Syllabus for Math 4513-001

Syllabus for Mathematics 4513-001
Senior Seminar - Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometry
Fall, 2008

Instructor: Darryl McCullough, Professor of Mathematics

Office: 804 Physical Sciences Center

Phone: 325-2743

Email: dmccullough@math.ou.edu

Office hours: Mondays 11:00-12:00 and 1:30-2:30, Wednesdays 11:00-12:00, and by appointment.

The senior seminar has no set curriculum, rather its purpose is to provide a capstone experience which synthesizes ideas from different areas of mathematics. In this course we will develop some geometric theory--- both Euclidean and non-Euclidean--- using methods from linear algebra and group theory. This is a modern approach to the classical ideas of geometry.

A second purpose of the course is to prepare you for life beyond your university education. Therefore the course will involve student presentations in which you will develop your ability to convey mathematical ideas to an audience. And finally, mathematics is supposed to be enjoyable, at least for us math majors. You will see some familiar topics viewed from a new perspective, and I hope that you will find it intriguing.

I have listed office hours above, but you should feel free to meet with me at any time if you wish to discuss the course material. Just contact me (email is the best method) or talk with me after class, and we will arrange a time to meet. Or just drop by my office--- if I have time available, I am happy to meet with you without a prior appointment.

The text for this course is Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometry: An analytic approach, by Patrick J. Ryan. It is available from internet vendors for around $40 new and $30 like new.

Your course grade will be based on your written work, your class particiption, your class presentations, and your grades on the midterm and final exams. I do not plan to use a rigid point system--- I hope that this is a sufficiently advanced course that we can be more informal than that--- but I will post interim grades during the semester so that you can see where you stand. Here is some more information:

  1. Class participation means being at the lectures, well-prepared and ready to devote your full attention to what transpires. I will record attendance, and more than occasional missed lectures will lower your final grade. I have no concept of an excused absence--- whenever you are absent from class, I assume that you have a very good reason. If you do not expect to be able to participate in every class or nearly every class, please enroll in this course when it is taught by some other instructor.
  2. Assignments will be posted on the course website. You may find some problems difficult, and you should not feel that you must do every single problem that is assigned. Just spend a reasonable amount of time on the course, not too much and not too little. When necessary, you may consult with other students about the homework problems. However, you will need to write up the details of the solutions in your own words. The mathematics that we originate ourselves is the mathematics that stays with us. Problems should be written up clearly and carefully, and should be grammatically correct and make sense if read aloud.
  3. I hope to have some of the material be presented by students, once we get into later parts of the course. I will give more information about student presentations once the course is underway.
  4. There will be one midterm exam, and the final. Please note that our final exam is scheduled for Friday, December 19 (sorry, I don't make the rules). You are welcome to pick up your final exam from me any time during the year following the completion of the course. After that time, they will be recycled.

The following is the University's Reasonable Accomodation Policy: The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accomodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accomodations in this course are requested to speak with the professor as early in the semester as possible. Students with disabilities must be registered with the Office of Disability Services prior to receiving accomodations in this course. The Office of Disability Services is located in Goddard Health Center, Suite 166, phone 405/325-3852 or TDD only 405/325-4173.

Office:	804 Physical Sciences Center
Phone:	325-2743
Email:	dmccullough@math.ou.edu
Office hours:	Mondays 11:00-12:00 and 1:30-2:30, Wednesdays 11:00-12:00, and by appointment.

1.	Class participation means being at the lectures, well-prepared and ready to devote your full attention to what transpires. I will record attendance, and more than occasional missed lectures will lower your final grade. I have no concept of an excused absence--- whenever you are absent from class, I assume that you have a very good reason. If you do not expect to be able to participate in every class or nearly every class, please enroll in this course when it is taught by some other instructor.
2.	Assignments will be posted on the course website. You may find some problems difficult, and you should not feel that you must do every single problem that is assigned. Just spend a reasonable amount of time on the course, not too much and not too little. When necessary, you may consult with other students about the homework problems. However, you will need to write up the details of the solutions in your own words. The mathematics that we originate ourselves is the mathematics that stays with us. Problems should be written up clearly and carefully, and should be grammatically correct and make sense if read aloud.
3.	I hope to have some of the material be presented by students, once we get into later parts of the course. I will give more information about student presentations once the course is underway.
4.	There will be one midterm exam, and the final. Please note that our final exam is scheduled for Friday, December 19 (sorry, I don't make the rules). You are welcome to pick up your final exam from me any time during the year following the completion of the course. After that time, they will be recycled.