You should use office hours (for all your classes) as the first source of assistance whenever you have questions or difficulties.  Knowing your professor is great motivation and a good way to get advice on courses and other education and career related decisions.

A second source of help is free tutoring available from the Math Center in the Center for Teaching and Learning, Museum 433 in Pocatello from 9 am to 7 pm M-Th and 9 am to 2 pm Friday from January 26 to Friday May 1.  Not every tutor will be able to help you with this course but a few can - check on the bulletin board outside the Math Center.  More information and the Idaho Falls hours (in CHE Room 220) are at www.isu.edu/ctl/math. 

Questions: In what sense is the number 7 abstract?  Why is the phrase "two times five plus six" ambiguous and how does one show more precisely what is meant?  How do we interpret the role of x in the equations 2x+8=12 and 2(x+4)=2x+8?  What are the elements of grammar and what types of sentences are used in mathematics?  How do we use functions to describe a process involving arithmetic operations and how do we read and interpret function notation? Why are we sometimes led to values that are not really solutions when solving equations?  How can we use sets and logic to better understand when extraneous solutions to equations can arise?  How can we use logic and previously established theorems to prove new results in mathematics?  Questions like these are involved in a variety of mathematics courses but are not always explicitly addressed or discussed as they will be in this course.  Just as one must learn Spanish to read Spanish literature, one must learn the language of Mathematics to reason mathematically, so it is worth focusing explicitly on the language of Mathematics to become better at mathematics and at teaching mathematics.

Goals: In this course "The goal is for you to become fluent in the symbolic language of mathematics so you can efficiently read, write, learn, and think mathematical thoughts" (Esty, page 1).  For this reason, the primary emphasis will be on reading, pronouncing, and writing the language of Mathematics rather than on carrying out processes in the subject of mathematics.  Just as when learning a foreign language, you are not expected to become fluent or to master the ideas immediately, but you are expected to work steadily toward becoming fluent.  This will require that you carefully read all parts of the text, practice pronouncing mathematical expressions out loud, and spend some time each day writing solutions to some problems.  You will also be expected to consistently write your answers competely and correctly as this will help you learn to clearly communicate solutions of problems to others. 

This course will help you be able to:

• read and comprehend mathematical statements,
  
• express oral and written mathematical thoughts clearly and correctly,
• recognize and emply common patterns of mathematical thought,
• reason logically, recognize what constitutes a proof, and construct proofs of simple mathematical statements.
  

Materials:  The text is The Language of Mathematics, 2007 Edition, by Esty, all of Chapters 1-4 and part of Chapter 5.  Links to additional resources and pages of interest are given on the Useful Links part of the class web page.

Prerequisites:  Math 025, Elementary Algebra, with a grade of S, or placement into the course, and the ability and willingness to read  at a college level and work hard to comprehend what is read.  Math 127 satisfies Goal 3.

Format and Evaluation
Class time will include a mixture of brief lectures with group response and discussion, and in-class work that will be collected for credit.  You are responsible for material covered in all class sessions regardless of whether you have reason to be absent.  Material covered in class lectures and activities will assume that you have read and thought about the material ahead of time.  To fully succeed in accomplishing the goals above, you will need to take responsibility for and participate actively in your own learning, both inside and outside of class by

• reading the book both before and after material is presented in class, 
• reviewing your notes from in class and writing your own notes over the material, 
• keeping a notebook of homework, writing the full question and a complete solution for each problem,
• working 7-10 problems each day, including some of each type (A, B, maybe even C)
• focusing especially on the most important problems marked with an asterisk (*),
• completing and turning in assigned homework, in-class work, and quizzes, and
• learning from comments and corrections on returned work.
  

Being able to read, communicate, and reason in mathematics requires consistently working on problems yourself.  But in addition to doing so you are encouraged to study together and discuss problems with others since this can be a very effective and rewarding way to learn mathematics.  You must write up solutions yourself and give written credit for ideas obtained from other sources.  Violations of ISU's plagiarism policy will not be tolerated and will be addressed according to ISU policy (see the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook, http://www.isu.edu/studenta/handbook.pdf, the section of the Faculty Staff Handbook referenced there, http://www.isu.edu/fs-handbook/part6/6_9/6_9a.html, and the Math Department's policy linked at http://www.isu.edu/math/).

Exams will be closed book with no notes allowed.  Each will include some questions that involve applying familiar concepts in new situations.  If an emergency or exceptional circumstances require you to miss an exam, contact me or have someone else contact me before the exam if at all possible and no later than the next class meeting and provide documentation.  The exam dates below are tentative.  The final date is firm, so please mark it down now.

Grades of A, B, C, D will be guaranteed by earning overall percentages of 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%.  Cutoffs for +/- will be these values +/- 3 percentage points.  The grades and comments on individual assignments and exams will provide you with feedback and help you assess your current state of learning.   The final course grade will reflect to what extent you have mastered the four goals above on what you should be able to do at the end of the course.

Philosophy: All of you have the potential to succeed in this course and hard work and careful reading are crucial to such success.  I continue to learn by expanding my knowledge of mathematics and its connections with other subjects, by doing original research, by understanding more about learning and teaching, and by working to teach in ever more effective ways.  I expect you will deepen your knowledge of and comfort with mathematics, will learn to formulate questions that lead you to construct your own understanding of mathematics, and will know more about the process of learning and problem solving after you complete this course.  The most important skill you gain during a college education is the ability to learn independently.

Accommodations: Idaho State University is committed to equal opportunity in education for all students.  If you have a diagnosed disability or if you believe you have a disability that might require reasonable accommodation in this course, please contact the ADA & Disability Resource Center, Room 123 Graveley Hall (282-3599) as soon as possible.