Course: Math 213W, Spring 2015.
Instructor: Christopher Hanusa — Email: chanusa@qc.cuny.edu — Office: Kissena Hall 355
Meeting Times: Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:45–10:30 in KY 061
Course Web Site: http://qcpages.qc.edu/~chanusa/courses/213/15/

Textbook: Discovering Mathematics with Mathematica, by Robert Cowen and John W. Kennedy.
Software: We will be learning and using Mathematica daily. Information about Mathematica Access.
Required Expense: Midway through the semester, we will be creating 3D art using Mathematica and sending it to be printed on the 3D printers at Shapeways in Long Island City. You will have to pay for printing your object. My best guess is that it will cost in the range of $25–$50. (The exact cost will be different for each student and it will depend on the size of your model, and the amount and type of material used when printing.)

Homework Policy:

DO IT! Homework assignments will be posted on the course website the week beforehand.

Study Groups:

An important component of your learning in this class is through study groups. Study groups allow you to learn the intricacies of the material; discussion of problems often lead to better understanding and new and more efficient ways to solve the problems. One of the best ways to learn something is to explain it to someone else; misunderstandings that you never knew you had will appear under someone else's questioning! In addition, seeing that others also struggle with the material helps to put your own level of understanding in a better perspective and will hopefully reduce some of your anxiety. If you can not find a study group, e-mail me so that I can help you get involved.

When a group works on a problem, everyone can participate. However, you must write up solutions to the problems on your own.

Class Participation:

Succeeding in this class will require your participation. You will earn a class participation grade based on your attendance and your participation. A great way to participate is to ask questions. A question as simple as "I don't really understand how/why you did X; can you explain it in a different way?" is a great question to ask and it shows that you are involved in the class.

You should participate in the in-class activities, our group discussions, and by discussing the tutorials with your neighbors.

If you miss a class, you are responsible for the material you missed—get the notes from your classmates and study group and make sure that you understand the material that you missed.

Quizzes:

There will be between three and six quizzes during the semester to gauge your understanding of recent topics. The quizzes will be held promptly at 8:45 and last for approximately twenty to thirty minutes. There will be no make-up quiz except in the case of a documented emergency. In the event of an unavoidable conflict with a quiz (an athletic meet, wedding, funeral, etc...), you must notify me at least one week before the date of the exam so that we can arrange for you to take the exam BEFORE the actual exam date.

Grading Scheme:

Your grade will be based on class participation, homework, quizzes, and your projects. Each component of your grade is calculated independently; then all pieces are combined using the following weighted average.

Class Participation: 10%
Homework: 10%
Quizzes: 20%
Project 1: 15%
Project 2: 20%
Project 3: 25%

Office Hours:

I am happy to help you with your homework and other class-related questions during my office hours. I have official office hours as posted on my schedule. In addition, you are welcome to make an appointment or stop by my office in Kissena 355 at any time. (You can call 718-997-5964 to see if I'm there.)

Cheating/Plagiarism:

DON'T DO IT! It makes me very mad and very frustrated when students cheat. Cheating is the quickest way to lose the respect that I have for each student at the beginning of the semester.

Both receiving and supplying the answers on a quiz is cheating.

Working together on homework is encouraged and is certainly not considered cheating. On the other hand, copying someone else's homework solutions IS cheating.

It is encouraged to download/explore/use other people's source code to learn about what is and is not possible to do using Mathematica. However, copying content from online or offline sources and passing it off as your own work IS cheating. The work you turn in for your projects must be your own and include citations of any code that you use or inspired your project.

I take cheating very seriously. If you cheat, you will receive a zero for the homework/exam and I will report you to the academic integrity committee in the Office of Student Affairs to be placed on your permanent file. If you cheat twice, you will receive a zero for the class.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should register with and provide documentation to the Office of Special Services, Frese Hall, room 111. The Office of Special Services will provide a letter for you to bring to your instructor indicating the need for accommodation and the nature of it. This should be done during the first week of class. For more information about services available to Queens College students, contact the Office of Special Services (718-997-5870) or visit their website (http://sl.qc.cuny.edu/oss/). If you need special accommodation for an exam, you MUST contact me at least one week beforehand.

Course Evaluations

During the final four weeks of the semester, you will be asked to complete an evaluation for this course by filling out an online questionnaire. Please remember to participate in these course evaluations. Your comments are highly valued, and these evaluations are an important service to fellow students and to the institution, since your responses will be pooled with those of other students and made available online, in the Queens College Course Information System (http://courses.qc.cuny.edu). Please also note that all responses are completely anonymous; no identifying information is retained once the evaluation has been submitted.

Technical Support

The Queens College Helpdesk (http://www.qc.cuny.edu/computing/, (718) 997-4444, helpdesk@qc.cuny.edu) is located in the I-Building, Room 151 and provides technical support for students who need help with Queens College email, CUNY portal, Blackboard, and CUNYfirst.