09:13:37 AM

See assignments for
Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4   Week 5
Week 6   Week 7   Week 8   Week 9   Week 10
Week 11  Week 12  Week 13  Week 14
Finals


Week 1

2/1:   These are due on 2/6, except as noted. Problems in blue cannot be collected, but are important and you should do them!  Problems in black will be collected at the beginning of class.

Enroll in the Blackboard site for this course.  (Yes, this is part of your assignment!)  If you have any trouble, view this page through Internet Explorer.  Please do this before our next class!  I will check to whether or not you have enrolled in the class.

-  Read the course introduction handout carefully.

-  Read Section 1.1 in MHH.

-  Do problems 3, 4, 8, 15, 16, 20, 21, 31, 33, 38, 57 from Section 1.1 in MHH.

2/3:  These are due on 2/8.

-  Read Section 1.2 in MHH.

-  Do problems 3, 5, 7, 11, 15, 21, 24, 25, 28 from Section 1.2 in MHH.


Week 2

Gateway Material for Week 2

Skim sections 6.1-6.4 in MHH, paying particular attention to material that seems unfamiliar.  To quiz yourself, see if you can do the following problems.  You do not need to turn them in.  You may use a calculator, but it would be most beneficial if you can do these problems without using a calculator.
-  From section 6.1:  29, 31, 33, 35, 41, 47, 45, 53, 55.
-  From section 6.2:  7-35 odd
-  From section 6.3:  1, 3, 19-35 odd
-  From section 6.4, 17-23 odd

When you are comfortable with this material, take Gateway Quiz 1 on the Blackboard site for this course.  Allow 20 minutes for the quiz.  You should take the quiz with your book and notes closed.  You may use a calculator.  You may take the quizzes as many times as necessary to pass.  Passing is 9 or more correct out of the 10 questions. 

You need to pass this quiz before class on Monday, February 13.

2/6:  Due 2/10.

-  Read Section 2.1 in MHH.

-  Do problems 1-8, 9, 11, 23, 25, 33,  41-46, 59-75, from Section 2.1 in MHH.

-  Our last class led to a very interesting question: when we are finding the next number in a sequence, what assumptions do we make?  To explore this idea, I added a threaded discussion to our course Blackboard site. Check on "Discussion Board" to participate. I've put four sequences on the board. Your job is to find the next number in the sequence, and tell how you did it. For each good response you post, I'll give you one bonus point on your homework score. The most you can get on this assignment is two bonus points. I'll do an example in class. There is no one right answer - that's the point!
 

2/8:  Due 2/13.  Today's Discussion Problem

-  Read Section 2.2 in MHH.

-  Do problems 1-34 every third problem (that is, 1, 4, 7, ..., 34), 43, 46, 49, from Section 2.2 in MHH.

2/10:  Due 2/15.

-  Read Section 2.3 in MHH.

-  For practice, all of the exercises 7-28 are good.  I've picked a few to collect, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to do all of them for practice.  I'll post the answers to the evens if you want me to do so.

-  Do problems 1-4 all, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 23, 24, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 99, 100 from Section 2.3 in MHH.


Week 3

2/13:  Due 2/17.   Today's thought problem.

-  Do problems 5, 71-74 all from Section 2.3 in MHH.

2/15:  Last day to add a class!   Today's handout.

 We didn't get too far in section 2.4, so just read the section before class on FRIDAY.  

-  Read Section 2.4 in MHH.

2/17:  Due 2/22

-  Re-read Section 2.4 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1-7 odd, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23 from section 2.4.


Week 4

2/20:  Due 2/24.  

-  Read Section 2.5 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1-6 all, 11-22 all.

2/22:  Due 3/3.  Today's thought problem.

-  Read Section 3.1 in MHH.

-  From Section 3.1, do exercises 1-13 odd, 33-36 all, 57-64 all, 75.

2/24:   Due 3/6.   Today's thought problem

-  Read Section 3.2 in MHH.

-  From Section 3.2, do exercises 1-6 all, 7-17 odd, 21, 22, 25, 26, 37-42 all (read the instructions!), 45, 46, 49, 50.


Week 5

2/27:   Study for the exam.  No additional assignment.

3/1:  Exam 1 over the material covered on 2/1-2/22.

3/3:  Last day to drop a class!   Due 3/8.  Look ahead to next week for your second Gateway Quiz.

-  Read Sections 3.3 and 3.4 in MHH.  You may skip the section on circuits in 3.3 if you wish.

-  Do exercises 21-25 odd, 41-51 odd 55, 59, 79, 81, 82, 85 from section 3.3.

-  Do exercise 9 from section 3.4.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 24, 48, 56, 60, 80, 86 from section 3.3, and exercise 10 from section 3.4.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.


Week 6

Gateway Material for Week 6

Skim section 6.5 in MHH, paying particular attention to material that seems unfamiliar.  To quiz yourself, see if you can do the following problems.  You do not need to turn them in.  You may use a calculator, but it would be most beneficial if you can do these problems without using a calculator.
-  From section 6.5:  25-53 odd, 57, 61-69 odd.

When you are comfortable with this material, take Gateway Quiz 2 on the Blackboard site for this course.  Allow 30 minutes for the quiz.  You should take the quiz with your book and notes closed.  You may use a calculator.  You may take the quizzes as many times as necessary to pass.  Passing is 9 or more correct out of the 10 questions. 

You need to pass this quiz before 5:00 pm on Friday, March 10.

3/6:  Due 3/10

-  Read Section 3.6 in MHH.  (Note that we skipped 3.5.)

-  Do exercises 13, 15, 17, 19 from Section 3.6.  (These are your homework exercises.)

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 14, 16, 18, and 20.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

3/8:  Due 3/20

-  Read Section 4.3 in MHH.  (Note that we skipped 4.1 and 4.2.)

-  Do exercises 1, 5, 7, 9, 15-39 every fourth (15, 19, ..., 39) from Section 4.3.  (These are your homework exercises.)

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 6, 16, 26, 34, 38.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

3/10:  Due 3/22

-  Read Section 4.4 in MHH. 

For all of the homework for this section, check for commutativity, an identity element, and inverses.  You do not need to check for associativity. 

-  Do exercises 1-9 odd from Section 4.4. (These are your homework exercises.)

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 2, 4, and 8.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

Have a Great Break!


Week 7

3/20:  Due 3/24  Today's handout on groups (same as 3/10 handout)

-  Read Section 4.5 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1-17 odd from section 4.5.  For each of these, do not check the associative property.  If any of these fails to be associative, it also fails something else.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 6, 10, and 18.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

3/22:  Due 3/27  NOTE THAT TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT IS FROM SECTION 4.5.

-  Re-read Section 4.5 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 21-33 odd from section 4.5.  For each of these, do not check the associative property.  If any of these fails to be associative, it also fails something else.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 22, 24, 26, 30, 34.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

-  NOTE THAT THE MATERIAL FROM 5.1 HAS BEEN MOVED!  IT IS NOW DUE ON 3/29!

3/24:  Due 3/29

-  Read Section 5.1 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1-23 odd, 27, 29, 31-35 odd, 47-53 odd,  from section 5.1.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 16, 24, 32, 48.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

-  Skim Section 5.2.  It is full of interesting number theory questions.  There is no written assignment from this section, but it tells you a bit about some interesting questions in number theory.

A few notes:
-  Way too many of you seem to be having trouble organizing your homework assignments.  To help you, I have included an assignment log.  When I make as assignment, write it in the log, along with the due date. 
-  Also, start homework assignments when they are assigned, not the night before they are due. If you do this, you have time to stop by my office for help on any questions you couldn't get from your class notes and the reading.  You can also stop by for help on the evens that you couldn't get, even though you were able to do the odd numbered equivalent exercise.


Week 8

3/27:  Due 3/31

-  Read Section 5.3 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 11, 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 43, 45, 47,  57, 59 from section 5.3.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 12, 26, 46, 58.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

Your first writing assignment is given today. 

3/29:  Today's thought problem

Today's other thought problem:  Can a parent be twice as old as his or her child for a second time?  Why or why not?

No additional problems assigned today.

3/31: Due 4/5 

-  Read Section 5.4 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 9-17 all, 25-39 odd, 47 from section 5.4.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 34, 38, 46.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.


Week 9

4/3:  Due 4/7  Today's Thought Problem

-  Read Section 11.1 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1, 3, 5, 9-23 odd,  49, 53, 59, 61, 67 from section 11.1.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 2, 6, 14, 24, 58.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

4/5:  Due 4/19

-  Read Section 11.2 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 5-23 odd, 25, 29, 31, 33, 39-47 odd, 53, 55  from section 11.2.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 12, 22, 34, 46, 54, 56.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

4/7:  Due 4/24

-  Read Section 12.1 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1-13 odd from section 12.1.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 2, 6, 8, 12.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.


Week 10

4/10:  Study for the exam.

4/12:  Exam 2 over the material from 2/22-4/7. 

4/14:  Easter Recess - No class


Week 11

4/17:  Easter Recess - No Class

4/19:  Due 4/26

-  Revise your writing assignments.  Final copies are due on 4/26.

-  Read Section 11.3 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1-9 odd, 15, 17, 19, 25, 27, 31, 33, 37, 45, 49 from section 11.3.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 4, 6, 8, 16, 24, 42.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

4/21:  Class cancelled due to a conference.


Week 12

4/24: Due 4/28

Beginning today, no late homework will be accepted unless you have excused yourself before class starts, or if you had an emergency.  Exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case bases.

To review for the final:  This week, begin reviewing Chapters 1 and 2.  Scroll up to see the assignments from those chapters.  Re-work the homework and ask any questions you have, either in office hours or at the beginning of class.

-  Read Section 11.4 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1, 3, 5, 9, 11, 13, 15, 29 (for some reason, part c is listed twice) from section 11.4.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 4, 10, 12, 14.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

4/26:  Due 5/1 

-  Read Section 12.2 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1, 5-19 odd, 23, 27, 33 from section 12.2.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 6, 12, 14, 18, 28.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.

4/28:  Due 5/3 

-  Read Section 12.3 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1, 5-21 odd, 29 (we did exercise 28 in class, so use either the exercise or your notes), 31, 37, 39  from section 12.3.

-  After you have done the exercises above, on the other side of the paper or on a separate piece of paper, do exercises 2, 12, 16, 22, 30.  These should be viewed as a take-home quiz.


Week 13

5/1: This homework will not be collected. 

To review for the final:  This week, begin reviewing Chapters 3 and 4.  Scroll up to see the assignments from those chapters.  Re-work the homework, review the first exam, and ask any questions you have.

-  Read Section 12.4 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 1-9 odd, 21, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35 from section 12.4.

5/3: No additional assignment today.

5/5: This homework will not be collected.

-  Read Section 12.5 in MHH.

-  Do exercises 3-11 odd from section 12.5.


Week 14

5/8:   This homework will not be collected.

To review for the final:  This week, begin reviewing Chapters 5 and 11.  Scroll up to see the assignments from those chapters.  Re-work the homework, review the second exam, and ask any questions you have.

5/10:  Review for Exam 3.

5/12:  Exam 3 over the material covered from 4/19-5/8. 

Finals

Our third exam is Monday, May 15, at 8 am.  It is a cumulative final, meaning that it covers the entire course.


Back to the top