09/10/2023: OH on Friday (09/15) have been moved to 12 - 1:30 pm
08/31/2023: OH on Friday (09/01) have been moved to 12 - 1:30 pm
08/17/2023: OH on Friday (08/18) have been moved to 12 - 1:30 pm.
08/17/2023: Homework 2 is posted and will be due on August 25.
08/15/2023: There is a typo in problem 7 and 10 of homework 1. Please see the Correction.
08/09/2023: Homework 1 is posted and will be due on August 18.
Dates: August 7th - September 15th
Time: MTWF 2:10 - 3:50 pm
Classroom: TLC1214
Instructor: Chutong Wu
Office Hours: TF 4:10 - 5:30 pm at MSB2129
Email: ctwu@ucdavis.edu (administrative questions only)
"The primary goal of 108 is to teach students the fundamentals of mathematical thinking and clear writing of mathematical arguments. This is the a beginners exposure to the notion of proof, to the language used by mathematicians (e.g., implications, quantifiers, notion of contradiction, induction). Most of the explanations and practice will use examples from basic set theory, basic combinatorics, and algebra. Mastery of this course enhances the ability to write clear well-organized scientific arguments. Mastery of this course also supports the development of clear analytical thinking."
See also: https://www.math.ucdavis.edu/courses/syllabus_detail?cm_id=99
Recommended Reading:
A Transition to Advanced Mathematics, 8th Edition by Douglas Smith, Maurice Eggen, and Richard St. Andre; Brooks-Cole
The Art of Proof by Matthias Beck and Ross Geoghegan
Your course grade will be caulculated using the following weights:
Homework 30%
Quizzes 30% (15% each)
Discussion Participation 10%
Final Exam 30%
Homework:
There will be a total of five weekly homework assignments, which will be made available on Wednesdays and will cover material from that particular week. The deadline for submission will be the following Friday (Wednesday for the last homework), and all submissions must be made electronically via Canvas by 11:59 pm on the due date. Late submissions will not be accepted. You are encouraged to collaborate with classmates, but you must work through the solution on your own. Please ensure that your submissions are in PDF format. Each homework assignment is worth 7.5% of the final grade, and the lowest grade will be dropped when calculating the final grade. To receive full credit, it is important to provide detailed steps for derivations.
Quizzes:
There will be two quizzes during the discussion in weeks 2 (August 18) and 4 (September 1). Each quiz will cover material that has been covered in lectures up to that day and accounts for 15% of the final grade. No makeup exams will be given. (Unless there is a medical/ legal documentation, if which case the grade of the missing quiz will be replaced with the final exam grade.)
Final exam:
The final exam is scheduled for Friday, September 15, 2023 2:10 - 3:50 pm. The final exam will be comprehensive and will cover all the topics discussed throughout the course. No notes, textbooks, or any electronic devices will be allowed during the exam. No makeup or early early exams will be given.
You are expected to strictly adhere to the UCD Code of Academic Conduct. Cheating, plagiarism, or other violations will not be tolerated; they will be referred immediately to Student Judicial Affairs, and necessitate a failing grade.
See the UC Davis Code of Academic Conduct: https://ossja.ucdavis.edu/code-academic-conduct
UC Davis is committed to educational equity in the academic setting and serving a diverse student body. I encourage all students interested in learning more about the Student Disability Center (SDC) to contact them directly at https://sdc-portal.ucdavis.edu, sdc@ucdavis.edu or 530-752- 3184. If you are a student who requires academic accommodations, send me your SDC letter of accommodation as soon as possible, within the first week of this course.
Disclaimer: This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor in the event of extenuating circumstances or to improve the course.