Revised Schedule -- Mathematics Through Time

MONT 108N -- Fall 2010, Prof. Little

This is still a tentative, evolving schedule. Topics may be added, deleted, or rearranged during the course of the semester. Any changes will be announced in class and here. Note: In the readings below, K = Kline, Mathematics for the Nonmathematician, R = Rudman, The Babylonian Theorem, S = Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and E = Euclid, The Elements.

Date Class Topic Readings
10/11,13,15 Fall Break -- no class
10/18 Finish Plimpton 322 discussion R, Chapter 5 (after we finish the inclass work)
10/20 Babylonian Square Root Calculations R, Chapter 6
10/22 Enter the Greeks K, Chapter 6
10/25 Euclid -- Elements, Book I E, Axioms, Postulates, Propositions 1 - 4
10/27 Euclid -- Elements, Book I E, Propositions 5 - 8
10/29 Midterm Exam See information sheet
11/1 Euclid -- Elements, Book I E, Propositions 9 - 15
11/3 Euclid -- Elements, Book I E, Propositions 16 - 20, 22
11/5 Euclid -- Elements, Book I -- Problem Set 4 due E, Propositions 23, 26 - 31
11/8 Euclid -- Elements, Book I E, Propositions 32 - 37
11/10 Euclid -- Elements, Book I E, Propositions 38 - 41
11/12 Euclid -- Elements, Book I E, Propositions 46 - 48
11/15 Concluding discussion on Euclid K, Chapter 6, pages 123 - 152
11/17 Greek Mathematics and the Natural World K, Chapters 7 and 8, pages 153 - 196
11/19 Mathematics and Perspective in Renaissance Art -- Paper 2 due K, Chapters 9 and 10, pages 197 - 231
11/22 Coordinate Geometry K, Chapter 12, pages 250 - 279
11/24,26 Thanksgiving Break -- no class
11/29 Non-Euclidean Geometries -- the history K, Chapter 20, pages 452 - 471
12/1 What does non-Euclidean geometry look like? K, Chapter 20
12/3 Was non-Euclidean geometry anticipated by Euclid? -- Problem Set 5 due K, Chapter 20
12/6 Implications of non-Euclidean geometry K, Chapter 20
12/8 More on implications of non-Euclidean geometry (readings to be distributed)
12/10 Course wrap-up -- Paper 3 due
The Final Exam for this course will given 8:00am - 10:30am on December 18, 2010.

Last modified: November 12, 2010