Welcome to MAT135: Topics in Contemporary Mathematics (Spring 2016)

Hello and welcome to Professor Baker's Math Class! This page will serve as your central hub for all course materials. Each class day, a new post will appear here containing the day's notes and quizzes. These posts will be available by midnight on the day of the class, allowing you to review the material beforehand if you wish. Remember to check back regularly!

Course Syllabus

Please review the course syllabus carefully. It contains important information about course expectations, grading policies, and contact information. Key points include:

  • Required Text: Quantitative Literacy: Thinking Between the Lines (Crauder, 2012)
  • Grading: Participation & Attendance (15%), Section Quizzes (60%), Final Exam - Real-Life Application Project and Presentation (25%)
  • Assignments: Given weekly and due by the start of the following week's class.

Section 1-1: Critical Thinking

Access your Section 1-1 Notes to review key concepts of critical thinking. Focus on:

  • Public Policy and Simpson's Paradox: Explore the idea that "average" isn't always what it seems. Learn how aggregating data can mask underlying patterns and lead to misleading conclusions. Consider the Berkeley gender discrimination case as an example.
  • Calculating Percentages: Understand how to calculate percentages and apply them to real-world situations. The formula for percentage is: $$Percentage = \frac{Part}{Whole} \times 100\%$$.

Don't forget to complete the Quiz for Section 1-1 to solidify your understanding!

Section 1-5: Critical Thinking and Number Sense

Find your Notes for Section 1-5 here, where we'll delve into practical applications of number sense. Key topics include:

  • Magnitudes and Powers of 10: Learn to work comfortably with large and small numbers using powers of 10. For example, $10^3 = 1000$ (thousand), and $10^{-3} = 0.001$ (thousandth).
  • Exponents: Refresh your knowledge of exponents, including negative exponents (e.g., $a^{-n} = \frac{1}{a^n}$) and the basic properties of exponents, such as $a^p a^q = a^{p+q}$.
  • Estimation: Develop your estimation skills by working through practical problems involving costs, areas, and volumes.

Complete your Section 1-5 Assignment to practice these skills!

Setting Up Conversion Problems

Here's a brief explanation on setting up conversion problems. Remember to use conversion factors that are equal to one to avoid changing the problem. For example, converting inches to miles:

$$ Inches \times \frac{1 \text{ foot}}{12 \text{ inches}} \times \frac{1 \text{ mile}}{5280 \text{ feet}} = \text{ Miles} $$

Make sure the units you want to cancel out are in the denominator of the conversion factor.

I'm excited to work with you all this semester! Remember, I'm here to help you succeed. Don't hesitate to reach out during office hours or via email if you have any questions.