Undergraduate Mathematics Courses

Math 107, Precalculus

Preparation for calculus. Review of algebra, trig functions, and techniques of graphing. No NSM credit. Class attendence required.

Math 111, Introduction to Mathematical Thought

This is a freshman seminar, requiring no formal background, and counting for NSM credit. The topics vary.

Math 117, Introduction to Calculus, Part I

Calculus for students who have not had calculus before and are not likely to major in a math or science related field. Requires purchase of a graphing calculator. Class attendence required, as there is much group work. Differential calculus; derivatives and maxima and minima.

Math 118, Introduction to Calculus, Part II

The continuation of Math 117, which is a prerequisite. Integral calculus, areas and volumes, using graphing calculators and group work. Class attendence required.

Math 121, Calculus I, Part I

Calculus for students who have had calculus before, but need a refresher, or for mathematically adept students who have not had calculus before. More theoretical and also more algebraicially demanding than Math 117, this is the recommended introductory calculus course for prospective math and science majors. This is probably the one to take for pre-med or pre-law as well. Topics include limits, continuity, derivatives, related rates, maxima and minima, graphing, and integration. Advanced placement credit is given for this course for students with a 4 or a 5 on either AP calculus exam.

Math 122, Calculus I, Part II

The continuation of Math 121, knowledge of which is a prerequisite for this course. Integration and applications thereof, techniques of integration, polar coordinates and parametric equations, infinite sequences and series.

Math 132, Elementary Statistics

Statistics without calculus. Means, variance, and standard deviation. Distributions. Regression and correlation. Conditional probability.

Math 163, An Invitation to Numbers

An exploration of various topics such as counting, numerical patterns in nature, prime numbers, coding theory, cryptography, and systems of numbers that lie outside the usual real numbers, at the introductory level.

Math 201, Graph Theory

A first course in graph theory with an emphasis on proofs and proof writing. The topics are variable, but usually include a discussion of trees, planar graphs, the Four Color Theorem, chromatic number, the n-dimensional hypercube, bipartite graphs and matching.

Math 221, Vectors and Matrices

Linear algebra from a geometric viewpoint. Vectors, matrices, linear equations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The possible math major is encouraged to take Math 223 instead of Math 221. The prerequisite is Math 122, or an advanced placement scores of 4 or 5 on either AP calculus exam.

Math 222, Multivariable Calculus

Calculus of functions of more than one variable, including vectors, lines, and planes; curves and surfaces in 2 and 3 dimensions; gradients, tangent planes, Lagrange multipliers; double and triple integrals; polar, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates; the theorems of Green, Stokes, and Gauss. The prerequisite is Math 122, or an advanced placement scores of 4 or 5 on either AP calculus exam.

Math 223, Linear Algebra

Linear algebra from an abstract viewpoint. Recommended for math majors instead of Math 221. Topics are similar, but proofs and conceptual understanding are stressed over geometric applications.The prerequisite is Math 122, or an advanced placement scores of 4 or 5 on either AP calculus exam.

Math 225, Fundamentals of Analysis

Calculus from a rigorous, theoretical viewpoint, this course is one of the centerpieces of the math major. Proofs of all those theorems you take for granted in calculus, like the Intermediate and Extreme Value theorems. Real numbers, limits, comtinuity, sequences and series, differentiation, integration. Math 221 and Math 222, or Math 223 and Math 222 are the prerequisites.

Math 226, Complex Analysis

Functions of a complex variable. The Cauchy integral theorem, residues, power series, Liouville's theorem, the fundamental theorem of algebra, contour integration. The prerequisite is Math 222 or Math 225.

Math 228, Discrete Mathematics

A first course in discrete and combinatorial mathematics, this course is also an introduction to abstraction and proofs. The topics are variable, but may include induction, counting, set theory, number theory, complexity theory and graphs. The prerequisite is Math 221 or Math 223.

Math 229, Differential Equations

Differential equations are of crucial importance in all applications of calculus. This course considers only ordinary differential equations. Constant coefficients, the Laplace transform, systems of equations, and series solutions. The prerequisite is Math 221 or Math 223.

Math 231, Probability

This is a course in probability theory at an intermediate level. The subjects covered will include probability spaces, stochastic variables, mathematical expectation and variance, the law of large numbers, and the central limit theorem. Students should already have taken MATH222.

Math 232, An Introduction to Mathematical Statistics

This course is at an intermediate level. The subjects covered will include statistical models, exponential families, sufficient statistics, estimators, regression, and testing statistical hypotheses. Some attention will be paid to robustness. The prerequisite is Math 231 and Math 221 or 223.

Math 233, Linear Programming

This course will present the mathematics behind linear programming and related subjects. Topics covered may include the following: the simplex method, duality in linear programming, interior-point methods, two-person games, some integer-programming problems, Wolfe's method in quadratic programming, the Kuhn-Tucker conditions, geometric programming, and the Brouwer fixed-point theorem. The prerequisite is Math 221 or 223 and Math 222.

Math 241, Set Theory

Posets, losets and wosets; ordinal and cardinal numbers; cardinal arithmetic; theorems of Cantor and Schroeder-Bernstein; cofinality; the Axiom of Choice and (some) other axioms of ZFC; applications to N, R, and their subsets. Some infinitary combinatorics. The prerequisite is Math 121 and 122.

Math 242, Topology

Topology is the study of surfaces, in a very general sense. We will discuss metric spaces, connectedness, and compactness, the fundamental group and the classification of two-dimensional surfaces. The prerequisite is Math 223 or Math 228.

Math 243, Mathematical Logic

An introduction to mathematical logic, including first-order logic and model theory, axiomatic set theory, and Godel's incompleteness theorem. The prerequisite is Math 241 or Math 261 or Math 228.

Math 251, Topics in Geometry: Geometric Analysis and Discrete Groups

This will be an introduction to the theory of discrete groups, including hyperbolic geometry and the theory of Kleinian groups. Kleinian groups are easy to define, but their behavior can be quite complicated and beautiful. It is recommended that students take one of Math 225, Math 228, or Math 261 before taking Math 251.

Math 261, Abstract Algebra

Along with Math 225, this is the centerpiece of the mathematics major. An introduction to groups, rings and fields. The prequisite is Math 221 or Math 223. It is recommended that students take Math 223 or Math 228 before taking Math 261.

Math 262, Abstract Algebra (part II)

Continuation of Math 261. Modules, linear transformations, Galois theory. Students planning to go to graduate school in mathematics should take this course.

Math 271, Error Correcting Codes

Nowadays messages are sent electronically through different kinds of communication channels. Most of these channels are not perfect and errors are created during the transmission. The goal of this course is to introduce the basic mathematical ideas lying behind the design of error correcting codes. The prerequisite is Math 221 or Math 223.

Math 272, Number Theory

Fun with integers. Divisibility, congruences, quadratic residues, and Diophantine equations, following the immortal Gauss. The prerequisite is Math 221 or Math 223

Math 273, Combinatorics

Generating functions, recurrence relations, inclusion-exclusion, and counting techniques. Basic graph theory, binomial coefficients, and platonic solids. The prerequisite is Math 223 or Math 228.

Math 281, Symbolic Dynamical Systems

Dynamical systems is the study of the iterates of a function; for example, put in a number on your calculator, and hit the cosine button repeatedly; what happens? Symbolic dynamical systems is the study of dynamical systems on words, of possibly infinite length, from an alphabet. The prerequisite is Math 221 or Math 223.

Math 283, Differential Geometry

This course is an introduction to the classical differential geometry of curves and surfaces in Euclidean 3-space. Topics from global differential geometry and extensions to higher dimensions will be considered as time and the background of the students permit.