MAT 360 – Lecture 0 Introduction

About me  Moira Chas   Work phone :  Office Location: 4-103, Math Tower  Best way to contact me: by (write MAT360 on subject)  Personal webpage:

Course Homepage and Lecture slides Announcements, syllabus, exam grades, lecture slides, etc. There will be a link in Blackboard. Lecture slides can be found at slides/ How to save and print lecture slides

FALL 2007 office hours: TU: 1 to 3 PM, TH: 10:00 to 11:00am and by appointment.

Office hours: can be by appointment.

Course Description  MAT 360 (Geometric Structures) -- develops and contrasts Euclidean geometry with more exotic geometries, emphasizing topics relevant to the high school curriculum. Involves some computer workshops using software available in high schools. An accessible class.

Textbook Euclidean and Non- Euclidean Geometries, Development and History, Third Edition, by Marvin Jay Greenberg, (W.H.Freeman and Company, New York)

Prerequisites It is assumed that you have already had a high- school course in Euclidean geometry (more precisely, know the geometry covered in MAT200 ( you can find the notes of MAT 200 at /Geometry/Main/) (there is a link to this page in the course webpage) /Geometry/Main/

Observations  These slides are intended as a guide, and will not contain all the material presented in class.  You should make AT LEAST all the problems listed on the syllabus.  You should read the book. Even better, if you do it before the topic is covered in class.

More observations  It will be much harder to make up the grades at the end as opposed to work on them since the beginning.  Any problem you have with the course (such as serious impossibility to take an exam, not understanding of all or part of the material, etc) should be talked AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

The probability of finding solutions to any of the above problems is inversely proportional to the period of time which goes from the problem presented to the instructor to the end of the semester.

Grading policies WhatWhen% of grade MidtermOctober20% FinalTu, Dec. 18, 11:00am-1:30pm 40% Homework, Class participation Weekly30% Projects10%

Grading homework  We will grade selected problems.  Graded problems will worth up to 10 points.  Non graded submitted problems will worth 1 point.  No late homework will be accepted unless exceptional circumstances.

Grading homework  Homework shoud be submitted : Tuesdays  Homework 0 due Sept 12th (by ). Check the schedule for precise instructions. Make sure to write MAT360 on the subject.  Homework 1 due on Sept 18th.

Academic dishonesty  You can discuss homework and project with classmates.  All submitted work MUST be individual (this means you and only you are responsible for the written-up).  Identical submissions will receive no credit and may be reported to the Academic Judiciary Office.

Make ups  There will be no make ups for exams unless SERIOUS documented reasons.  No late homework will be accepted.

Homework  Homework problems and projects should be written in complete, clear and correct English sentences. They should be easy to read by somebody who has a good mathematical background but is not following this course. All textbook results must be explicitly quoted. Each homework problem (regardless its length or level of difficulty) will worth ten points.

Homework grading Homework: Points Removed with a few minor mistakes, omissions or misleading material 1 or 2 many minor mistakes, omissions or misleading material 3 or 4 with serious mistakes 5, 6 or 7 with minor problems with terminology, concepts or clarity of exposition 1 or 2 with major problems with terminology, concepts or clarity of exposition 3 which is not readable 10

Very important:  Work on the homework problems.  Ask questions in class (or outside)  Maintain a fluid communication about course related issues.