Effective Fall 2016

MATH 1085-<section # Discrete Mathematical Models

Semester, year>

Days,Time, Location>

Instructor: <name>

Office: <location>

Office phone: <number only if you have an actual office

Email: <university email address>

Office hours:<office hours and location>

Tutorial center hours: <tutorial center hours and location>

Tutorial center phone: 323-343-5374

Final Exam: <date, time, location

Text: Calculus for the Life Sciences2nd ed.by Greenwell, Ritchey, Lial, e-book custom edition(ISBN 9781323492109). This text will also be used for Math 2040 and Math 2050. You can purchase the MyMathLab access code (which includes the e-text) at the bookstore, the BookMart, orat <Direct students to the flyer on how to register at MyMathLab, for example on Moodle or include it in the syllabus.>

Math 1085Prerequisites: MATH 1081 with minimum grade of C or satisfactory score on Math 1081 exit exam. Rudimentary knowledge of Microsoft Excel.Intended for life-science majors, primarily for transfer students who have completed the equivalent of Math 1081.

Math 1085Catalog course description: Sinusoidal, exponential and logarithmic functions in a biological context. Formulation and analysis of basic discrete models in biology.Basic probability, including conditional probability and independence.Eigenvalues and eigenvectors of matrices.

Exit exams: If you feel that you should be in a higher-level math class, you can take the Math 1085 exit exam in the University Testing Center (Library South, second floor) any time before the Add deadline. If you pass the Math 1085 exit exam, then you will be permitted to enroll into Math 2040, provided that you enroll in that course within one year. After the Add deadline, you will not be able to take the exit exam again for this course unless it has been over one year since you have last taken Math 1085 or the exit exam. Contact the Testing Center (x3-3160) for more information.

Topical outline:

Overview of the modeling process; linear models and least square analysis; units conversion; error computation; review of polynomial, exponential, and logarithmic functions in biological context; allometric models; trigonometric functions and oscillations; discrete-time linear and non-linear models; analysis of discrete time models; basic probability theory; independence and Bayes’ Theorem.

Student learning outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

  • understand the modeling process
  • be familiar with basic functions used in biological models, such as linear, exponential, logarithmic, and sine/cosine
  • know how to convert units
  • be able to fit a function to dataand compute error
  • be able to formulate a simple discrete-time model and analyze its behavior for the equilibrium values
  • be familiar with some basic biological models
  • know basic probability theory, including conditional probability and independence

Requirements: <attendance, assignments, homework, quizzes, tests, etc.>

Grading system: <indicate your grading system>

Emergency preparedness:

The meeting point for Salazar Hall is in the parking lot at the bottom of the ramp. In an emergency, leave the building using staircases (and in an earthquake, wait to do so until the shaking has stopped). Move quickly to the meeting point and follow the instruction of the building coordinators. Make sure to check in with me so I know that you are accounted for. If one of your classmates needs help in evacuating, please assist. If you know that you will need assistance in an emergency and it is not obvious that this is the case, please see me so I can be aware of your need for assistance.

ADA statement:

Reasonable accommodation will be provided to any student who is registered with the Office of Students with Disabilities and requests needed accommodation.If this is you, please see me as soon as possible. Note that requests for proctored exams can now be scheduled online, and that it is YOUR responsibility to do so in a timely manner.

Academic honesty statement:

Students are expected to do their own work and to abide by the University Policy on academic honesty, which is stated in the Schedule of Classes. Copying the work of others, cheating on exams, and similar violations will be reported to the University Discipline Officer, who has the authority to take disciplinary actions against students who violate the standards of academic honesty.

Student responsibilities:

Students are responsible for being aware of all announcements that are made in class or on Moodle, such as changes in exam dates, due dates of homework and papers, and cancellation of class due to instructor’s absence. Students are responsible for announcements made on days that they are absent.Students must check their CSULA email account regularly for information from the instructor and the Department. Failure to do so may result in missed deadlines or other consequences that might adversely affect students. Note that you can forward mail from your CSULA email account to any other email account of your choosing, like Gmail or Yahoo Mail.

Last updated 5/14/16

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