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MATH 3325:

 Transition to Advanced Mathematics

Fall 2023






Team Homework  Calendar   Exams  Missed Class  "I have a question"

"Easy reading is damned hard writing"
N. Hawthorne

All information on the website is subject to change if circumstances require it. I will communicate any changes during the class. Check back for the most up-to-date information.

If you haven't found here what you were looking for, please contact me using the contact information below. All your inputs are highly valued and appreciated.

Syllabus

Class syllabus can be found on Access UH. Please note that the instructor may need to make modifications to the course syllabus and may do so at any time. Notice of such changes will be announced as quickly as possible through UH email.


Class times    image

We will meet MWF 11:00am-12:00pm in S 202. Class attendance is mandatory. Roll call will be held at the beginning of the class. If you are late to the class and missed a roll call, please see me after the class to check in. Lateness counts as 75% of the presence. If you anticipate to miss a class for an excused absence, you need to let me know about it as soon as possible, and prior to the class, for it not to count as missed class.


Technology requirements

You should have a scanner or certain smartphone apps that allow you to scan your handwritten homework into a pdf file. Alternatively, certain tablets and tablet apps allow you submit your written work directly from the tablet.


Recordings of class

Students may not record all or part of class, live stream all or part of class, or make/distribute screen captures without advanced written consent of the instructor. If you have or think you may have a disability such that you need to record class-related activities, please contact the Justin Dart Jr. Student Accessibility Center. If you have an accommodation to record class-related activities, those recordings may not be shared with any other students, whether in this course of not, or with any other person or on any other platform. Classes may be recorded by the instructor. Students may use instructor's recordings for their own studying or notetaking. Instructor's recordings are not authorized to be shared with anyone without the prior written approval of the instructor. Failure to comply with requirements regarding recordings will result in a disciplinary referral to the Dean of Students Office and may result in disciplinary action.

Contact

Dr. Vershynina - either Dr. or Professor for short.
Email: anna@math.uh.edu

TA: Manpreet Singh
Email: msingh26@cougarnet.uh.edu

Please include "MATH 3325" in the subject, so that your email won't be regarded as spam. For security reasons I will reply only to emails sent from official UH emails (i.e. ending in "uh.edu").

When writing an email, make sure it adheres to the protocol of formality, which is standard in academia. Read more about it here, for example.

Normally, I answer urgent emails within one-two business days. Generally, I do not repeat information that can be found on this website or was communicated in class. If I do not respond to your email within two working days, please resend the email. If you again do not hear from me within one more working day, it is likely that your email is not coming through and you should speak with me before or after class. It is your responsibility to ensure that I am aware of issues you may have with the course.

Bring comments or complaints to my attention as soon as possible. Don't wait until the end of the semester to bring up a matter which we could deal with and solve early on.

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UH Email

Please check and use your Cougarnet email for. communications related to this course. Faculty use the Cougarnet email to respond to course-related inquiries such as grade queries or progress reports for reasons of FERPA. To access your Cougarnet email, login to your Microsoft 365 account with your Cougarnet credentials. Visit University Information Technology (UIT) for instructions on how to connect your Cougarnet email on a mobile device.

UH policy states that all required written notices shall be addressed to the student via their UH email. Notices properly addressed and so sent shall be presumed to have been received by the student. Thus, you are responsible for the content in emails sent to your UH account, regardless if your external (non-UH) email provider filters or blocks. Emails lost to external providers shall not be used as a justification to claim faculty are unresponsive, to appeal grades, etc.


Office Hours

My office hours will be done in person in my office PGH 634 on Mondays 12-1pm. You don't need to make an appointment beforehand.

Out TA will be available for tutoring and any grading related question on Wednesdays 8:30-10:30am in PGH 218. You are also welcome to attend tutoring of the TA, Marco Campos, of another section on Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:00-4:00pm in PGH 218.

Textbook

We will be using the following book: A Transition to Advanced Mathematics by D. Smith, M. Eggen, R. St. Andre, 8th edition, Brooks/Cole, Boston 2014.

Topics we cover each class are indicated in the calendar below. Here are some tips on how to read your textbook efficiently.


Prerequisites


Grading 

Your final grade will break down as follows:

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Team Homework image

Homework will be submitted in teams of three, one paper from each team. The same grade will be given to all members of the team. You are free to select your own team and change its composition during the semester. Please update your team on Canvas to receive a correct grade. If you do not choose a team yourself, you will be assigned to one.

You will have two weeks for each homework assignment. Homework problems will be divided into three sections, each person on a team should be responsible for solving and writing down all problems from one section, this should be done during the first week. During the next week all people on a team should proof-read, correct and jointly re-write, if necessary, all problems, so that everyone is satisfied with the final version before submitting it. Make sure that every person on the team writes solutions for at least half of problems in their section in the final version. Solutions to the homework should be written up in the order appearing on the assignment. This will make grading faster and smoother for the grader.

Please designate one person who will submit homework on time. Submitted paper should be of high quality and sufficient contrast, your handwriting should be eligible and easy to read. No late homework will be accepted.


Quizzes

Quizzes will be held on days indicated in the calendar below. You are not allowed to use any help (notes, phones, books, internet, teammates, classmates,...) during the test.


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Exams  image

Three exams will be held during regular class times on dates indicated in class calendar below. The calendar lists chapters that will be covered in each exam. You are not allowed to use any help (notes, phones, books, internet, classmates,...) during the exam.

You are required to adhere to the UH Academic Honesty policy.


How to prepare for tests?

To prepare for tests, you need to do several things:

  1. Attend classes regularly.
  2. Go over the class notes in detail, read the corresponding chapter in the textbook. Make sure you can complete proofs of all theorems and examples by yourself not looking in the notes.
  3. Complete homework on time. You are strongly encouraged to work with your teammates on homework problems since they are similar across sections.
  4. Practice with additional problems from each section. The list of these problems is posted on Canvas. If you are still struggling with some material after completing all of these additional problems, pick any problems from the end of the chapter in the textbook. You cannot succeed in this class without additional practice. Attending classes and doing homework will not be enough.
  5. Attend tutoring and office hours. Five hours of tutoring/office hours are available to you in addition to class each week.
  6. When you think you are ready for the test, or two-three days before the test, take Practice Exams, if available. Time yourself for 50 min.
  7. After every test, make sure you know how to solve all problems correctly, and you can repeat the correct proof without looking at any notes.
  8. Make sure you spend at least 2-3 hours EACH day working on material for this class. It is impossible to cram this material. Consistency and practice are the only way you can succeed. 
  9. Relax, and have a good night rest before the test.



Missed Class

If you miss class for whatever reason, you are responsible for all material covered, all lecture material presented in class, and all announcements made in class. When you miss a class, here are the steps to take to catch up with the material:

  1. Check the calendar below to see what chapter was covered in class. Calendar is updated a few hours after the class.

  2. Check Teams/Canvas for any available notes covering this material. I will try to post some notes on Teams/Canvas for each chapter, but they may not fully or accurately reflect what was done in class. If there are no notes on Teams/Canvas, this means they are not available for this chapter/section/class.

  3. Contact your classmates/teammates for their lecture notes and to find our about any announcements made in class. Your classmates are the best resource for catching up with the material and preparing for tests.

  4. Study the corresponding chapter in the textbook (such study must include working through examples whose solutions are given in the book, and also working on problems at the end of the chapter on your own for practice).

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"I have a question": what to do

If your question is how homework or quiz was graded, then

  1. first refer to solutions on Teams/Canvas;

  2. if you still have a question, then attend M.U.S.L. tutoring with our TA, who graded these assignments.

If your question is how an Exam was graded, then

  1. first refer to the solutions on Teams/Canvas;

  2. if you still have a question, and it has been no longer than two weeks after the grade was posted, attend M.U.S.L. tutoring with our TA for problems that the TA graded, and my office hours for problems that I graded (which are which will be communicated in class).

If your question is how to solve a homework problem or about class material, then

  1. attend M.U.S.L. tutoring, a TA will be able to help you;

  2. if a TA was not able to answer your question, please attend my office hours.



Honor Code Statement

Students may be asked to sign an honor code statement as part of their submission of any graded work including but not limited to projects, quizzes, and exams: "I understand and agree to abide by the provisions in the University of Houston Undergraduate Academic Honesty Policy (or University of Houston Graduate Academic Honesty Policy). I understand that academic honesty is taken very seriously and, in the cases of violations, penalties may include suspension or expulsion from the University of Houston."


Academic Honesty Policy

High ethical standards are critical to the integrity of any institution, and bear directly on the ultimate value of the conferred degree. All UH community member are expected to contribute to an atmosphere of the highest possible ethical standards. Maintaining such an atmosphere required that any instances of academic dishonesty by recognized and address. The UH Academic Honesty Policy is designed to handle those instances with fairness to all parties involved: the students, the instructors, and the University itself. All students ans faculty of the University of Houston are responsible for being familiar with this policy.

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Class Calendar  
Topics listed in the calendar are tentative, and are subject to change without notice. I will update the topic we cover a few hours after each class.

Monday
Wednesday
Friday
August 21
Introduction

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August 23
Logic and Proofs
1.1

August 25
Logic and Proofs
1.2

August 28
Logic and Proofs
1.3


August 30 
Logic and Proofs
1.4-1.5
Quiz 1 (1.1-1.2)
September 1
Logic and Proofs
1.5-1.6
  Homework 1 posted (chapter 1)
Homework Test Due
September 4
LABOR DAY

  September 6 
Set Theory
2.1.-2.2

September 8
Set Theory
2.2
 

September 11
Set Theory
2.3

Quiz 2 (1.3-1.6)  
September 13
Mathematical Induction
2.4

 
September 15
 
Mathematical Induction
2.4-2.5

Homework 2 posted (chapter 2)
Homework 1 Due
September 18
Relations and Partitions
3.1

September 20
Relations and Partitions
3.2

Quiz 3 (2.1-2.3)
September 22
Relations and Partitions
3.3

 
September 25
Relations and Partitions
3.5
September 27
Review
Pizza Party!

September 29
  
EXAM 1
(chapters 1-3)

Homework 2 Due
October 1
Functions
4.1-4.2

October 4
Functions
4.3


October 6
Functions
4.4

Homework 3 posted (3.1-3.5, 4.1-4.4)  
October 9
Functions
4.5

October 11
Functions
4.5

Quiz 4 (Exam 1)
October 13
Functions
4.6


October 16
Functions
4.6
 
October 18
Functions
4.6

October 20
Functions
4.7

Quiz 5 (4.1-4.5)
 
Homework 3 Due 
October 23
Functions
4.7
October 25
Review
October 27
 
EXAM 2
(chapter 4)
October 30
Cardinality
5.1
November 1
Cardinality
5.2

 
November 3
Cardinality
5.2-5.3

  Homework 4 posted (5.1-5.3)
November 6
  Cardinality
5.4
November 8
Cardinality
5.4
 
Quiz 6 (Exam 2)
November 10
Analysis
7.1


November 13
   Analysis
7.1

 
November 15
   Analysis
7.2

 
November 17
 
 
  Analysis
7.2
Homework 5 posted (7.1-7.2)
Quiz 7 (5.1-5.3)
 
Homework 4 Due
November 20
Q&A 

November 22
thanksgiving
November 24

 
THANKSGIVING
November 27
  Review
Quiz 8 (7.1)
 
November 29
Review
 
December 1
EXAM 3
(chapters 5, 7)
 
Homework 5 Due

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 Excused Absence Policy

Regular class attendance, participation, and engagement in coursework are important contributors to student success. Absences may be excused as provided in the University of Houston Undergraduate Excused Absence Policy for reasons including: medical illness of student or close relative, death of a close family member, legal or government proceeding that a student is obligated to attend, recognized professional and educational activities where the student is presenting, and University-sponsored activity or athletic competition. Under these policies, students with excused absences will be provided with an opportunity to make up any quiz, exam or other work that contributes to the course grade or a satisfactory alternative. Please read the full policy for details regarding reasons for excused absences, the approval process, and extended absences. Additional policies address absences related to military service, religious holy days, pregnancy and related conditions, and disability.


Title IX/Sexual Misconduct

Per the UH Sexual Misconduct Policy, your instructor is a "responsible employee" for reporting purposes under Title IX regulations and state law and must report incidents of sexual misconduct (sexual harassment, non-consensual sexual contact, sexual assault, sexual exploitation,sexual intimidation, intimate partner violence, or stalking) about which they become aware to the Title IX office. Please know there are places on campus where you can make a report in confidence. You can find more information about resources on the Title IX website at https://uh.edu/equal-opportunity/title-ix-sexual-misconduct/resources/.


Mental Health and Wellness Resources

The University of Houston has a number of resources to support students' mental health and overall wellness, including CoogsCARE and the UH Go App. UH Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers 24/7 mental health support for all students, addressing various concerns like stress, college adjustment and sadness. CAPS provides individual and couples counseling, group therapy, workshops and connections to other support services on and off- campus. For assistance visit uh.edu/caps, call 713-743-5454, or visit a Let's Talk location in-person or virtually. Let's Talk are daily, informal confidential consultation with CAPS therapists where no appointment or paperwork is needed.
The Student Health Center offers a Psychiatry Clinic for enrolled UH students. Call 713-743-5149 during clinic hour, Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to schedule an appointment.
The A.D. Bruce Religion Center offers spiritual support and a variety of programs centered on well-being.

Need Support Now?
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call CAPS crisis support 24/7 at 713-743-5454, or the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat 988lifeline.org.



Reasonable Academic Adjustments/Auxiliary Aids

The University of Houston is committed to providing an academic environment and education programs that are accessible for its student. Any student with a disability who is experiencing barriers to learning, assessment or participation is encouraged to contact the Justin Dart, Jr. Student Accessibility Center (Dart Center) to learn more about academic accommodations and support that may be available to them. Students seeking academic accommodations will need to register with the Dart Center as soon as possible to ensure timely implement of approved accommodations. Please contact the Dart Center by visiting the website: https://uh.edu/accessibility/ calling (713)743-5400, or emailing jdcenter@Central.UH.EDU. If you have any accommodations for this class, please email me by Friday August 25th, so these accommodations can be made on time for the first quiz and/or homework, if necessary.

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Helpful Information

COVID-19 updates: https://uh.edu/covid-19/

Coogs Care: https://www.uh.edu/dsaes/coogscare/

Laptop Checkout Requests: https://www.uh.edu/infotech/about/planning/off-campus/index.php#do-you-need-a-laptop

Health FAQs: https://uh.edu/covid-19/faq/health-wellness-prevention-faqs/

Student Health Center: https://uh.edu/class/english/lcc/current-students/student-health-center/index.php