Course Calendar and Homework Assignments for Math 128, Fall 2026
-->| Date | Section/Topic | Reading Assignment (posted that day, to be done before next class) | Hmw to be collected (posted that day) | |
| F, Aug 28 | Introduction to the course, general info and policies | Read these 3 articles (in the given order) before Monday and write a short reflection/commentary paper, about half page for each for a total of about 2 pages. Submit your essay to Moodle. Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4 |
Quiz on Monday. It will be on Moodle. Bring a laptop to class. Post a message by midnight Sunday on Moodle. In this first public post, introduce yourself and talk about your interest in the course. First reading commentary paper due by midnight Sunday. At the end of your paper, please write me a short message, anything from a few words to a paragraph. Second one will be due Thu night (Sep 3) on First Scientist. |
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| M,Aug31 | Discussion of the articles | Read the preface & chapter 1 of Berggren's text, as well as preface to the first edition. Answer these reading questions (set 1) by midnight Tue, Sep 2. Also read the supplementary materials on the 4 scholars: al-Khwarizmi, al-Biruni, Khayyam, al-Kashi, and the Preface and Introduction of the of Al-Kashi's Miftah al-Hisab. Watch this digital storytelling video. | Summary/reflection paper due Thu night on First Scientist. | |
| W, Sep2 | Berggren Chp1: Four Muslim scientists |
Read: Steffen's book: The First Scientist: Ibn al-Haytham |
Reading commentary on Steffen's book due midnight Thursday. Submit to Moodle, either copy and paste text or a single pdf document. 2-3 pages, among other things include: Ibn al-Haytam's motivation and approach to study science (pay attention to the quote at the very end of the book), his most important contributions to science, his approach to scientific inquiry, what happened in the centuries after he died, his legacy (particularly in Europe regarding attribution of the credit for pioneering the experimental method), and what you find to be interesting, surprising or impressive about him. Your paper must also include some comments on the videos. | |
| F, Sep4 | Ibn al-Haytham | Read sections 1 and 2 from Chp 2 of Berggren and answer these questions (via Moodle, set 2) and watch two videos part1, part 2 (about 37 min total) | First math hmw set will be due Wed, Sep 16. | |
| WEEK 2 | ||||
| M, Sep7 | Berggren 2.1, 2.2 | Read sections 2.4 and 2.5 (up to page 56, Sexagesimal Division) and answer these questions (set 3). Also watch this video part 1, part 2 (~12 mins, total) | Hmw 1: Due Wed, Sep 16 | |
| W, Sep9 | Berggren 2.4, 2.5 | Watch this video and read section 2.5 again. No formal reading questions this time | ||
| F, Sep 11 | Berggren 2.5 | Read section 2.6 and answer these questions (set 4). Then watch this video and do the exercises at the end of the video. Also, to get familiar with the community center we will visit on Saturday, watch the video in the Google drive titled "CTV-Noor Islamic Center" |
Hmw 2: Due Wed, Sep 23 | |
| WEEK 3 | ||||
| M,Sep 13 | Berggren 2.6 | Read section 2.6 again answer and answer these questions (set 5, more questions on 2.6) | ||
| W, Sep 15 | Justification for the sqrt algorithm | Read section 2.8 and answer these questions (set 6) | Hmw 1 is due today | |
| F, Sep 17 | 2.8: Applications of arithmetic to inheritance and zakat | Read sections 3.1,3.2, and 3.3 and answer these questions (set 7) | ||
| Sun Sep 20 | Special Event | Visit to Noor Islamic Cultural Center. |
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| WEEK 4 | ||||
| M, Sep 21 | 3.1-3.3 | Read section 3.4 and answer these questions (set 8). Watch this video | ||
| W, Sep 23 | 3.4 | Read sections 3.5 and 3.6,watch this video and answer these questions (set 9) | Hmw 2 is due today Hmw 3: Due Wed Sep 30 |
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| F, Sep 25 | 3.5, 3.6 | Read section 3.8 and answer these questions (set 10) | Two problems for hmw 3 | |
| WEEK 5 | ||||
| M, Sep28 | 3.8 | Study review/practice problems for the Progress Check located in the Google Drive | Think about the final project. | |
| W,Sep30 | Review Day, visit by a librarian. | Study for the PC, work on review problems. Start reading The Prisoner of Al-Hakim. | Hmw 3 is due today | |
| F,Oct 2 |
Progress Check1 |
Read The Prisoner of Al-Hakim. Meet the author on Wednesday. | ||
| WEEK 6 | ||||
| M,Oct 5 | Intro DigitalStorytelling process | Read The Prisoner of Al-Hakim, then start reading Saliba | Due midnight Tue Oct 6: Commentary on the novel The Prisoner of Al-Hakim, 2-3 pages. Your paper must include questions (at least 2) for the author B. Steffens. Submit to Moodle. | |
| W,Oct 7 | Prisoner of al-Hakim.Meet B. Steffens. | Read Preface and Chp 1 of Saliba. Watch this video (danger of a single story) and this one. | Due midnight Sun Oct 11: Read preface + Chapter 1 of Saliba. Summarize the important points of the reading. What is this book about? What points does the author make in the first chapter? Write about 2 pages which must also include brief comments on the two videos. Submit to Moodle. | |
| F Oct 9 | October reading day | Think about the final project. The first deadline is in 9 days. | ||
| WEEK 7 | ||||
| M, Oct 12 | Saliba Chp 1 | Read Chp 2 of Saliba. Use
these questions as a guide. |
Think about the final project. The first deadline is in 6 days. | |
| W,Oct 14 | Saliba Chp 2 | Read Chp 3 of Saliba. Use these
questions as a guide. Watch this video and if you can this one as well (or on YouTube). |
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| F, Oct 16 | Recap Chp 1&2+Chp 3 | Read sections 4.1-4.3 of Berggren and answer these questions. (set 11) Also, watch this video, and if you can this one too (or on YouTube) | Final project proposal is due midnight
Sunday. |
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| WEEK 8 | ||||
| M, Oct19 | Berggren 4.1-4.3 | Read section 4.4 of Berggren, watch this video and answer these questions (set 12) |
Hmw 4: Due Wed Oct 28 . |
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| W, Oct 21 | Berggren 4.4 | Read section 4.5 of Berggren and answer these questions (set 13) |
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| F, Oct 23 | Berggren 4.5 | Read section 4.6 of Berggren, watch this video and answer these questions (set 14) (typos were in the first ed of the textbook). Video is also available in the Google drive. | ||
| WEEK 9 | ||||
| M, Oct 26 | Berggren 4.6 |
Read section 4.9 of Berggren and answer these questions(set 15) |
Hmw 5: Due Mon, Nov 2 | |
| W, Oct 28 | Berggren 4.9 | Read sections 4.9 (again) and 4.10. No formal reading questions | Hmw 4 is due today. A bonus question is assigned in class. | |
| F, Oct 30 | Berggren 4.9, 4.10 | Read Chp 4 and 5 of Saliba. Use these questions and these as a guide to get the main points of each chapter.Also watch this video. | Final project first draft is due midnight Sunday. Submit to Moodle | |
| WEEK 10 | ||||
| M, Nov 2 | Saliba Chp 4, Chp 5 | Read Chp 6 of Saliba and watch this video. There will be a reading quiz, containing questions from Chp6 and the video. | Hmw 5 is due today. | |
| W, Nov 4 | Saliba Chp 6 | Read Chp 7 of Saliba. Use the questions in this document as a guide. Also read 2 documents in the Google drive drive, under Reading Materials>SalibaChp7 | ||
| F, Nov6 | Saliba Chp 7 | Watch Saliba's lecture from his visit to us in Nov2011 (Lecture 2 in Google Drive). And read The 100. | Write one commentary paper on both video and reading, and submit it to Moodle. | |
| WEEK 11 | ||||
| M, Nov 9 | Saliba Lecture+100 | Read the preface and Intro of Edward Said's Orientalism, and watch this video and this one. Write a short commentary paper. Submit to Moodle. | ||
| W, Nov 11 | Orientalism | Study review problems | ||
| F, Nov 13 | Progress Check2 | |||
| WEEK 12 | ||||
| M,Nov 16 | Project Meeting |
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| W, Nov 18 | Berggren 5.1, 5.2 | Read section 5.4 of Berggren, watch these two videos (part1, part2) and answer RQ18 (set 18) | Hmw 6: Due Fri, Dec 11 | |
| F, Nov 20 |
Berggren 5.2, 5.4
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Work on your presentation. Be ready to present on Mon, Nov 30 | Complete draft of the final paper is due 5 pm, Fri, Nov 20. Submit to Moodle. | |
THANKSGVING BREAK |
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WEEK 13 |
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| M,Nov30 | Rehearsal Presentations | Presentation feedback form | Save your presentation to this folder by 6 am before the class. | |
| W, Dec2 | Rehearsals | |||
| F, Dec4 | Rehearsals | Read section 5.5, watch this video and answer RQ19 (set 19) | Save your presentation to this
folder by 6 am before the class. |
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| Fri Dec 4 | Special Event | Public Presentations of Final Projects at NICC in the evening | ||
| WEEK 14 | ||||
| M, Dec7 | Berggren 5.5 | Read section 5.6, watch the video segment from 10:15-24:36 and answer RQ20 (set 20) | ||
| W, Dec9 | Berggren 5.6 |
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Hmw 6 is due the last day of class. | |
| F, Dec11 | Due: Wed Dec 16, 11:30 am: 1) Write an overall reflection for the course (2-3 pages). Among other things it must include all of the following: most important, interesting, striking or surprising things you think you have learned in this course (including the final project) in some detail. Has it been a useful course for you? What do you think of the experience of presenting your final project publicly at NICC. Do you have any suggestions for the future offerings of the course? Do you see any connections between the two main textbooks that we used? Explain. Who is your favorite Islamic scholar? Would you recommend this course to your friends? Give your recommendations and/or advice for future students of this course. 2) Math Lesson component of the final project. 3) CEL course survey. | |||