University of Massachusets, Amherst Spring 2014

Math 370 Writing in Mathematics

FINAL PROJECT: Personal Finance Planning.

As you know, there is no final exam in this course.
Instead, there is a final project. The requirements and details are found here.
The project is due the last day of the exam period. Of course it may be advantageous to submit it before the exams start.
The exam should be placed in my mailbox (LGRT 16th floor) or under my door. If you can not do either, email it.
The steps (7) and (8) in the project can be combined in one step, depending on how you do the computations.
Interest Computations.

1. GROUP PROJECT:

A. The list of GROUPS working on specific TOPICS
(!!! NEW: The Schedule of Presentations.)
Please CHECK IMMEDEATLY whether you are on the list and contatact me if you are not on the list or if you would like to change the topic.
The group will produce a joint paper on the topic. The topic will also be presented in class.
B. Schedule
C. The paper and the presentation

The presentations will be in class on April 22, April 24 and April 29.

F. The list of Topics
X. Your PRIORITIES for the topic that you want to work on. These are due Thursday April 3rd, in class.

On a page write your 1st, 2nd and 3rd priority among the suggested topics.
Also, if possible write with whom you would like to be in a group.
I will then pick the groups and they will be posted Friday together with the list of emails so that you can contact your group members.
Most students will get their first priority topic but probably not all students.

Y. Abstract. This text explains what should be in the abstract and how to produce an abstract.

Office : 1235I Lederle Graduate Tower.
Phone : 545-6023.
Email : mirkovic@math.umass.edu
Meet : in LGRT 173. Section 370.1 meets TuTh 1:00 - 2:15 pm, Section 370.2 meets TuTh 2:30 - 3:45 pm.
Office hours : In my office, The Current Schedule is Wednesday 1-2 and Thursday 11:30-12:30.
- You should check here for changes, temporary and permanent:

Notes on the Mathematical Method Updated: February 7, 2014. (This may bethe final version for the semester.)

HOMEWORK

HW0. Due THURSDAY January 30th in class.
HW1. Due THURSDAY February 6th in class.
HW2. Due THURSDAY February 13th in class. The homework is on latex but all instructions are provided. [The instructions have been corrected (Feb 26).]
HW3. Due THURSDAY February 27th in class. The homework is on formulas in latex.
HW4. Due THURSDAY March 6th in class. The homework is on labeling. Here is a Template for Latex Documents
HW5. Due THURSDAY March 27. [HOMEWORK has been POSTPONED!] This is the most difficult latex homework. It covers including pictures and using bibliographies.
- Notes on How to include graphics.
- For problem 2 you should download the following Picture 1. Similarly, here are pictures 4 and 5.
HW6. Due THURSDAY March 27th in class. The homework is on the talk of Timothy Gowers on usefulness of mathematics. Here is a local link for the talk
HW7. Due THURSDAY April 3rd in class.

HW8. Job Application Due THURSDAY April 10th in class.

The homework problem is to write a job application. It can be addressed to a made up company or to a real one. It can be an apollication to a graduate school if this is more appropriate.
This homework does not have to be in latex. Use whatever seems most adequate.
Here are (again) the notes for the lecture on Job Applications. It also indicates what is expected for the homework.

Attendance

Mostly I will not be taking attandence information. Still it is highly recomendable because there is no book for the course. Attendence will be particularly important for the lectures and presentations related to the group project.

THE PROJECTS:

All writing should be in the ``double space'' format!

SYLLABUS. It contains general information on instructor, grades, course structure and policies.
Resources
- 1. Texts on Latex and Texts on Mathematical Writing
- 2. Downloading the Latex typesetting program. More for MAC USERS.
- 3. A template for Latex documents (by Meeks and friends).
  You can copy it and insert your writing at the very end of the file.
- 4. Notes on the Mathematical Method The evolving partial Class Notes.
- 5. Avrunin's webpage for 370

HOW TO LEARN abstract MATHEMATICS.

(0) You start by hearing (or reading) of a new idea, new procedure, new trick.
(1) To make sense of it you check what it means in sufficiently many examples. You discuss it with teachers and friends.
(2) After you see enough examples you get to the point where you think that you more or less get it. Now you attempt the last (and critical) step:
(3) retell this idea or procedure, theorem, proof or whatever it is, to yourself in YOUR OWN words.
More on step (3).
- Trying to memorize someone else's formulation, is a beginning but it is far from what you really need.
- You should get to the stage where you can tell it as a story, as if you are teaching someone else.
- When you can do this, and your story makes sense to you, you are done. You own it now.
- However, if at some point you find a piece that does not make sense, then you have to return to one of the earlier steps (1--3) above. Repeat this process as many times as necessary.