instructor: me

text: i'm writing notes for the course. they're free, but i may not have time to check everything before posting it, so feedback/corrections/etc is very welcome. the preface and introduction from these notes discuss both prerequisites and goals for the course.

class attendance: while you are encouraged to attend class regularly, i will not take attendance. however, i may consider attendance/participation when determining your final grade if you are on a borderline.

questions: the material in this course takes time and thought to grasp---much of it is not easy to understand the first time you see it (particularly if you have not had abstract algebra), and asking questions can help you absorb it much more quickly. thus you are encouraged to ask questions often, particularly in class or during office hours. you are also welcome to ask questions briefly after class. i don't mind moving through the material a bit more slowly in exchange for you understanding things better. there's no set amount of material we have to get through by the end of the semester, and if i feel in-class questions are slowing a lecture down too much i'll just ask you to ask again after class, so don't be afraid to ask.

homework: there will be regular written homework, normally posted about a week in advance on homework page on the course website, and due in class on the due date listed (usually a friday). you will be asked to present some solutions on the board in class. board presentations will be assigned on the homework page.

while you may discuss the problems with other students, you must write up solutions in your own words. you may turn in up two 2 problem sets late (at the start of the next class period) without penalty. in exceptional circumstances, i may grant additional extensions--if you need one talk to me.

let me emphasize that you will be graded not just on the correctnesss of your answer (for a computational question) or your idea (for a proof), but the clarity of your write-up. this is something you should have begun to learn in discrete math, and we'll work on improving your ability to write mathematics in this class as well (e.g., feedback on board presentations). so focus on this with your homework, as this will be an important component of your exam grades as well. (note: the homework grader may have somewhat different standards than i do for your write-ups on exams, but you should get a sense of my standards from both my own write-ups and my feedback on your board presentations.)

there will also be some readings from the notes that i assign, which i will post on the homework page. these will typically be on things which i think you should see, but may not have time to discuss in detail during lecture.

exams: there will be 1 in-class exam (tba), as well as a final exam during the scheduled final exam period. more info about the exams will be posted on the exams page of the course website later in the semester. make-up exams are only given in exceptional circumstances at the instructor's discretion.

grades: at the end of the semester, i'm required to give you some grades. these will represent an approximation of my assessment of your understanding of the material in the course and ability to do problems. the grades are weighted as follows:

40% homework (including board presentations)
20% midterm term
40% final exam

if you have questions about your performance or grade during the semester, please feel free to see me.

elevator policy: if one of the tower elevators is inoperative, class may start 5-10 minutes late. if both of the tower elevators are inoperative, there may be no class.

final remark: if you have a question about course policies or expectations, just ask.

oh, also there's some stuff my bosses make me say

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