Instructor information

Instructor: Dr W. Riley Casper

Office: McCarthy Hall 160A

Email: wcasper@fullerton.edu

Office hourse: 3-4 PM M,T,W. Additional office hours are always available by request.

Course website: we will use Canvas website (Fall MATH 180-01 20140), but will link additional information from a corresponding Github Pages site (link) which you may find more convenient for pulling material.

Course meeting information

  • Section: 01-02
  • Course ID: 20140-20141
  • Time: TTh 10:00AM-11:50AM and 12:00PM-1:50PM
  • Meeting Dates: 08/20/2022-12/09/2022
  • Location: MH 565

Course catalog description

Fundamentals of problem solving via contest problems, logic puzzles, games, riddles, paradoxes. Mathematical content may include symbolic logic, sets, mappings, cardinality, infinite sets, graph theory, modular arithmetic, probability, combinatorics.

Course prerequisites: Three years of high school mathematics, including two years of algebra and one year of geometry.

Course Material

Required Textbooks

The textbook for this course is:

  1. Gallery of the Infinite by Richard Schwartz

Required technology

For this course, you will need to have access to technology that will allow you to upload assignments on Canvas

  • Canvas: We will be using the Canvas Learning Management System for all course materials and communication. See below for details.
  • Internet: You will require ongoing access to a computer with reliable internet connectivity for assignments

Technology requests

If you do not have access to the necessary technology, you may be able to request a laptop, MiFi (wi-fi hotpot), and/or headset from the CSUF IT Department by filling out this technology device request form (link).

Software for students

You can get free and low-cost software for being an active CUSF student. Software downloads and request forms can be found on the CSUF student software website (link)

Grading

Grading scheme

  • Homework: 25%
  • Pre-class assignments: 15%
  • In-class assignments: 25%
  • Seminars / research: 15%
  • Final Exam: 20%

Grading scale (tentative)

The following is a tentative grading scale translating your percentage grade to a final letter grade in the class. While the actual grading scale will be determined at the end of the semester, the grade you get will be at least the grade reflected in the scale below.

Letter Grade  
A+ 97-100
A 93-96.9
A- 90-92.9
B+ 87-89.9
B 83-86.9
B- 80-82.9
C+ 77-79.9
C 70-76.9
D 60-69.9
F 0-59.9

Policies and expectations

I reserve the right to adjust the policies in this syllabus on a case-by-case basis.

E-mail Please email me from your CSU Fullerton account, as other email addresses may be filtered into my Spam folder.

Allow me 24 hours to respond to your email before sending a follow-up email. My response time may be slower in the evenings or over weekends.

Attendance and Participation If you miss any classes during the first week without notifying the instructor or the departmental office within 24 hours of the meeting, you may be dropped from the course.

Attendance and class participation are important components for success in this course. We will work through assigned in-class problems during our meetings.

You will be expected to work in groups on in-class assignments. Be respectful, and make sure all team members have completed the task. The teamwork grade will be factored into the participation grade.

You may also be asked to post in the Discussion Board. Before doing so, review the Forum Rules on our Canvas course site.

Assigned Readings You will be assigned a few sections of material to read prior to most class meetings. These are crucial for your understanding of the material in lectures and participation in in-class assignments.

Homework Weekly homework assignments should be uploaded to Canvas in a PDF format. Three possible ways of accomplishing this (in order of preference) are

  • typing your solution in LaTeX on Overleaf and then compiling and downloading the resultant pdf.
  • writing your solution and using a scanner or smartphone to scan it as a PDF document and upload it
  • using some other word processor such as Microsoft Word to create the document and then export it as a PDF

Seminars: As part of this class, you will be expected to attend a seminars within the department at least three times throughout the semester and create a discussion post about what you learned, and more importantly, what questions it made you ask. Examples of department seminars include

  • Problem Solving Seminar: this seminar is about solving math puzzles and other contest problems, and preparing for a legendary math competition called the Putnam Exam
  • Algebra/Geometry/Topology Seminar: this seminar focuses on current research in algebra, geometry, and topology by working mathematicians
  • Analysis Seminar: this seminar focuses on current research in analysis by working mathematicians
  • Applied Mathematics Seminar: this seminar focuses on current research in applied mathematics by working mathematicians

Note that going above and beyond in this requirement constitutes an opportunity for extra credit! (Examples include attending more than the required seminars, presenting in a seminar, engaging in other extra-curricular mathy activities, etc). Also, if you are unable to attend any seminar at least three times due to scheduling issues, you may request accommodation in the form of supplementary activities like writing a report on an interesting math topic. This request should happen as early as possible and requests occuring in the last few weeks of class which appear to be about procrastination will be viewed disfavorably.

Research: As part of this class, you will be responsible for conducting and presenting a research project where you try to answer some question that nobody knows the answer to yet. It can be inspired by a project we do in class, or by some of your interests outside of class. This project will culminate in the creation of a research poster that you will use to present your work in a class-wide poster session.

Exams

Final Exam The final exam will be cumulative with both written and computational parts, and will account for 20% of your grade.

  • If your section is 10-12 on T/Th, then your Final Exam time is 9-11AM on Tuesday, December 13
  • If your section is 12-2 on T/Th, then your Final Exam time is 1-3PM on Tuesday, December 13

Important academic calendar dates

  • 08/20/2022 Instruction begins. Last registration (with $25 late fee) begins through TITAN Online.
  • 08/28/2022 Last day students will be enrolled from waitlist.
  • 09/06/2022 Last day of late registration with $25 late fee. Last day to add most classes with registration permit through TITAN Online.
  • 09/06/2022 Last day to drop classes without a grade of “W” See Registration pages for details.
  • 11/10/2022 Final deadline to submit a withdrawal request from classes with a grade of “W” for serious and compelling reasons.
  • 12/02/2022 Final deadline to submit a withdrawal request of “W” for medical reasons.

Academic integrity

Students who violate university standards of academic integrity are subject to disciplinary sanctions, including failure in the course and suspension from the university. Since dishonesty in any form harms the individual, other students, and the university, policies on academic integrity are strictly enforced. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

  1. copying from another student’s homework, quiz, or exam;
  2. allowing another student to copy your work; and
  3. copying homework solutions from online.

You should familiarize yourself with the academic integrity guidelines found in the current student handbook. Consult the University Policy Statement (UPS) 300.021 regarding Academic Dishonesty (link) for details.

Accommodations

Disability Support Services (DSS)

The university requires students with disabilities to register with the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS), located in UH-101, in order to receive prescribed accommodations appropriate to their disability. Students requesting accommodations should inform the instructor during the first week of classes about any disability or special needs that may require specific arrangements/accommodations related to attending class sessions, completing course assignments, writing papers or quizzes/tests/examinations. Additional information can be found by:

  • Visiting the DSS website
  • Calling 657-278-3112
  • Emailing dsservices@fullerton.edu.

Please contact the following if you have:

  • General inquiries, questions, or concerns: dsservices@fullerton.edu
  • Accommodations or inquiries with your Specialist: dsspecialists@fullerton.edu
  • Exam proctoring questions/concerns: dsstesting@fullerton.edu
  • Accessible technology and accessible instructional materials: dssaccess@fullerton.edu
  • Deaf/hard of hearing: dssdhh@fullerton.edu
  • Notetaking questions/inquiries: dssnotetaking@fullerton.edu

Religious and other accommodations

If you require accommodations for religious or other reasons, please email the instructor.

President’s Directive & Health and Safety Guidelines

Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) is actively working to maintain the safety of our campus community in response to COVID-19. To stay current with information, please visit CSUF’s Titan’s Return: COVID Recovery website. Please review the FAQs to help answer any of your questions. Below are requirements to review prior to our first-class session.

  • Read President’s Directive No. 22 – COVID 19: Mitigation Measures and Guidelines, which outlines mitigation measures you are required to take, including use of face coverings, re-entry and surveillance testing, physical distancing/barrier requirements, case reporting, and other measures. Please read President’s Directive No. 22.
  • Review the Titans Return: COVID-19 Recovery website. There are important messages regarding the vaccine requirement, surveillance and testing information, as well as campus updates and messages from the Dean of Students Office that are important to review.

In addition, CSUF requests that students who tests positive for COVID-19 or become aware that they may have been in close contact with someone who either has tested positive for or is suspected to have COVID19 report the positive result or exposure using the CSUF COVID-19 Self-Reporting Form. CSUF’s Infectious Diseases Response Team reviews and verifies COVID-19 confirmed cases and responds to concerns from the campus community on COVID-19. Click here to report COVID-19 cases or exposure.

Prior to arriving on campus and before entering class, you should conduct a personal health screening and self-monitor for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of respiratory illness. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should stay home and notify me of your absence. I will work with you to address any COVID-19 related impacts to your participation in and completion of this course.

Before entering the classroom, you should wash/sanitize your hands and have your face covering on. While in class, you are required to:

  • Sit in your designated seat;
  • Wear your facial covering that covers both the nose and mouth (e.g., masks or face shields);
  • Always cough or sneeze into your elbow or tissue;
  • Use the materials provided to clean your desk and chair before and after use, and; Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831 / T 657-278-3221 / F 657-278-5300 THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY Bakersfield / Channel Islands / Chico / Dominguez Hills / East Bay / Fresno / Fullerton / Humboldt / Long Beach / Los Angeles / Maritime Academy Monterey Bay / Northridge / Pomona / Sacramento / San Bernardino / San Diego / San Francisco / San Jose / San Luis Obispo / San Marcos / Sonoma / Stanislaus
  • Adhere to other health and safety protocols and directives for your specific classroom, lab, studio, and campus. Students who do not follow these health and safety requirements may be reminded of the need to adhere to those measures. Failure to comply may constitute a violation of campus policy and may result in a referral the Office of Student Conduct. Thank you for your cooperation and assisting in the University’s efforts to keep our community safe.