Mt/CS 401 Seminar

Spring 2001

Seminar participants are expected to plan class activities. Weekly course assignments should reflect the goals of the Seminar. Assignments and discussion topics may be developed and modified by the participants (subject to approval by the instructor).

Links to the study guides are at the end of this page.

Course assignments and activities will be determined by seminar participants. We will keep a record here of weekly course activities.

Week 1: January 21 - 23

Introductions, set directions for the course, complete the syllabus, reach consensus on issues/concerns about class participation

Week 2: January 28 - 30

Tuesday, January 28: Last day to drop/add classes

Each participant is doing independent research / study this week.

Week 3: February 4 - 6

Participants will come to class prepared to present and discuss ideas from Chapters 2 and 3 of the The (New) Turring Omnibus. Debbie Schwanda will open the discussion on Chapter 2: Finite Automata, and Eric Woulfe will open the discussion on Chapter 3: Systems of Logic.

We agreed to prepare to begin our discussion of the exam study questions with problems 3, 5, 16, 20, and 22.

Week 4: February 11 - 13

Discussion of the exponential and logarithmic functions, with applications to half-life and compound interest. (Exam study questions 3 and 16.)

Discussion of truth tables and systems of logic. (Chapter 3 of Turing Omnibus.)

Week 5: February 18 - 20

February 18:

• Set a definite direction for the seminar project.
• Discussion of finite state machines. (Chapter 2 of Turing Omnibus.)
• Discuss exam study questions #6, 7, and 9.

February 20:

• When should we schedule the Benchmark? What should it cover?
• Discuss exam study questions #5 and 20.

Week 6: February 25 - 27

Individual working sessions on the course project and the portfolio. Students to make appointment with J. R. Brey, Director of Institutional Research to take Academic Profile and Student Opinion Survey.

Week 7: March 4 - 6

March 4:

• Turn in a one-page proposal for the seminar project with supporting documentaion.
• Discussion of Public Key Cryptography. (Chapter 37 of Turing Omnibus.)
• Continue discussion of exam study questions #5 and 20.
• Discussion of Rieman sums, and finding areas of unusual-shaped figures such as trapezoids.

March 6:

• Return project proposals with feedback.
• More discussion of Public Key Cryptography. (Chapter 37 of Turing Omnibus.)
• Discuss exam study questions #20 and 10.

Week 8: March 11 - 13

March 13: Project checkpoint

Friday, March 14: Midterm

On either March 13 or March 25, discuss the content of the Comprehensive Exam, and make decisions about the structure of this exam.

Spring Break is March 17 - 22.

Week 9: March 25 - 27

Week 10: April 1 - 3

April 3: Project checkpoint

Friday, April 4: Last day to withdraw

Week 11: April 8 - 10

Week 12: April 15 - 17

April 15: Project checkpoint

Easter Break is April 17 - 21.

Week 13: April 22 - April 24

April 22:

• Portfolio due.

Week 14: April 29 - May 1

Wednesday, April 3: Honors Convocation -- All students (especially Seniors) are expected to participate in the Honors Convocation.

May 1: Project Due / Comprehensive Exam available

Week 15: May 6 - 8

Last Class Meeting: May 13 (1 - 3 p.m.)

Exam due / Each participant will present (orally) solutions to several of the exam problems.

• Completing the Syllabus

This is an opportunity to create your own course. Within certain parameters, students can set the directions for this course. Everyone has a vested interest in this discussion. (Completed in class discussion on Wednesday January 24.)

• Loan Insurance Analysis

This problem gives you an opportunity to learn some practical things about personal finance and insurance. It can be solved using spreadsheets, calculators, and/or methods of algebra and calculus. (A booklet of information about this problem will be available as a handout in class.)

• Career Opportunities

What career opportunities are available for graduates with a degree in Mathematics and/or Computer Studies? What resources are available to you in as you search for a job/career related to your degree? (This is an opportunity to invite guest speakers from Career Services. In past years, students have also invited recent graduates to speak to the Seminar class.)

A list of topics to be covered on the comprehensive exam and the benchmark test are available on-line. Questions from previous exams are also available.