At Home in the Universe

COURSE SYLLABUS

At Home in the Universe

HRNS 102

Spring 2008

PROFESSORS:Dr. Christina Soderlund

Dr. Craig Reinhart

CLASSROOM:Humanities 113

TIME:TTH 12-1:50

OFFICE HOURS:TBA

Contact Information:, 493-2046

, 493-3320

TEXTBOOK:Heart of Mathematics: An invitation to

effective thinking (Second edition)

E. Burger and M. Starbird

KeyCollege Publishing,2005

ISBN: 1-931914-41-9

Flatland

Edwin A. Abbott

Available as a download

Course DESCRIPTION:

This course looks into the role that mathematics plays in the universe and how computer science helps to uncover those roles. The course looks at, logic and problem solving, numbers and their properties, what numbers represent, and what can be done with numbers. Applications of numbers and logic to natural and man made sciences will be investigated.

The material presented in lectures will be complementary to assigned reading and will emphasize the experimental and historical basis for concepts described in reading assignments. Discussions will be encouraged and expected. Students are expected to have completed assignments (reading and written) prior to coming to class, in preparation for discussion.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES:

1. Through critical thinking, understand how mathematical formulation and computational simulation can be used to model the universe.
2. Comprehend basic mathematical ideas and how they relate to the world around us.
3. Developproblem-solving skills using mathematical and algorithmic techniques and computer simulation.
4. Communicate ideas in both oral and written forms using formal mathematical notation and precision.

Details:

Class preparation: Readings (from the textbook or elsewhere) will be assigned prior to the lecture in which they will be discussed. You must read assigned articles prior to the lecture.

Participation: Your professors do not know everything there is to know. Thus, your participation in classroom discussions is critical. Your insights will provide valuable learning experiences for yourselves and your peers

.

Homework: These will be problems assigned from the textbook and will be due the lecture following their assignment. You will be told how to submit your work.

Projects: These will be similar to homework but will require research beyond the textbook or assigned readings. You will be told how to submit your work.

Labs: These are hands-on exercises performed during class time. You will be given instructions, guidance, and time to perform the tasks during class. You will then be assigned to document/reflect on the lab as a homework assignment. You will be told how to submit your work.

Final Project: This is similar to the “projects” category but larger in scale. During week 11 or 12 you will be given this assignment and it will last the duration of the semester. Possible topics and ideas will be provided. The final product will be a combination of written documentation and oral presentation to the class.

Academic honesty:

Intellectual property rights are to be respected at all times, with appropriate recognition/reference given to informational sources. Plagiarism occurs whenever a source of any kind has not been acknowledged. Every student must understand the correct procedures for acknowledging and identifying sources of borrowed material. The basic rule is this: Give credit where credit is due. In other words, if you include any material which is beyond your first hand experience, and which is not common knowledge of scholars in your field, you must cite your source in a way that your reader can [a] find the source from the information in your reference and [b] immediately determine which information is your source’s contribution to scholarship and which is yours.

Group Projects/Activities:

Work will be done individually, although students may choose to collaborate on homework assignments so long as each student demonstrates an effort and understanding of the problem at hand (see academic honesty statement above.)

Grading Criteria:

Course grades will be assigned based on your performance on homework assignments, projects, lab work, and classroom participation. Distribution is as follows:

Participation = 10%

Homework = 15%

Projects = 25%

Lab = 30%

Final project/presentation = 20%

Total = 100%

ADA Statement:

CaliforniaLutheranUniversity is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to students with various documented disabilities (physical, learning, or psychological). If you are a student requesting accommodations for this course, please contact your professor at the beginning of the semester and register with the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities (Pearson Library, Center for Academic Resources, x3260) for the facilitation and verification of need. Faculty will work closely together with you and your coordinator to provide necessary accommodations.

Disclaimer:

This syllabus may change from time to time to accommodate changing circumstances. Every effort will be made to alert students to changes that occur in a timely manner. The class schedule and topicswill be discussed during the first week of lectures.

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