Day 02: Heart of Mathematics

• Assignment (for next time):
  1. finish understanding the stories (you may now peek at section 1.3, if you must!).

  2. Read Section 1.4, #2, 5, 8, 9, 14, 15 for discussion. This assignment will be handed in: for each problem, write up solutions (or at least progress, if you can't solve them!).

     What did you try? What worked? Be verbose! This will be handed in on Monday, 1/28.

     Note: your solution for problem 8 should be typed, and approximately one page in length. It will be graded for presentation (including spelling, grammar, etc.).

  We'll discuss these next week, and we'll get our plan for the rest of the semester (based on the next announcement!).

• Please hand in part of your first assignment: your choices for subjects to cover.

• Have you taken the attitude survey about mathematics? You do this on blackboard. Take the survey by Sunday (it's under assignments).

• "It doesn't read like a math book."
• "Some parts seemed confusing; perhaps intriguing, but confusing."

	Genie	Fountain	Trou	Dodge	Deal	Vegas	Dot
Favorite	1	4	1	0	4	0	2
Least Favorite	0	0	9	2	0	1	1
Solved	6	7	2	1	4	1	2

1. Just do it.
2. Make mistakes and fail, but never give up.
3. Keep an open mind.
4. Explore the consequences of new ideas.
5. Seek the essential.
6. Understand the issue.
7. Understand simple things deeply.
8. Break a difficult problem into easier ones.
9. Examine issues from several points of view.
10. Look for patterns and similarities.

• Let's Make a Deal!
  • Our numbers:

    Switch	6	4	7	6	6
    Stick	4	4	4	3	4

  • Is one strategy better? If so, by how much?
  • Can you justify your answer?
  • Playing it fast....
  • Playing it "bigger"....
  • Can we apply it to "life"? Can we become more effective thinkers?
• Dropping Trou
  • Models again....
• Fountain
  • Just do it!
  • What other combinations will work? What won't?
• Meanie Genie
  • Don't be a turkey!
• ???