Day |
Date |
Activity |
Assignment |
Mon | 1/11 |
Welcome |
For Wednesday, 1/13:
Read the chapter "Welcome" (pages xi-xiv) and
Section 1.1;
Attempt stories #1, 3, 5, 7, 9 from Section 1.1.
You may read Section 1.2 (hints), but do not read 1.3
(solutions)! |
Wed | 1/13 |
Fun and Games |
Assignment:
Finish understanding the stories (you may
now peek at section 1.3, if you must!). Do this for Friday.
Read Section 1.4, and have a look at problems #2, 5, 8, 9,
14 for discussion. Part of this assignment will be handed in:
Pick two of those problems (other than #8, which will be
discussed more thoroughly in class) to write up and hand
in. Your solutions should be typed up
-- you can use this template (you can draw any diagrams by
hand, but text should be typed). By the way: your work will be
graded for presentation (including spelling, grammar, etc.), as
well as for mathematical content.
I suggest that you describe one problem that you managed to
solve, as well as one that you couldn't. For the one you
solved, show me how; for the one you couldn't solve, what did
you learn? What is it that stops you from solving it?
Due: Wednesday, 1/20.
|
Fri | 1/15 |
More Fun and Games |
Assignment (for Wednesday, 1/20):
- We'll be starting a unit on estimation. Read section 2.1,
and try to decide if you have more hairs than Ed Burger or not.
- Finish your first submitted homework problems (due Wednesday, 1/20).
Have you taken the attitude survey yet? You do this on blackboard. Take the
survey by Tuesday night, 1/19 (it's under assignments).
|
Wed |
1/20 |
Estimation |
Assignment (due Wednesday, 1/27):
Estimate the following (remember our classroom list of the fundamental
mathematical elements of an estimate):
- How much do you spend in groceries for a year?
- How
much gasoline do you use in a year? (CNN website) What
percentage of your budget is fuel?
- How many times will you breathe today?
- How tall is the Lucas Administration building?
- The southbound lanes of I-471 are backed up from the Big
Mac bridge at the Ohio river, to Nunn drive. How many
cars are stuck in traffic on that section?
These should not be "one-liners": you should give reasons for things, justifications, draw pictures, use data, etc.
|
Fri |
1/22 |
Estimation |
Assignment: there are two parts (due Monday, 1/25):
- Read section 2.2: Fibonacci numbers
- Bring in some object that illustrates Fibonacci numbers
|
Mon |
1/25 |
Intro to Fibonacci Nim |
- Study up and try Fibonacci Nim
- Problems to hand in: pp. 57--, #1, 2, 7, 8; 18-21; 28 (due Mon, 2/1)
|
Wed |
1/27 |
More Fibonacci Numbers |
- Read 4.3: The Sexiest Rectangle
- See if you can get your head around the concept of the golden
ratio (or golden mean), and the golden rectangle.
|
Fri |
1/29 |
Fibonacci Nim and Golden Ratios/Rectangles |
- Exercises 4.3: pp. 244--, #2, 3, 9, 11, 12, 14 (due Fri, 2/5)
|
Mon |
2/1 |
Golden Ratios/Rectangles/Spirals |
- Read 4.5: Platonic Solids
- No new problem assignments
|
Wed |
2/3 |
More Fibonacci |
- Problems, section 4.5: #1, 2, 4, 5, 11, 14, 15, 16 (revised due date, Wednesday, 2/10)
|
Fri |
2/3 |
Golden Rectangles/Platonic Solids |
- No more new material before the exam
- I'm postponing problems, section 4.5: #1, 2, 4, 5, 11, 14, 15, 16
(now due Wednesday, 2/10)
|
Mon |
2/8 |
More Platonic Solids |
- No more new material before the exam
|
Wed |
2/10 |
Connecting the platonic solids to the golden rectangle, via
Borromean Rings |
- No more new material before the exam
|
Wed |
2/17 |
The Moebius Band |
- Read the section on Moebius bands (section 5.2)
- Homework: Mindscapes, pp. 353-, #3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 Due
Wednesday, 2/24
|
Fri |
2/19 |
The Moebius Band and Fortunatus's Purse |
- Read the handout on Fortunatus's Purse (Lewis Caroll)
- Homework: Make your own Fibonacci spiral image using your own image.
|
Mon |
2/22 |
The Fourth Dimension |
- Read section 4.7: The Fourth Dimension
- Problems pp. 4.7: #5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 16 (due Mon, 3/1)
|
Wed |
2/24 |
The Fourth Dimension |
- Contemplate section 6.1: A Gallery of Fractals
|
Fri |
2/26 |
The Fourth Dimension and Fractals |
- Read 6.2; problems to come
|
Mon |
3/1 |
Fractals and Dynamics |
- Read 6.3
- Problems pp. 421-, #1, 5, 8, 9, 12-15 (due 3/15)
|
Wed |
3/3 |
Fractals and Dynamics |
- Read 6.3
- No new problem assignment.
|
Fri |
3/5 |
The end of dynamics; Fractals |
- No new reading in preparation for the exam.
- Do pp. 450-, #4, 5, 13, 20 (just do two steps), Repeat 20 (but remove the center triangle that does not share a boundary with the original triangle; just do two steps), 21, 27, 32; at least one of these will figure somewhere on your exam.
- Try my funhouse mirror fractal generator: make your own funhouse mirror image, using this web interface and your own image, and I'll post them on our "website gallery".
|
Mon |
3/15 |
More Fractals |
- No new assignment in preparation for the exam.
- The exam will cover 4.7, 5.2, 6.1-6.3 (and Fortunatus's purse!).
|
Wed |
3/17 |
More Fractals |
- No new assignment in preparation for the exam.
- The exam will cover 4.7, 5.2, 6.1-6.3 (and Fortunatus's purse!).
|
Mon |
3/22 |
Chaos |
- Read section 6.5
- Homework pp. 498, #19-24; due Mon, 3/29
|
Wed |
3/24 |
More Chaos |
- Make sure that you've read section 6.5
- Reminder: Homework pp. 498, #19-24; due Mon, 3/29
|
Fri |
3/26 |
Finishing Chaos |
- Read section 3.1 -- Infinity!
- Reminder: Homework pp. 498, #19-24; due Mon, 3/29
|
Mon |
3/29 |
Infinity |
- Read section 3.2
- Problems pp. 156-161, #2, 6, 7, 8, 13, 20, 37. Due Mon, 4/5.
|
Wed |
3/31 |
More Infinity |
- Our poster presentations are coming up at the end
of April (the 26th, 28th, and 30th).
By Wednesday, 4/7, you should
provide me with a one-page, typed proposal for
your project. You should try to find something
that you're interested in, that also has a
mathematical angle that you can share with your
classmates.
- Reminder: Problems pp. 156-161, #2, 6, 7, 8, 13,
20, 37. Due Mon, 4/5.
|
Fri |
4/2 |
More Infinity |
- Our poster presentations are coming up at the end
of April (the 26th, 28th, and 30th).
By Wednesday, 4/7, you should
provide me with a one-page, typed proposal for
your project. You should try to find something
that you're interested in, that also has a
mathematical angle that you can share with your
classmates.
- Reminder: Problems pp. 156-161, #2, 6, 7, 8, 13,
20, 37. Due Mon, 4/5.
|
Mon |
4/5 |
The Logic Game |
- Reminder: Poster proposals due Wednesday (this
will constitute a part -- 10% -- of your poster presentation grade).
|
Wed |
4/7 |
More on The Logic Game |
- Continue working on your logic exercises, which will be due Monday, 4/12.
- Reminder: Poster proposals due Friday (revised due date: this
will constitute a part -- 10% -- of your poster presentation grade).
|
Fri |
4/9 |
More on The Logic Game |
- Continue working on your logic exercises, which are due Monday, 4/12.
- Assignment for Friday, 4/16 (yes, same time as your exam!): on Monday I will return your proposals: you need to revise those, and refine them, and resubmit them (with the original proposal) on Friday, 4/16.
|
Mon |
4/12 |
More on The Logic Game |
- No new assignment, due to impending exam. Bring questions RE chaos, infinity, logic on Wednesday.
- Assignment for Friday (yes, same time as your
exam!): you need to revise the returned proposal,
refining your ideas, and resubmit it (with the
original proposal) on Friday, 4/16. You won't get
full credit if you don't include your first draft
(this assignment is worth 10% of your project grade).
|
Wed |
4/14 |
Logic Game, chaos, infinity review/questions |
- No new assignment, due to impending exam.
- Assignment for Friday: you need to revise the returned proposal,
refining your ideas, and resubmit it (with the
original proposal) on Friday, 4/16. You won't get
full credit if you don't include your first draft
(worth 10% of your project grade).
|
Mon |
4/19 |
Binary Card Trick |
- Visit our webpage on the binary card trick to learn how to play. Practice on a friend or family member!
- Assignment for Friday: you need to revise one more
time: this time including a graphic of your
presentation, including at least two references. You
should include any previous revisions of the proposal
for full credit. This is another 10% of your project
grade.
- If you do not attend the poster sessions (either
your own or other peoples' sessions) you will lose 10%
of the total grade
for each day you do not attend and participate)
|
Wed |
4/21 |
Egyptian Arithmetic |
- Recall: Assignment for Friday: you need to revise one more
time: this time including a graphic of your
presentation, including at least two references. You
should include any previous revisions of the proposal
for full credit. This is another 10% of your project
grade.
- If you do not attend the poster sessions (either
your own or other peoples' sessions) you will lose 10%
of the total grade
for each day you do not attend and participate)
|
Fri |
4/23 |
More Egyptian Arithmetic |
- Remember: If you do not attend the poster
sessions (either your own or other peoples'
sessions) you will lose 10% of the total grade
for each day you do not attend and
participate)
|