Math 420 A

Advanced Topics:  History of Modern Mathematics

Spring 2008 essay and paper schedule:

• Extended Essay #1 will be due Friday, February 15 (Changed to Friday, February 22)
• Extended Essay #2 will be due Friday, March 28 (Original due date was March 14)
• Extended Essay #3 will be due Friday, April 25
• Math 420 has a final exam scheduled for Monday, May 12, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM.  The term paper will be due at this time (no later than 6:00 Monday, May 12).  We will not have a final exam in this class

This is a tentative schedule of lectures and readings, and is likely to change as we progress through the semester.  I will try and keep paper dates fixed, but all else is subject to change.  The date and time of the final exam is, of course, set by the University and is not subject to change.  We will use the final exam period for the submission of term papers.

Lecture and reading schedule:

Week 1:  Monday, January 21

• Topics: 
  • Survey of ancient mathematics
• Reading: 
• Burton  chapters 1, 2
• Struik chapters 1, 2
• Other Notes
• Monday is Martin Luther King day:  no classes or office hours.

Week 2:  Monday, January 28

• Topics: 
  • Survey of Greek mathematics
• Reading: 
• Burton chapters 3, 4
• Struik chapters 3, 4
• Other Notes
• Office hours resume this week
• Assign first extended essay

Week 3:  Monday, February 4

• Topics: 
  • The great sleep and the re-awakening
• Reading: 
• Burton  chapters 5 - 7
• Struik chapter 5
• Other Notes
• Monday is the last day to drop without record.
• Extended essay #1 will be due next week.

Week 4 :  Monday, February 11

• Topics: 
  • The rise of modern mathematics:  Descartes, Leibniz, Newton
  • Discussion of term paper
• Reading: 
• Burton  chapter 8
• Struik chapter 6
• Other Notes
• Extended essay #1 will be due Friday, February 15.

Week 5:  Monday, February 18

• Topics: 
  • The development of probability
• Reading: 
• Burton  chapter 9
• Struik 7
• Other Notes
• Second extended essay is in three weeks.  Since Friday Harbor is next Friday, it should probably be assigned this week or early next.

Week 6:  Monday, February 25

• Topics: 
  • Number Theory:  Fermat, Euler, and Gauss
• Reading: 
• Burton chapter 10
• Struik chapter 7
• Other Notes
• No classes or office hours Thursday, February 28 - Friday, February 29 (travel to and attendance at the Columbia History of Science Group seminar at Friday Harbor)
• Second extended essay is in two weeks.

Week 7 :  Monday, March 3

• Topics: 
  • Non-Euclidean geometry and the first foundational crisis
• Reading: 
• Burton  chapter 11
• Other Notes
• The second extended essay will be due next week.
• Term paper proposal is due on Monday, March 3.
• Monday is the last day to drop with an automatic 'W'

Week 8:  Monday, March 10

• Topics: 
  • Set theory and more foundational confusion
• Reading: 
• Burton  chapter 12
• Struik chapter 8
• Other Notes
• Mid-term is Friday, March 14 (not an exam day for us)
• Extended essay was orginally due Friday, March 14, and is now due Friday, March 28 (Friday after Spring Break).
• The term paper annotated bibliography is due Monday following Spring break.  Early submissions cheerfully accepted.

Week 9:  Monday, March 17

• Topics:  Spring Break!  (No classes or office hours)
• Reading
• Other Notes
• The term paper annotated bibliography is due Wednesday following Spring break.  Early submissions cheerfully accepted.  Please note change in due date.

Week 10:  Monday, March 24

• Topics: 
  • Analysis in the 18th and 19th centuries
• Reading: 
• Burton   TBA
• Other Notes
• The term paper annotated bibliography is due Wednesday, March 26.  Early submissions cheerfully accepted.  Please note change in due date.

Week 11:  Monday, March 31

• Topics: 
  • The rise of topology
• Reading: 
• Burton  chapter 13
• Struik chapter 9
• Other Notes
• Third extended essay is due in three weeks

Week 12:  Monday, April 7

• Topics: 
  • Algebra
• Reading: 
• Burton   Chapter 13
• Other Notes
• Third extended essay is due in two weeks.

Week 13:  Monday, April 14

• Topics: 
  • Combinatorics
• Reading: 
• Burton   TBA
• Other Notes
• Extended essay #3 will be due next week.
• Term paper draft is due Friday, April 18.

Week 14:  Monday, April 21

• Topics: 
  • Computer Science
• Reading: 
• Burton   Chapter 13
• Other Notes
• Extended essay #3 will be due Friday, April 25.

Week 15:  Monday, April 28

• Topics: 
  • More foundational confusion
• Reading: 
• Burton   TBA
• Other Notes

Week 16:  Monday, May 5

• Topics:  Review and catch-up
• Reading: 
• Burton   As needed
• Other Notes
• Wednesday, May 7, is the last day of classes.  All course material (except for the final term paper) are due.  No materials can be accepted past 5:00 on this date.

Final Exams

• The final exam for Math 420 will be on Monday, May 12 from 4:00 - 6:00.  We will use this time for the submission of term papers (no final exam in this class)