MATH 314 Foundations of Analysis
Fall Session 2008
Instructor Information
Instructor
Dr. Otis Kenny
Office
MG237A
Phone
426-3348
Hours
8:30-9:30, MTWTh
10:40-11:30, MTWF
or by appointment
drop-ins welcome
email
okenny@boisestate.edu
do not send me html formatted email
Text Information
Carol Schumacher, Closer and Closer, Introducing Real Analysis, Jones and Bartlett (2008)
General Information
MATH314 is a course in what mathematicians call Real Analysis, a branch of mathematics that includes, but is not restricted to, calculus, the topology of the real line, metric spaces (mathematical structures in which we can define distance). This is a writing course in which your abilities to express mathematical ideas in sentences and paragraphs is more important that your facility with equations and algebra. Many of the ideas of analysis will seem familiar as you saw versions of them in Calculus. Since much of the power of mathematics comes from abstraction, we will study these ideas in more general settings than you saw in your calculus.
The text is designed for student initiated learning (called a modified Moore Method). This method places the responsibility for discovering the mathematical ideas onto the students. The text is a guide. Make sure you read the "Note to Students" on page xxi.
Assignments, Tests, Homework, etc.
You will be expected to work on material in this course at least 2-3 hours outside of class for each hour inside class. Since this is a 3 hour class, you can expect to spend six to nine hours outside of class working on this material. You will have to write proofs, lots of proofs. You will need to read and understand proofs that other people have written. You will also present your proofs to the class and participate in discussions about the writings and mathematical ideas.
I will be collecting assignments from you every week which will be graded. We will have two "hour" exams, consisting of a take home part and an in class part. The final will be comprehensive. In order to have an exam before the last day to drop a class, our first exam will be on Friday, September 26.
The second exam will be on Friday October 31. The final will be as printed the the Schedule of Classes, Thursday, December 18, 10:30-12:30.
Academic Dishonesty
Unfortunately, there has been an
increase of academic dishonesty at Boise State in recent years.
Academic dishonesty includes such actions as
copying some one else's
work and passing it off as your own.
not citing sources in research projects or essays.
using notes or references on exams where such use is prohibited.
The university policy on such activities can be found on the web at
Student Conduct.
Such activities in this class will result in a score of zero for the
exam or quiz.