MATHS 199 : Advancing in Mathematics
Science
2023 Semester One (1233) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
- Cryptography. This four-week module is centered around the art of cryptography (both as a mathematical field and as an introduction to MATLAB), and will serve as our `introductory' module in this course.
- Modelling. This four-week module will cover a number of different mathematical modelling techniques and ideas, such as difference equations, differential equations, stochastic modelling and fractals!
- Graph theory. This four-week module will cover a number of aspects of graph theory. Students will be introduced to the basic language of graphs, study the four-color theorem, examine how to model real-life phenomena with graphs and finally end the course by examining infinite graphs!
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
| Capability 6: | Social and Environmental Responsibilities |
Learning Outcomes
- Explore a sampling of mathematical ideas from algebra, analysis, applied mathematics (in particular, modelling) and graph theory. Students leaving this course should have an idea for what each of the major branches of mathematics is like, and be excited to study further mathematics in their career. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
- Communicate mathematically to their peers about the concepts studied in this course. This communication should span written work (e.g., able to write down a rigorous argument that explains why a solution is correct), code (e.g., able to write commented and coherent code) and oral communication (e.g., able to work in a group with students from different backgrounds/schools to solve problems.) (Capability 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Solve problems in both a pen-and-paper and a computer-aided setting. When working with code, students should be able to write pseudocode to solve problems, translate that pseudocode into an actual language (e.g. MATLAB) and debug that code as needed. When working on paper, students should be able to creatively combine ideas from class and come up with novel approaches to solve problems. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)
- Create and justify appropriate mathematical models for various phenomena. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Projects/Assignments | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| Online Mid-Semester Test | 20% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 50% | Individual Examination |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||
| Projects/Assignments | ||||||||||
| Online Mid-Semester Test | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Tuākana
Tuākana Science is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials,
one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/pacific-in-our-faculty.html
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-in-our-faculty.html
For further information on the Tuākana Maths programme, please visit
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/pacific-in-our-faculty.html
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/study-with-us/maori-in-our-faculty.html
Special Requirements
Workload Expectations
MATHS 199 is a standard 15-point University course; this means that students are expected to spend 150 hours over the entire semester (i.e. about 10 hours per week) on this paper. Given that we have approximately 40 hours of lecture and laboratory sessions during the semester, this leaves you with about 110 more hours (i.e. about 7-8 per week) to work on this paper outside of class. While this will vary from student to student, I'd expect most students to spend 2-3 hours per week revising the material from class/labs and 4-5 hours per week working on the assessments/final project.
Please stay on top of the course material as it is covered. If you get behind, it can be difficult to catch up. Make use of the help available; ask for help as soon as you need it.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience or Online
This course is offered in two delivery modes: on-campus and online.
On-Campus
If you are a student in Auckland, we hope that you will be able to attend our lectures and labs in person. These run once-weekly on Tuesdays from 4:30-7:30pm, and are where you'll see the week's material, get started on the weekly labs and also make friends to work on assignments/projects/etc. with. If you do have to miss a lecture or two, however, don't worry: we post recordings/class materials shortly after each talk finishes.
Online
Students can enroll in MAX from anywhere in New Zealand. If you enroll in MAX and are not able to attend lectures due to geographical or other barriers, you can still participate fully in our course. We record lectures for viewing after the fact and post these (along with lecture notes and other resources) shortly after each weekly lecture. We will have dedicated tutor/lecturer time set aside for you specifically to help you get started on the weekly labs.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
A course book containing lecture notes for the course is available as a PDF download from Canvas.
Student Feedback
During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.
At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.
Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
- You must write up your work separately, write up solutions in your own words, and only write up solutions you understand fully.
- When writing up your own work, you can directly cite and use without proof anything proven in class or in the class notes posted online. Anything else (i.e., results from textbooks, Wikipedia, etc.) you need to both cite in your writeup, and reprove the results you're using from those sources carefully in your own words. Simply copying solutions over directly is plagiarism/cheating/otherwise poor academic form; it is passing off the ideas of others as your own work.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Copyright
The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.
You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.