Difference between revisions of "Talk:Math 350"
(New page: == Proposed Catalog Changes == * Delete Math 343 from prerequisites. (It's redundant.)--~~~~) |
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== Proposed Catalog Changes == | == Proposed Catalog Changes == | ||
* Delete Math 343 from prerequisites. (It's redundant.)--[[User:Cpg|Cpg]] 12:00, 8 May 2008 (MDT) | * Delete Math 343 from prerequisites. (It's redundant.)--[[User:Cpg|Cpg]] 12:00, 8 May 2008 (MDT) | ||
| + | |||
| + | I agree that the 343 prerequisite is redundant, but it serves | ||
| + | a purpose. It warns the student that he can't simply forget | ||
| + | linear algebra, now that he's had 371. Linear algebra plays | ||
| + | an important role in this class. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In that regard, I consider 350 to have a special purpose. It is | ||
| + | not just a grab-bag of miscellaneous tricks for solving finite | ||
| + | counting problems. It is a nexus where several different areas | ||
| + | of mathematics meet (calculus, differential equations, linear | ||
| + | algebra and group theory, among others), and so it serves to | ||
| + | reinforce those areas which the student may have grasped only | ||
| + | incompletely before. | ||
| + | |||
| + | I'd like to have a strong and robust description for this | ||
| + | course, including linear recurrences and rational functions, | ||
| + | Mobius inversion and inclusion/exclusion -- and Burnside, | ||
| + | Polya counting. I'd also like to see us use calculus to | ||
| + | derive the Binomial Formula and Stirling's Formula (or at | ||
| + | least the first approximation to it). Rwf | ||
Latest revision as of 00:35, 14 July 2008
Proposed Catalog Changes
- Delete Math 343 from prerequisites. (It's redundant.)--Cpg 12:00, 8 May 2008 (MDT)
I agree that the 343 prerequisite is redundant, but it serves a purpose. It warns the student that he can't simply forget linear algebra, now that he's had 371. Linear algebra plays an important role in this class.
In that regard, I consider 350 to have a special purpose. It is not just a grab-bag of miscellaneous tricks for solving finite counting problems. It is a nexus where several different areas of mathematics meet (calculus, differential equations, linear algebra and group theory, among others), and so it serves to reinforce those areas which the student may have grasped only incompletely before.
I'd like to have a strong and robust description for this course, including linear recurrences and rational functions, Mobius inversion and inclusion/exclusion -- and Burnside, Polya counting. I'd also like to see us use calculus to derive the Binomial Formula and Stirling's Formula (or at least the first approximation to it). Rwf
