Day 01, MAT115, Spring 2009

Introduction to Mathematics for Liberal Arts

Next Time

Welcome!
3x5 cards: Please fill out the card, indicating
1. Name
2. Year (Freshman, etc.)
3. Major
4. Where you're from
5. Something special about yourself.
Your assignments, for Wednesday:
- Sign your class agreement.
- Read the chapter "Welcome" (pages xi-xiv) and Section 1.1;
  Attempt stories #1, 3, 5, 6, 9 from Section 1.1.
  You may read Section 1.2 (hints), but do not read 1.3 (solutions)!
- We also need you to take an attitude survey about mathematics. You do this on blackboard. Visit our blackboard site, and take the survey by Sunday (under assignments). We won't use Blackboard much, but you're free to use it as you wish.
  You'll repeat this survey at the end of the course, to see if anything changes in your responses. If you complete both ends of this survey, you'll receive a 100% score on a homework.
The syllabus
This particular section of the course would not exist without our textbook, The Heart of Mathematics. It is absolutely essential that you read it! The authors know how most people feel about mathematics, and want to help! They apologize for all the stupid jokes....
By the way: there will be a few problems on the exams that will be included merely to check and see if you've been reading your text. Don't ignore this piece!
The plan
Attitude: your best friend, or worst enemy
Class will be organized around discussions of material, and activities. You must be prepared to contribute! My role will be to present and clarify, but moreover to moderate the discussions, and be a resource.
The authors claim that our goal is more than just mathematics -- there are "Lessons for life (from our textbook, page 28)" that we should focus on:
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.
The course begins with some games. Let's try a little gambling game... about birthdays.
- We're going to go around and check birthdays (just month and day, not year!)
- A wager...
- Let's start with the months, and then we'll just check all those with the same months.
- What's the chance that two student in this room have the same birthday (month, day)?
- What are the odds? (What are "odds"?!)
Now we'll try one of the "fun and games" that we'll be studying: "Let's Make a Deal!"
- First of all, your text may have come with a CD, loaded with some resources (like a version of this game) to help you with the material.
- You don't need a computer, however: we'll play it with three cards and a partner. Imagine that there's a donkey behind two cards, and a Mercedes behind the other. You choose one card, and Monty Hall offers you a choice: stick or switch.
- Let's play it a bit: with a partner play the game 10 times, and decide between yourselves if either sticking or switching is a better strategy.
- Is one strategy better? If so, by how much?
- Can you justify your answer?
- Does it help to "play it fast?"
- Does it help to "play it bigger?"
- Can we apply it to "life"? Can we become more effective thinkers?
Next time: we'll play some more of the "fun and games" our authors feature in Chapter 1.

Website maintained by Andy Long. Comments appreciated.