Mathematics 2141

Tentative Course Outline

Fall, 2008

We'll start with a brief introduction to the language and grammar of mathematics. A good, basic English course makes much of this unnecessary. However the standards for language education, just as for mathematics education, vary widely. I find that it doesn't hurt to revisit how we present mathematical ideas.

Introduction to the language and grammar of mathematics.
  
  definitions
   
mathematical statements
    statements of results to be proved
    logical relations --- truth tables
    proofs and metthods of proof
    notation

Basic Objects
    sets, functions
    counting, the Peano Axioms and Mathematical Induction
    natural numbers, integers and rational numbers
    the "holes" in the rational numbers
    an intuitive introduction to limits
    decimals and real numbers
    equivalence relations
    arithmetic and ordering in the rationals and reals

Approximation, limits and continuity
    distance as a unifying concept


AND MORE

See the Homework Page for further topics