Imaginary Syllabus for Math 115A (Introduction
to Number Theory)
Instructor:
Benjamin Fineman
Office:
Kerr 485
Office Hours:
Monday 9-10, Tuesday 11-12 or by
Appointment
Email:
fineman@math.ucdavis.edu
Class Time/Location: MWF 12:00-13:00
Olson 113
Text:
Elemantary Number Theory and its
Applications Fifth Edition by Kenneth H. Rosen
Recommended
Classes:
Calculus (16 series, 21 series or the
equivalent AP class is fine)
Math
108 (Intro to Abstract Math)
A note on Prerequisites:
One of the beautiful things about this class is that it really doesn't
have any prerequisites, i.e., the whole theory is built from the ground
up, so you really don't need any of the results or theorems proved in
any other classes. On the other hand, a large percentage of the
homework problems will involve proofs, and a deeper understanding of
the material besides memorizing the basic definitions and
examples. Thus, even if you haven't had the recommended classes
it is still quite possible for you to do well, and I encourage you to
contact me if you have any questions about the nature of the class.
Primary Objectives:
The primary objectives of Math 115 are
to introduce
students to the subject of Number Theory and develop proof techniques
such as proof by induction and proof by contradiction. This class
also has a focus on developing rigorous thinking, and gives a flavor of
what the other higher division math courses (especially algebra) will
be like.
Homework and Grading:
Homework
will be in the form of weekly assignments. All assignments will
be due on Wednesday during class, unless otherwise noted. Each
student is allowed one late homework assignment, which can be turned in
on Friday during class. After that, for each subsequent day that
homework is late, the grade will drop by 50%. A subsection of
each homework assignment will be graded. It is your responsibily
to check the homework solutions to make sure that you understand the
problems that were not graded, as material for the test might cover
some of the ungraded problems. This course will have one midterm
and one final.
Midterm:
November 9th: In class
Final:
December 13th: 1:30-3:30
Bainer 1062
It is your responsibility to make sure that you can attend both the
midterm and the final. I cannot allow any make up exams or
rescheduling, so if you have a conflict, you can't register for this
class. The grading will be broken up as follows:
Midterm: 25%
Homework: 25%
Final:
50%
A note on Collaboration:
Collaboration on homework is encouraged in this class. Just make
sure that when you write up the actual solutions to the problems, you
do so alone, and put away any notes taken with your
collaborators. This requirement is for your benefit,
becuase it makes sure that you actually understand the
problems, and not just the other people in your group.
Practice Final