All Level Mathematics Course Descriptions

SCIENCE 2100
College Mathematics
This course introduces students to topics in mathematics that are usable and relevant to anyone. Emphasis is on practical and conceptual approaches to mathematics, including both traditional and nontraditional approaches to problem-solving. Topics include geometry, functions, graphs, probability, statistics, and the mathematics of finance. Students should have a minimum of one year of high school algebra or the equivalent before taking this course. While this course is appropriate for students who want to study more advanced mathematics, it is well-suited for the student who may not take a further course in mathematics. Prerequisite: First Year English requirement.

SCIENCE 3110
Geometry of Art and Nature
This course is an introduction to the mathematics of patterns found in nature and art. Topics of study include the Golden Mean, Fibonacci Series, spirals, division of the plane, tilling the plane, symmetry, fractals, platonic solids, and special rectangles and triangles. Prerequisite: First Year English requirement.

SCIENCE 3111
Projective Geometry
This branch of higher geometry is concerned with properties of figures preserved through projection and the mathematical foundation of pictorial perspective. Applications to graphics will be included. Topics include conic sections, dilation, quadric surfaces, projective configurations, isomorphism, point-line duality, ideal elements, Mobius nets, and the theorems of Pascal, Brianchon, Desargues, and von Staudt. Prerequisite: First Year English Requirement

SCIENCE 3112
Euclid’s Elements
This discussion-based seminar develops mathematical, mnemonic, and oratorical abilities through the study of plane geometry and deductive logic in Euclid’s Elements. From around 300 B.C. to the advent of non-Euclidean geometry in the nineteenth century, this text was one of the most translated, published, and studied books of Western civilization, and it endures as a classic treatise of analytic reasoning. Emphasis is on the oral presentation of geometric proofs and constructions, such as the Pythagorean theorem and the inscription of regular polygons within circles using a straightedge and compass. Depending on interest and time, the class may also discuss the esthetics, sociology, history, and philosophy of mathematics. Prerequisite: First Year English requirement.

SCIENCE 3120
College Algebra
Numbers, polynomials, equations, inequalities, functions, graphic representation of functions, matrices, and transformations are studied. Application to art and modern technology are explored. Computer graphics are used for demonstration, visualization, and mathematical experimentation. Prerequisite: First Year English requirement.

SCIENCE 3121
Symbolic Logic
An introduction to symbolic logic, beginning with a discussion of the concept of logical form and its symbolic representation, and continuing with the study of the propositional calculus (truth functions and truth tables), the predicate calculus (quantification theory), and various proof procedures. Prerequisite: First Year English requirement.

SCIENCE 4102
Calculus
This self-contained, one semester course introduces students to the basic ideas of differentiation and integration in one variable. Topics include the theory of limits, techniques to determine derivatives and definite integrals, the fundamental theorem of calculus, and applications. Prerequisite: First Year English requirement.