| Instructor: | Dr. Susan Addington |
| Office: | Jack Brown Hall 329 |
| Phone: | (909) 880-5362 (Leave a voice mail message if I'm not there.) |
| e-mail: | susan@math.csusb.edu |
| Course Web page: | http://www.math.csusb.edu/courses/m529home.html |
| Office hours: | TTh 3-4 and 5:40-6:40 (before and after class), and by appointment. |
This course covers transformational geometry, on the plane and in Euclidean 3-space, and, if time permits, on the sphere. We will cover Chapters 1-9 and 16 of the textbook, and whatever else we have time for. In addition, we will focus on connections with other parts and levels of mathematics: linear algebra, group theory, coordinate (analytic) geometry, and high school geometry, and anything else that comes up. Because many of the students in this course are or will be teachers, I will try to include hands-on activities and explicit examples when appropriate. We will also do some computer work.
Be sure to review relevant material from these prerequisite courses:
| Math 251 | Multilinear Calculus I | vectors and matrices, equations of lines and planes, functions from Rm to Rn |
| Math 331 | Linear Algebra | everything |
| Math 345 | Number Theory and Proof | one-to-one, onto functions, equivalence relations, proof |
| Math 355 | Analysis and Proof | one-to-one, onto functions, equivalence relations, proof |
Dates:
| Midterm 1: | Thurs., April 22 |
| Midterm 2: | Tues., May 18 |
| Project due: | Thurs., June 10 |
| Final exam: | Tues., June 15 |
Evaluation: Your course grade is based on your work as follows:
| Final exam: | 40% |
| Midterm exams: | 30% |
| Project: | 10% |
| Everything else: | 20% |
Exams: Will include short answer, computational, construction, and theoretical problems, and some proofs. May incude essay questions. Midterms will be one hour long. Final will be comprehensive.
Project. Your project is to investigate a topic that goes more deeply into some aspect of the course. You are encouraged to do something that involves handwork, such as drawing or making a physical object. You may also choose to learn to use a piece of geometric software such as Geometer's Sketchpad or Geomview. Your project must include a written report of at least 2 pages (more if your project doesn't involve making an object) and a very short presentation to the class. The report should give a survey of your topic to a hypothetical reader at your mathematical level. If you made an object, explain what is important and interesting mathematically about your object, and how it relates to the ideas in this course.
Possible topics: I have lots of books you can borrow as references, and will help you find a topic if you're not inspired, or if you want to use some skill you have (sewing, knitting, woodworking, origami, etc.) but don't know what to do with it. The sections of the book we don't cover are also good. Please check with me before starting your project to make sure I think it's appropriate.
Everything else: may include homework, quizzes, writing assignments, computer work, and possibly some group assignments.
Grading scale: Most work will be graded on a scale of 0 to 5, with 5 being an A+, and 0 an F.
Here is a generic rubric that describes what I'm looking for.
| Score 5(=A+): | Goes beyond basics; has explored the subject in some depth; has added her/his own ideas, extensions, problems, questions. Correct, organized, well-written proofs. |
| Score 4(=B+): | Good understanding with only minor mistakes. Does not go significantly beyond basics. |
| Score 3(=C+): | Adequate understanding, some mistakes; no extensions. Proofs with nontrivial errors, and/or badly organized. |
| Score 2(=D+): | Inadequate understanding; serious mistakes. No proofs. |
| Score 1(=D-): | Work attempted without success. |
| Score 0(=F): | Not done, or not seriously attempted, or completely misunderstood. |