Spring Semester 2018
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:00 pm - 8:50 pm
UMW Trinkle Hall, Room B6
Whit Kemmey
Office Hours in Trinkle B6 immediately following class; other times by appointment
A Cool Brisk Walk through Discrete Mathematics by Stephen Davies, Ph.D. http://allthemath.org
Please don't print this on UMW printers.
Material from the text may not be covered in its entirety. Material presented during lectures may also be drawn from or supplemented by sources other than the text.
- Students will demonstrate an ability to interpret quantitative/symbolic information.
- Students will have the ability to convert relevant information into various mathematical/analytical forms (e.g., equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, words)
- Students will be able to apply analytical techniques or rules to solve problems in a variety of contexts.
- Students will gain an appreciation for how analytical techniques or rules are used to address real-world problems across multiple disciplines.
- Students will gain fluency with mathematical and analytic structures necessary for future courses in computer science.
- Students will improve computational thinking skills.
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Ask questions. Raise your hand if I'm in the middle of something, but if I don't notice, just interrupt.
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Join in class discussions. Let's figure some things out together. I don't care if you're wrong.
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Be patient while I learn your names. I'm terrible.
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Don't cheat. Come to me if you are struggling. You need to understand this material; you will definitely use it.
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Sit in the back if you want to use a laptop. Don't distract your classmates.
This course will operate on the "experience points" method of grading rather than averages/percentages. We will use a ten point grading scale (90 is the lowest A-), but it will be possible to score over 100 in the class. It is possible, although difficult, to earn an A for the course before the final exam.
This grading policy means several things:
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There is no makeup for missed quizzes.
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Projects and responsive readings are not accepted late.
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There are several approaches to getting an A in the course.
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Doing badly on one assignment does not doom your grade.
There will be two exams during the semester, plus a comprehensive final exam. The final exam will include questions related to programming projects from the semester.
Each exam will be worth a large number of points (at least 40 points each), but only points above the 50% mark will be added to your grade.
No makeup exams will be given except in the case of an unavoidable absense which can be verified as legitimate.
Only very basic calculators (those that do not include trigonometric functions) may be used on quizzes and exams. Students are encouraged to obtain one of these and practice using it for calculations prior to scheduled exams.
Short quizzes will be given during class several times (at least six, probably eight) throughout the semester; these will be very brief, and you will have to be somewhat familiar with the problems to complete them in a timely manner. Work some homework problems; that is the best preparation for quizzes!
Each quiz will be worth a small number of points (usually 6-10 points each), but only points above the 50% mark will be added to your grade. The things I am trying to accomplish doing quizzes this way:
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Encourage homework, but allow you to choose how much you need to learn the material.
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Allow you to demonstrate mastery of the material weekly, as well as on exams.
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Allow me to gage the progress of the class, and my effectiveness in conveying the material.
In addition to homework, quizzes are good preparation for the exams. If you are not doing well on the quizzes, come see me for help!
I don't collect or grade homework. It's for you.
There will be several opportunities for small projects and responsive readings outside of class. Points for these assignments will be added to your grade for the semester.
Responsive readings will require short answers to discussion questions, and will be worth up to 5 points each. 100% of points earned will be added to your grade. Responsive readings are individual assignments, but feel free to discuss the articles together before writing your response.
Projects may be completed individualy or in groups.
Violating the honor code is unfair to your classmates and unfair to yourself. Don't do it.
Quizzes and exams will be administered in class. All work must be your own. Any form of assistance from peers or reference materials is cheating.
Other than quizzes and exams, however, feel free to work together, ask questions of your fellow students, and look things up on the internet. Do whatever works best for your own personal learning style. Just don't take shortcuts that deprive you of the opportunity to learn. It won't be cheating if you do, it just won't be smart.
Assignments are not accepted late. They are due at midnight EST on the due date if electronic, or by the end of class on the due date if physical.
For midterm progress reports, I will look at graded asssignments so far. For quizzes, I will calculate an interim grade based on points achieved out of points possible, even though that is not the way quizzes will be applied to your final grade. If your grade is below a C, it's a sign of danger, and I will give you a \U" for your mid-semester grade. Please don't hesitate at all to come talk to me about this so we can figure out how you can do better in the course.
If you have a documented disability, please present me your letter from the Office of Disability Resources and I'll be happy to accommodate you.
By far the best way to reach me is to see me after class, or e-mail me.
I will be communicating with you outside of class time via e-mail, so make sure to check your UMW e-mail every day!