Logistics and General Info

Venues and Dates

Lectures: LSRC D243, TTh 4:25-5:40pm
Recitations: BioSci Bldg, Room 063, F 2:50-4:05pm
Two in-class exams on Oct. 3 and Nov. 14 during regular recitation times. Venue TBA.
Final Exam is Th Dec. 11 from 9am-noon. Venue TBA.

Textbooks

Kenneth H. Rosen. Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications. Sixth Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 2006.

General class format

In a nutshell: Reading and so-called warm-up homework assignments will motivate you to read and study part of the material before the lectures that discuss it. The lectures then motivate the topics you studied, clarify issues, examine connections with other topics, and probe into further depth. Standard homework taken after the lectures evaluate your understanding of the material.

Here is a more detailed description of how this works. Before we study, say, propositional logic, you will be asked to read the relevant sections of Rosen's book on this topic, and a list of simpler problems from the book will be posted on the web site. You will then be asked to solve those problems or answer those questions in class. I'll initially look for volunteers, but I will then ask people who do not volunteer often. Class and recitation participation forms part of your final grade, as explained below.

Sometime after the lectures on logic, you will receive a standard homework assignment on logic. This will be a set of somewhat harder problems, and will be graded with a grade between 0 and 100. Make sure you explain your work, so you get partial credit for incorrect answers.

Grading

Grading is done on an absolute, but adjustable scale. This means that there is no curve. Anyone earning 90% or more of the total number of points available will receive a grade in the A range (A- to A+); 80% = B, 70% = C, 60% = D. This scale may go down, but it will not go up.

In order to earn an A+ you must do several of the optional assignments and exceed expectations in general.

Grades are determined according to the following components and percentages:

Late Policy

Assignments turned in on time receive no penalty. Assignments turned in up to two days late incur a 25% penalty. Assignments turned in more than two days late will not be accepted. A weekend represents one-day for the purposes of measuring lateness.

If you're having trouble, be sure to see the TA or the professor in charge of the course as far before the due date as possible. Don't give up, ask for help.

Individual extensions will be granted only for medical reasons (see the Short-term Illness Notification policy) or other circumstances beyond your control that must be presented with an official Dean's excuse. I do not grant extensions after an assignment is due.

Collaboration policy

Homework assignments are done individually, under Duke's Community Standard. No collaboration of any kind is allowed (except asking the professor or TA) on standard homework assignments.

Collaboration with your peers is encouraged on warm-up exercises. However, you must note who you have collaborated with on your hand-in. This can take the form of a simple collaboration statement at the top of your work.

Participation and Class Attendance

There is no specific class attendance policy. However, you will not do well in this class if you do not make an effort to attend class and recitation.

You cannot make up an in-class or recitation assignment. We will provide opportunities to earn "extra" points on in-class work so that if you miss a small number of these your grade won't be affected. However, frequent absences from class will affect the portion of your grade based on quizzes and in-class work.

A great way to earn participation points is to make frequent use of the class discussion forums, either by posting questions or answering other students' questions. Be careful not to reveal answers to problems, but helping others out is always a way to earn brownie points.

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