Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Utility and aesthetics of mathematical experience is presented through the exploration of selected topics. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is intended for Liberal Arts students in general and provides opportunities for students to explore a variety of mathematical topics in order to increase their mathematical literacy and capabilities for quantitative reasoning and deductive argumentation in particular. The main focus is on the aesthetics of mathematics and utility of mathematical experience; highlighting the human experience in learning and doing mathematics. Though the course content comes from mathematics, the approach is a pedagogical one, which draws on the knowledge and practices from education rather than applying the lecture/tutorial format most commonly seen in undergraduate mathematics courses. Students will engage in problem solving, investigate conjectures, and develop connections among mathematical topics. The instructional activities are designed to emphasize students learning through explorations instead of teaching a specific mathematical content, thus the mathematical content chosen for this course is flexible and in other settings may be considered as "enrichment". However, in-depth exploration of these topics provides an engaging opportunity to revisit and strengthen more basic concepts that lie at the heart of geometry.

Topics include:
Ø Pythagorean Theorem
Ø Symmetry and patterns
Ø Transformations and Tiling
Ø The Golden Ratio
Ø Platonic Solids and Euler's Formula
Ø Fractals
Ø Projective geometry
Ø Taxicab geometry

Note 1: You will be introduced to a new technological tool; therefore, you need to be open and adaptable to learning this new software since some of the course content will be delivered and assessed through the dynamic geometry software called: The Geometer’s Sketchpad (GSP). As with any software, there will be a learning curve. You will receive some help during the class time and office hours, but as is the nature of learning any software, practice and self-learning is involved. Please email me if you would like to get a head start with GSP.

Note 2: EDUC 212 is one of Quantitative and Breadth Science Courses for Arts Students. Students taking this course for Q-credit need to achieve a minimum of C

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Students will develop awareness of the role of geometry in describing, explaining and predicting various phenomena in the world. Student will learn to pose and solve geometric problems that relate to the physical world, but that also concern the speculative worlds of mathematics. Finally, students will gain appreciation for non-western geometric ideas that may challenge the modes of rationality that currently dominate our society and thus relate to political issues such as racism and climate change

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

You will need access to a dynamic geometry software programme. Options will be discussed in class. Please bring your personal computer to class.

REQUIRED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: