| ABOUT THE COURSE |
| BASIC INFORMATION |
| TUTORIAL |
| TEXTBOOK OPTIONS |
| WEEKLY SCHEDULE |
| ASSESSMENT |
| LATE ASSIGNMENTS |
| WEBASSIGN/HOMEWORK INFORMATION |
| QUIZZES |
| EXAMS |
| SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL |
| CONDUCT |
NOTE: all course policies announced here are subject to change up to the first day of semester!
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About the course
The course is broadly about chance and strategy. We begin with probability, the mathematical language that allows us to talk precisely about experiments involving chance. We start with an exposition of some useful and efficient techniques for counting. Next we apply these techniques to the calculation of probabilities or the chances of various events occurring. Finally, we do a little bit of statistics: making sensible inferences about a whole population, when all we have to work with is information about a small sample. We then move on to optimization, the study of what choices you should make to maximize some payoff (or minimize some payout), when various constraints are placed on the choices that you get to make. We start by examining systems of linear equations and their solutions. Matrices are introduced and we see how these can be used to solve systems of linear equations. We then look at optimization problems, which involve getting the most out of limited resources. Often such problems can be reduced to solving systems of linear equations. We end with some game theory, or the mathematics of strategy. When you play a game with other players, you want to maximize your return, or minimize your loss, but you have to keep in mind that your opponents also have the same objectives. We use matrices, optimization and probability to find optimal strategies for some games. Back to the top of the page Basic information
Back to the top of the page Back to the top of the page Textbook options
We will cover material from the book Finite Mathematics, 8th Edition, Rolf (Hybrid Edition with access to online homework). You may either purchase a hard copy of this book along or purchase access to the online homework system Specifically, you have four purchasing options:
Note that all options include access to WebAssign --- this is absolutely necessary. Back to the top of the page Weekly schedule
Here is an outline of what sections of Rolf's book we will be covering. It may change slightly as the semester progresses. Click on each section number to see the slides for that section. Note that the slides will only become available on the morning of the relevant lecture (before that you will hit dead links).
Back to the top of the page Assessment
You will be marked out of 600 points, with the specific breakdown as follows:
Your marks on each of these components will be periodically updated on Sakai. A total of 570 out of 600 points will earn you an A; 550 will earn you an A-; 530 a B+; 505 a B; 480 a B-; 455 a C+; 430 a C; and a total of 410 out of 600 points will earn you a C-. Back to the top of the page Late assignments
All homework must be done by the due date to receive credit, and all quizzes and exams must be taken at the assigned times. I will not consider requests for homework extensions --- the online homework system gives ample time after each section has been covered to complete each assignment, so if you have to be off-campus, I expect that you manage your travel time in such a way that you can complete your assignments in a timely manner, and if you have computer problems I expect you to go to a computer cluster on campus to complete your online homework. I will not consider requests for make-up quizzes and/or exams, except in the case of legitimate, university-sanctioned conflicts. It is your responsibility to let me know the full details of these conflicts before they cause you to miss an assignment! Excepting university-sanctioned conflicts, it is your responsibility to be in class for all scheduled lectures and mid-semester exams; in particular, you should not plan travel on the morning of any of the Thursdays on which mid-semester exams are scheduled. Back to the top of the page WebAssign/Homework information
We are using WebAssign for online homework; there will be no paper homework. Back to the top of the page Quizzes
Quiz 6 was given on May 1. Here is the quiz, with solutions. Quiz 5 was given on April 12. Here is the quiz, with solutions. Quiz 4 was given on March 31. Here is the quiz, with solutions. Quiz 3 was given on March 3. Here is the quiz, with solutions. Quiz 2 was given on February 17. Here is the quiz, with solutions. Quiz 1 was given on February 3. Here is the quiz, with solutions. Back to the top of the page Exams
The final exam will be on Monday May 8 at 1.45pm in 129 Hayes-Healy. It will last 2 hours. It will be cumulative, with 30 multiple choice questions, split roughly 8/8/8/6 between the material for each of the three midterms and the material we've covered since the last midterm. Here are some practice
exams:
Exam 3 (click for copy with solutions) was on Thursday April 20, covering Sections 8.3 through 8.7 and 3.1 through 3.3. A practice exam is posted here (ignore question 10), with solutions here, and a second one is here, with solutions here. Please don't look at the solutions until you have spend a reasonable amount of time working on the exams! Here were some resources for help:
Exam 2 (click for copy with solutions) was on Thursday March 9, covering Chapter 7 and Sections 8.1 and 8.2. A practice exam is posted here (an actual exam from a previous running of this course), with solutions here, and a second one is here, with solutions here. Here are some resources for help:
Exam 1 (click for copy with solutions) was on Thursday February 9, covering Sections 6.1 through 6.7. Here is a practice exam (an actual exam from a previous running of this course). Solutions are here (note that the wording of Q15 in the solution write-up is slightly different from in the practice exam, but it is exactly the same question). Here were some resources for help:
Back to the top of the page Supplementary material
Here is where I will post any supplementary material for the course. Note that the slides that I go through in class are available by clicking on the relevant section number in the weekly schedule Back to the top of the page Conduct
Honor code: You have all taken the Honor Code pledge, to not participate in or tolerate
academic dishonesty. For this course, that means that although you may discuss homework assignments
with your colleagues, you must complete each WebAssign assignment yourself, all work that you present in quizzes and exams must be your own, and you will adhere
to all announced exam policies. Class conduct: The lecture room should be a place where you should feel free to engage in
lively discussion about the course topic; don't be shy! But non course related interruptions should
be kept to a minimum. In particular, you should turn off or switch to silent all phones, etc.,
before the start of class. If for some good reason you need to have your phone on during class, please
mention it to me in advance. Back to the top of the page
with access to the e-book and online homework
and use the e-book that comes with it for reference.
Each will count, equally weighted, towards the 300 point total. Specific information about each mid-semester exam, such as exactly what material will be covered, where it will be held, and what to do in the case of a conflict with another class or exam scheduled at the same time, will be announced in class a week or so before each one.
Specific information about the final exam, such as where it will be held, and what to do in the case of a conflict, will be announced in class during the final week of the semester.
You can also bring up any WebAssign problems you have with me during office hours or after class.
Here are some resources for help.