Math 100 Introduction to the Profession
Instructor: Hemanshu Kaul
Office: 125C, Rettaliata Engg Center.
E-mail: kaul [at] iit.edu
Class Time: 1:50pm-3:05pm, Tuesday and Thursday
Place: 106, Rettaliata Engg Center.
Office Hours: Tuesday 12:45-1:15pm and Thursday 3:05-4pm. And by appointment in-person or through Zoom (send email to setup appointment).
Questions through Canvas Discussion Forums are strongly encouraged.
TA Office Hours: Minjung Michelle Kang, Mondays 11:30am-1pm & Thursdays 11:30am-1pm, at RE 129 or at Math Tutoring Center.
|Course Information|
|Advice|
|Announcements|
|Topics|
|Projects|
|Weekly Class Log|
|MATLAB|
Course Information:
This course is an introduction to the nitty-gritty of work and study in the mathematical sciences. Fresh applied math majors are introduced to undergraduate studies and careers in applied math; to the effect of ethics, diversity, and related social issues to work and study in mathematics; to the study of mathematical statements, logic, and proofs; to experimentation and computation in mathematics; and they work on a semester-long group project that investigates a mathematical topic.
The Course Information Handout has extensive description of the course - topics, textbook, student evaluation policy, as well as other relevant information. Read it carefully!
Advice for students:
Here is my Welcome Letter to students like you.
Excellent advice by Francis Su on good mathematical writing.
Why do we have to learn proofs? by Josh Cooper.
On a more abstract note, here is a discussion by Tim Gowers on Language and Grammar of Mathematics - which is what you are learning in a course like this.
Excellent advice for math majors by Terry Tao, 2006 Fields medallist. Required reading.
Read this book on a variety of experiences in the journey to learn mathematics:
Living Proof
Some of the primary sources of information/discussion for careers in Mathematical Sciences:
MAA - Careers
SIAM - Careers
INFORMS - Careers
AMS - Careers
Class Announcements:
- Monday, 8/25 : See above and in the Course Information Handout below for the updated TA office hours information.
- Tuesday, 8/19 : Check this webpage regularly for homework assignments, announcements, etc.
Course Topics:
- Undergraduate studies in Applied Math - During and Afterwards : Careers - Documentary, discussions, presentations by instructor and by Career Management Center. Managing Courses, how to study, and making the jump from High School Math to Undergrad Math.
- Ethics in Mathematical Sciences : How ethics, diversity, and related social issues affect work and study in Mathematics and its applications.
- Mathematical Statements and Logic : Second order logic and simple mathematical statements, Comparison of Existential and Universal statements, the conjunction, disjunction, and their negations. Comparing Mathematical statements to real-life statements. Understanding Mathematical definitions and Statements of Theorems.
- Mathematical Proofs : Classical examples of proofs (and non-proofs) from Geometry, Number Theory, Set Theory. Different types of proofs and how to find them and how to write them - Direct implications, Contradiction, Contrapositive, Mathematical Induction.
- MATLAB/Python : How to use MATLAB/Python to learn experimentation and computation in Mathematics - Fibonacci Sequence, Matrices, etc.
- Project : A semester-long group project on investigation of a mathematical topic.
- Scavenger Hunt : Meeting faculty and learning through discussion.
- Special Lectures : Lectures by faculty in Applied Math introducing different fields/topics within Applied Math and their connection to real-world, further courses in the curriculum.
Special Lectures:
Projects:
The project requires you to work in teams of 2-3 students with the Professor offering the project. The project adviser will specify the details of what his/her project entails, the outlines will be given in the descriptions below.
The successful completion of the project entails:
Before the project Starts -
1) Send me an email with your choice of project(s) on Tuesday, 9/30 after class. Projects will be assigned in first-come first-serve order.
2) After I confirm your project and team members by Thursday, 10/2, write an email to your chosen project adviser by Friday, 10/3 to set up an appointment with him/her.
After the project starts -
3) Regular meetings with the project adviser and following his/her instructions.
4) At the end of each week before Friday 11:59pm, each student will also write a short 2-3 line summary of what she/he did related to the project over the past 7 days. This will be directly written in the MS Doc file for each project I will share with you.
5) A midterm report on the status of the project before Wednesday, 10/29 .
6) A final meeting with project adviser before Wednesday, 12/3 to confirm the completion of the project, and discuss the outcome of the project.
7) Submission of project report by email to me before the start of the Final exam week on Saturday, 12/6, 11:59pm.
8) Submission of project presentation file (as a PDF file) by email to me before the start of all presentations on TBA.
9) Final project presentation in front of your classmates during the Final exam week: TBA
Project Topics:
Weekly Class Log with Discussion Questions and HW:
- Week #1 :
- Topics and Readings:
Introduction to the course and each other; President Garfield's proof of Pythagoras's Theorem; a foundational discussion of President Garfield's proof, and the geometric lemmas and axiom(s) underlying it.
- Homework:
Reading HW (Be ready to discuss in class next week): Read Sections 3.1 to 3.7 of Alcock, How to Study as Math Major; Read Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of Devlin, Intro to Mathematical Thinking.
Follow the HW instructions and suggestions in the Course Information Handout. When reading a mathematics textbook, you need to have a pencil and paper next to you so you can make note of any thoughts of confusion (or of clarity!) that strike you as you read, and you can scribble the details of examples and non-examples of the concepts you are reading.
HW#1 for Submission [PDF]. Due Thursday, 8/28, by 11:59pm. Submit a PDF file through Canvas Assignment.
Questions? Ask on Canvas. Or, send email. Or, stop by office hours.
MATLAB Information:
Our textbook:
Moler's Experiments with MATLAB
MATLAB Access:
We will access MATLAB through the IIT's Virtual Computing Lab (VCL) which is accessible through your my.iit.edu account.
See FAQs regarding VCL.
Refer to VCL Instructions here.
Introduction to MATLAB:
Matlab Links for More Information
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