ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

CLASS SYLLABUS

 

 

Course:  Math 3003 Foundations of Number Systems

 

Instructor:      Michael Keisler

           Office:           Corley 239

Office hours: see homepage for current schedule

Phone:           968-0653                 

e-mail:           dkeisler@atu.edu

 

Catalog Description:  A brief review of elementary Set Theory, followed by the construction of the natural numbers , the integers, the rational numbers, the real numbers and the complex numbers accompanied by a development of the order and field properties.

 

Prerequisites:  Math 2703

 

Text:  Material developed in class.

 

Purpose:  Math 3003 is a course intended to establish a basic understanding of the axiomatic approach to mathematics and its benefits when establishing the well known properties of mathematical systems through the use of deductive logic.  This will be accomplished by having students construct some of these basic properties for the familiar set of counting numbers. 

 

Objectives:  Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

 

 1.       Understand the concept of a set and recognize one of its important uses.

 2.       Understand the essence of the concept of counting.

 3.       Understand origin and utility of an axiomatic system.

 4.       Understand the concept of number and recognize the challenge inherent in creating the set of counting numbers.

 5.       Successfully use basic properties to develop more advanced properties.

 6.       Understand and use the Principle of Mathematical Induction.

 7.       Understand and create meaningful binary operations.

 


 

Assessment Methods:           Two tests of equal weight will be given that constitute the objective and major component of your grade.  An additional, subjective, component will be my estimation of your participation in class activities, especially your presentation of solutions to problems given in class.

 

 

Policies:         Tests should be taken when scheduled.  In the event that a test cannot be taken on time, you must contact me before or as near to the time of the test as possible to determine if a makeup test is possible.

 

absences:                           While absences are not directly penalized, a lack of class participation can adversely affect your final grade.

 

cheating/plagiarism:             Will not be tolerated in any form.

 

 

Material Covered:

1         Definitions of set, subset, unions, intersections and complements

2.        Naïve set theory properties, their motivation and statements

3.        The concept of number

4         The construction of a finite set of basic counting numbers

5         The construction of the infinite set of all counting numbers

6.        Mathematical Induction

7.        Relations and Functions

8.        Products of sets

9.        Binary operations between numbers

 

Edited 8-22-06