Course Calendar and Homework Assignments for Math 128, Fall 2016
| Date | Section/Topic | Reading Assignment | Hmw to be collected |
| F Aug 26 | Introduction to the course, general info and policies | Read these 5 articles (in the given order) before Monday and write a short reflection paper, at most half a page (or less) for each for a total of about 2 pages. Print (2-sided ) and submit hard copy in class. Also save your paper in P drive.Article 1, Article 2, Article 3Article 4 Article 5. They are also available in the P drive. | Quiz on Monday First summary/reflections paper due Monday Second one will be due Fri Sep 5 (on Steffens' book). |
| M Aug29 | Discussion of the articles | Read the preface & chapter 1 of Berggren's text. Answer these reading questions by midnight Tue Aug 30 (by e-mail). Also read the supplementary materials on the 4 scholars: al-Khwarizmi, al-Biruni, Khayyam, al-Kashi. (click on the link) | Don't forget the summary/reflection paper due Friday. |
| W Aug31 | Lives and works of 4 Muslim scientists | Steffen's book: Ibn al-Haytham: The First Scientist | Summary/reflection paper on Steffen's book due Friday. Submit a hard copy in class and save it in your folder in P drive. P>Class>Math>Aydin>128>Students>YourFolder>Summary Papers. 2-3 pages. Among other things include: Ibn al-Haytam's motivation and approach to study science, his most important contributions to science, his approach to scientific inquiry, what happened in the centuries after he died, his legacy, and what you find to be interesting, surprising or impressive about him. |
| F Sep 2 | Ibn al-Haytham | Read sections 2.1 and 2.2 of Berggren and answer these questions (via e-mail) and watch these two videos part1, part 2 (about 37 min, also available on P-drive, under VideoLessons (Chapter 2)) | First math hmw will be due Wed Sep 14. |
| M Sep 5 | Berggren 2.1, 2.2 | Read sections 2.3 and 2.4 (upto page 47, Sexagesimal Division) and answer these questions. Also watch these videos part 1, part 2 (also available in P-drive) (Note: there are typos in the text in the example that starts on page 43) | Hmw 1:Due Wed Sep 14: Problems 1,2,4,5,6, 8 at the end of Chapter 2 of Berggren. Write up your solutions neatly, and show your steps clearly. Do not submit scratch or sloppy work. For problem 2, change the statement of the problem as "Apply Kushyar's method of halving starting with the highest place. Does it work"? In number 8, interpret the numeral according to the Greek system. The symbol "E" is the digit for 5 (in the table on page 40). Giving 2 possible values is enough. Assume that the sexagesimal system is consistently used for both integer and fractional parts. |
| W Sep 7 | Berggren 2.3,2.4 | Read section 2.4 again and watch the videos. No formal reading questions this time | |
| F Sep 9 | Berggren 2.4 | Read section 2.5 and answer these questions. Then watch this video (also available in P-drive) and do the exercises at the end of the video. |
Hmw 2: Due Wed Sep 21: Problems 9 (division part is bonus where the lowest order digits are in minutes. For multiplication, you can use any of the methods we discussed. Interpret each of these two sexagesimal numbers as degrees and minutes), 10 (note that these are decimal numbers, not sexagesimal), 12,13,14 at the end of Chapter 2. For 14, find the corresponding digits in base 60 for the example in the book (page 66, Fig 2.29-e), then give a general rule for converting from base n to base m.Write up your solutions neatly, and show your steps clearly. |
| M Sep12 | Berggren 2.5 | Read section 2.5 again answer and answer these questions (more questions on 2.5) | |
| W Sep14 | Justification for the sqrt algorithm | Read section 2.7 and answer these questions | |
| F Sep16 | 2.7: Applications of arithmetic to inheritance and zakat | Read sections 3.1,3.2, and 3.3 and answer these questions | |
| M Sep19 | 3.1-3.3 | Read section 3.4 and answer these questions Watch this video (also in P drive) | |
| W Sep21 | 3.4 | Read section 3.5 and 3.6, and answer these questions | Hmw 3: Due Wed Sep 28: Two problems to be stated in class on Friday, and problems 4 & 8 at the end of Chp 3. Make sure you explain your solutions and each one of your steps. Use words (full sentences) in addition to figures. For extra credit: i) Problem 3 at the end of chapter 3. ii) Given a circle find a method to locate its center using straightedge and compass (problem stated on page 93 of the textbook, just before Problem 4) |
| F Sep 23 | 3.5, 3.6 | Read section 3.7 and answer these questions | |
| M Sep 26 | 3.7 | Study review/practice problems for the exam located at P>Class>Math>Aydin>128>Exam Reviews>ReviewEx1.docx | |
| W Sep28 | Review+Documentary | Study for the exam, work on review problems. Start reading chapter 1 of Saliba. | |
| F Sep30 | Review | Study for the exam, work on review problems. Start reading chapter 1 of Saliba. Come to class early Monday morning. | |
| M Oct 3 | Exam 1 | Read Preface + Chp 1 of Saliba | Due Wed Oct 5: 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 2-3 pages. Turn in hard copy in class AND save an electronic copy in P drive. |
| W Oct 5 | Saliba Chp 1 | Read Chp 2 of Saliba. Use the questions distributed in class as a guide. | |
| F Oct 7 | October reading day | ||
| M Oct 10 | Saliba Chp 2 | Review Chp1 & Chp 2 of Saliba. Fill out the table distributed in class. Start reading Chp 3. | |
| W Oct 12 | Special Class at Gund Gallery. | Read Chp 3 of Saliba. Reading quiz on Chp 3 Friday | |
| F Oct 14 | Saliba Chp 3 | Read sections 4.1-4.3 of Berggren and answer these questions | |
| M Oct 17 | Berggren 4.1-4.3 | Read section 4.4 of Berggren and answer these questions (There are a couple of typos in this section) | Hmw 4: Due Wed Oct 26: Problems 1-4 at the end of Chp 4. For Problem 4, make sure you give a geometric argument (not an algebraic one) to prove the algebraic identity. |
| W Oct 19 | Berggren 4.4 | Read section 4.5 of Berggren and answer these questions | |
| F Oct 21 | Berggren 4.5 | Read section 4.6 of Berggren, watch this video and answer these questions. Note: There are several typos in "The First Example" pages 115-7. Video is also available in the P drive. |
Hmw 5: Due Mon, Oct 31: Problems 7,8,9 at the end of Chp 4. For Problem 8, find the quotient up to (and including) the term x^(-1) (pt) and write it in polynomial form. For Problem 9 interpret and express the answer in terms of money (dirhams and fulus). Do not use a calculator for any of these problems. |
| M Oct 24 | Berggren 4.6 | Read section 4.7 of Berggren and answer these questions | |
| W Oct 26 | Berggren 4.7 | Read sections 4.7 (again) and 4.8. No formal reading questions | Think about the final project. Gather resources. The first deadline is in two weeks |
| F Oct 28 | Berggren 4.7, 4.8 | Read section 5.1 and answer these questions | |
| M Oct31 | Berggren 5.1 | Read sections 5.2 and 5.3 and answer questions | Hmw 6: Due Fri Nov 11: Problems 1,3,4,10 at the end of Chp 5. In Pr 3, assume that at such small angles the chord length = arc length. Note that for problem 4 you will need more of the chord table than what is given in the book (on page 129). The hand-out distributed in class gives the rest of the chord table. It is available in P drive as pdf documents. In Pr 10, GH is perpendicular to AD. |
| W Nov 2 | Berggren 5.2, 5.3 | Read section 5.4 and answer these questions | |
| F Nov 4 | Berggren 5.4 | Read section 5.5 and answer these questions Bring a calculator to class on Monday. | |
| M Nov7 | Berggren 5.5 | Finish al-Biruni's calculations. Study review problems in P drive. Exam 2 on Monday, Nov 14 | Remember: two things are due Friday (Hmw and final project proposal) |
| W Nov9 | Finish 5.5/Review | Study review problems | |
| F Nov11 | Review | Study review problems. Try to come to class early Monday morning. | |
| M Nov14 | Exam II | Read Chapters 4 and 5 of Saliba | |
| W Nov16 | Saliba Lecture | Write a short summary/reflection paper (0.5-1 page) on Salibe lecture. Read Chp 4 and 5 of Saliba. Use these questions and these as a guide to get the main points of the chapter. | |
| F Nov 18 | Saliba Chp 4, Chp 5 | Read Chp 6 of Saliba. There will be a reading quiz in class. | Final project outline due Wed, Nov 30 |
| THANKSGVING BREAK | |||
| M Nov28 | Saliba Chp 6 | Read Chp 7 of Saliba. Use the questions in this document as a guide. Also read 2 documents in P drive (under Reading Materials): i) "Ghazali" ii) Tahafut Pages | Due Wed Nov 30 Outline of the final paper. Should be sent by email by 9 am |
| W Nov30 | Finish Chp 6 +Chp 7 | Read the selection of the material from "The 100" in the folder Reading Materials > One Hundred in the light of what you've learned in the course. | Write a short commentary on this reading (at most 1 page), due Friday. (Will be accepted if you send it to me by email by Mon morning). Prepare for presentation in class. |
| F Dec2 | Discussion of the reading from The 100 | ||
| M Dec5 | Presentations |
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| W Dec7 | Presentations | ||
| F Dec9 | Presentations | Make use of the help available from Writing Center. Math Liaison Emma McGorray, E-mail: mcgorraye | Due: Thu Dec 15, 6:30 pm (due with the final paper or earlier): Write an overall reflection for the course (2-3 pages). Among other things include most important, interesting, striking or surprising things you have learned in this course (including the final project) in some detail. Has it been a useful course for you? Do 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? |