College catalog's course description

Instructor: John Holte

Office: Olin 307
Telephone: x7465
Office hours: MF 12:30-1:20, TR 10:30-11:20, and whenever my office door is open
E-mail: holte@gac.edu
My homepage: http://www.gac.edu/~holte/

Textbooks

• Discrete Calculus and Probability: MCS 256, (Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications 6/e, Kenneth H. Rosen) Primis Online, ISBN 0-390-82128-4, 2007.
• Schaum's Outline of Theory and Problems of Probability 2/e, Seymour Lipschutz & Marc Lars Lipson, McGraw-Hill, ISBN 0-07-135203-1, 2000.

Class meetings

9:00-9:50 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
Classroom: Olin 319
Regular attendance, both physical and mental, is required.
If you have a disability that requires an accommodation, please see me as soon as possible.

Course web page

http://www.gac.edu/~holte/courses/mcs256/spring07/

MCS 256 Syllabus--Spring 2007

Week	Class Dates	Topics	Tests
1	Feb. 5-7	Introduction: recurrence, induction, discrete math
2	Feb. 12-16	Difference calculus
3	Feb. 19-23	Summation calculus	Feb. 26
4	Feb. 27-Mar 2	Asymptotics
5	Mar. 5-9	How to count
6	Mar. 12-16	Intermediate counting	Mar. 19
7	Mar. 20-23	Probability
8	Mar. 26-30	Random variables, special distributions
Break	Mar. 31-Apr. 9	Spring Break and Easter Recess
9	Apr. 10-13	Expectations, etc.	Apr. 16
10	Apr. 17-20	Probability generating functions Joint distributions, joint moments
11	Apr. 23-27	Inequalities, density functions, i.i.d.r.v.s, Law of Large Numbers, Central Limit Theorem
12	Apr. 30-May 4	Recurrence relations	May 7
13	May 8-11	Divide-and-conquer algorithms and recurrences, generating functions
14	May 14-15	Generating functions Wrap-up and review
15		Final exam, 8:00-10:00 a.m.	May 22

Homework and collaborative learning

I encourage you to work with other students in learning the material, both in class and on homework, provided that you do so in such a way that everyone in your group learns the material. You may discuss how to solve homework problems, but you should carry out the solutions on your own. You should write your solutions neatly and show clearly how you get your answers, at least in nontrivial problems. Your write-ups should be done independently, in your own words; solutions should not be copied from someone else's paper. You must give credit to those who helped you, including fellow students, and if you get part of your solution from any text (including ours) or Internet source, you must cite it so that it can be traced.

Homework rules

• Acknowledge your sources (people and texts).
• In nontrivial problems, show how you get your answers.
• Turn in neat, well-written solutions, not messy first drafts. Trim "fringes."
• Do not copy collaborative solutions; write up solutions in your own words.
• Turn in homework on time. Each class day late reduces the possible points by 25%.

Academic honesty

• The Gustavus Adolphus College Academic Bulletin states in part: "The faculty of Gustavus Adolphus College expects all students to adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty... In all academic exercises, examinations, papers, and reports, students shall submit their own work. Footnotes or some other acceptable form of citation must accompany any use of another's words or ideas."
• A first case of cheating will result in a zero grade on the paper in question. A second case will result in a failing grade for the course.

Exams

There will be four unit exams and one comprehensive final examination. Some or all of the unit exams may be take-home examinations due on the class day following the day it is given out (due on Monday if given on Friday; due on Thursday if given on Tuesday).

Make-up policy

Make-up exams will not be given except for medical or family emergency reasons. Students who will be absent from an exam for a school-sponsored event should arrange with me in advance to have an exam sent along with the coach. If you miss a class for any reason, you are still responsible for learning what was covered in class and for getting any homework that is due turned in on time. The standard way to make up an absence is to turn in a handwritten account of what was covered in class, including solutions of any in-class problems. If there is a compelling reason for granting an extension, you must negotiate the arrangements with me. Late homework will be penalized as stated under Homework rules.

Percent	Work	Notes
65%	Exams	We will have five examinations: four unit examinations and a comprehensive final examination. The best 4 will count 15% each; The lowest score will count 5%.
25%	Problem assignments	The lowest assignment score will be discarded.
10%	Participation & performance	Attendance, prep problems, worksheets, pop quizzes, class participation, etc.

Participation and performance factors may modify your grade.

You are expected to contribute to a classroom atmosphere that encourages learning and is marked by respect for your fellow learners. This involves, in part, faithful attendance, preparation, and participation, including attendance in the classes before and after each break. I value students who are more interested in points of mathematics than in points of grading.