Syllabus

Office: PGH 651D
Email: shanyuji@math.uh.edu
Tel: (713) 743-3454
Fax : 713-743-3505

History of Mathematics (online course)

• Course Math 4388
• Time 2013 Fall
• Section 19287
• Instructor Dr. Shanyu Ji
• Office 651D PGH
• Prerequisite Math 3333 Intermediate Analysis, or content of instructor.
• Graders Mr. Jared Andrews (jna31415@math.uh.edu) and Mr. Brabdon Lee (bmlee68@math.uh.edu)

  Jared grades for students whose first letter of the last names are from A to L, and Brandon grades from M to Z.

• Text Lecture notes provided. No textbook is required. Reference: Victor Katz, A History of Mathematics: An Introduction, 3rd (or 2nd Ed.), Addison-Wesley, 2009 (or 1998).
• Description This course is designed to provide a college-level experience in history of mathematics. Students will understand some critical historical mathematics events, such as creation of classical Greek mathematics, and development of calculus; recognize notable mathematicians and the impact of their discoveries, such as Fermat, Descartes, Newton and Leibniz, Euler and Gauss; understand the development of certain mathematical topics, such as Pythagoras theorem, the real number theory and calculus.
  
  Aims of the course: To help students
  • to understand the history of mathematics;
  • to attain an orientation in the history and philosophy of mathematics;
  • to gain an appreciation for our ancestor's effort and great contribution;
  • to gain an appreciation for the current state of mathematics;
  • to obtain inspiration for mathematical education,
  • and to obtain inspiration for further development of mathematics.
  
  On-line course is taught through Blackboard Learn, visit http://www.uh.edu/webct/ for information on obtaining ID and password.
  
  The course will be based on my notes.
  
  In each week, three chapters of my notes will be posted in Blackboard Learn. Weekly homework assignment will also be posted there. There are four essay assignments in the whole semester.
  
  In each week, turn all your homework once by Monday morning through Blackboard Learn.
  
  All homework and essays, handwriting or typed, should be turned into PDF files and be submitted through Blackboard Learn. Late homework is not acceptable.
  
  There is one open-notes final exam in form of multiple choice. The final exam will take place on the campus: on December 7 (Saturday, the last day of class), 1:00-4:00 pm, SEC 100.
  
  Grading: 35% homework, 50% essays, 15 % Final exam.