Welcome! Hi there. I am Anne Gloag and I will be your instructor for your Discrete Mathematics class.
Please take a few minutes to watch my video and learn a little about me. Then explore this page to familiarize yourself with the course and get information about our class.
You will find the link to log into our course at the bottom of this page.
Anne
This is a 3 unit course that begins on June 12 and ends July 22, 2023.
This course is asynchronous. The class content is found in Canvas and the material is organized in modules. Each module contains readings and videos, homework assignments, and collaborative activities including discussions and math exploration activities.
You will need to take three in-person exams at Miramar College: 6/22, 7/6 and 7/20 (optional make-up exam on 7/21). All exams are scheduled 5 - 8 PM.
This is not a self-paced course. You will learn in a community with your peers and engage with other students and your instructor on a regular basis.
I recognize that this is an especially stressful time to be a student. COVID-19 has added significant stress and trauma to all of our lives. The racial injustices in our country add additional stress to the experiences of Black people and those who are from other racially and ethnically minoritized groups. These stressors affect your lives and your ability to learn. Give yourself grace as you try your best. I will be flexible throughout this course to support you towards your academic success. I believe in you!
As a White college instructor, I have not had the same experiences as those of my racially and ethnically minoritized students. But I want you to know that I am committed to creating a learning environment where all students feel safe and are treated with dignity. I want you to know that I am committed to continually learn and growth and improve my teaching. I welcome your feedback at any time in this course. Your feedback empowers me to become a better teacher.
Textbook: Applied Discrete Structures, Version 3.6, Ken Levasseur, McGraw Hill, ISBN: 1105559297
https://faculty.uml.edu/klevasseur/ads/
Good news: your textbook for this class is available for free online! You can also purchase a print version, if you wish at amazon.com or lulu.com for $36.
Calculator: A scientific calculator will be useful in this course. Phones should not be used as calculators.
Notebook: A lot of the work you will do in this class is with paper and pencil. I recommend that you get a notebook or folder where you can take notes, do homework and keep your information organized.
Repl.it: You will complete your coding assignments using the repl.it platform if you choose to complete programming assignments.
I love math! I love math because it is beautiful and it is complex and because it is challenging. I think that it is one of the most interesting and beautiful subjects out there.
I love teaching! I love teaching because I like getting to know how people think and I like to see how each person discovers how math works.
In my many years of teaching mathematics I have taught the basic subjects many, many times but they always feels fresh to me because there are a thousand different ways people think about and solve the same problems. Math is not about memorizing a bunch of formulas, it is not about solving problems quickly. It is about developing deep and complex thinking, about finding joy in looking for patterns and seeing how seemingly unconnected pieces fit together.
All people are different in their thinking, strengths and interests but I don't think there are people who are good at math and people who are bad at math. I have always believed that everyone can learn mathematics at a very deep level. My goal as a teacher is to help you discover the joy in mathematics and to help you see that math is a subject that you can master and enjoy.
I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful manner.
I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.
I will be actively present in your learning.
I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.
I won't be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this list? If so, you will have the opportunity to make a suggestion in our Orientation module.
You strive to be an active participant in this course and strive to meet due dates.
You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
You will strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.
You will treat your peers with dignity and respect.
You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups, expect them. We will get through them together.
You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and you are stressed.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this list? If so, you will have the opportunity to make a suggestion in our Orientation module.
Course Description: This course is an introduction to the theory of discrete mathematics and introduces elementary concepts in logic, set theory, and number theory. The topics covered include propositional and predicate logic, methods of proof, set theory, Boolean algebra, number theory, equivalence and order relations, and functions. This forms a basis for upper division courses in mathematics and computer science, and is intended for the transfer student planning to major in these disciplines.
Prerequisite: MATH 122 or MATH 151 with a grade of "C" or better or equivalent.
Transfer Applicability: Associate Degree Credit & transfer to CSU CSU General Education IGETC UC Transfer Course List
Perform basic logical operations and generalize the rules of logic to set theory and Boolean Algebra.
Perform basic set operations and determine set equivalence and the cardinality of sets.
Implement various methods of proofs including proofs by induction, in proving a large selection of mathematical statements.
Prove and apply basic theorems from number theory.
Determine whether a relation is a function and identify the function's properties.
Apply methods of proofs and/or analysis to a variety of topics such as combinatorics, graph theory, sequences and series, or algorithms.
You will also be able to perform the following tasks:
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
Model with mathematics
Use appropriate tools strategically.
Attend to precision.
Look for and make use of structure.
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Course Starts: 6/12/2023
Add/Drop Deadline: 6/16/2023
Refund Deadline: 6/16/2023
Withdrawal Deadline: 7/6/2023
Pass/No Pass Petition Deadline: 6/23/2023
Semester Ends: 7/22/2022
I design my course to ensure that all students can succeed. You've got this!
Believe in Yourself. I believe in you. You got this. Even if you think that math is the hardest thing in the world, if you believe that you can succeed, you will. Research has proven that an open mind lets learning in and makes it stick.
Show up. Showing up is one of the most important factors to your success. Show up in the course, show up to office hours, show up for study groups with your peers. Show up mentally as well as physically. Be ready to do the work and contribute to the community.
Do the work. Yes, there will be lots of work! You don't need to do every single assignment and earn every single point in the course but try to complete the majority of the assignments, even the difficult, confusing ones and don't fall behind.
Communicate. If you identify a challenge meeting a due date, contact me right away. I am willing to be flexible. Contacting me in advance of a due date will keep you and I in sync and ensure you don't get overwhelmed by unfinished work. In your message, propose an alternative due date (within 24 hours is advised to ensure you don't fall behind). Please don't consider that proposal approved, however, until you hear from me.
We are here for you!
Tutoring: (Miramar College campus and Zoom)
Tara and Luke will be our Summer Tutors and they will tutor in-person AND Zoom.
There is free, in-person tutoring Monday through Thursday from 11:00am-3:00pm in M210 (The Math Lab). Please stop by and get help!
There is free, online tutoring Monday through Thursday from 11:00am-3:00pm on Zoom. To access online tutoring, please enter your name and CISD here or use the QR code: https://forms.gle/58pNTW91EKHwbKCy8
Zoom Appointments: I am here to help you with any questions you have. Make an appointment with me via email: agloag@sdccd.edu
Email: I prefer that you contact me through the Canvas inbox. But you can also reach me at agloag@sdccd.edu
If you contact me Monday-Friday, I will respond within 24 hours (usually much sooner). I do my best to reply on weekends but I'm human too and have been known to take breaks.
NetTutor: There are free live tutors 24 hours a day, every day. To access, go to our class in Canvas. Click on the tab NetTutor on the left-hand side. Scroll down to and click on Math. Then click - Drop in and Meet with a Live Tutor.