5.4-5.5, due on October 1

1. I did not understand the cases that were done in 5.21. Why is there a need for cases?

2. It's interesting that you don't actually have to find which answer is true, you just have to prove that the answer does, in fact, exist.

5.2-5.3, due on September 29

1. I don't really understand the explanation of the proof structure on 5.11.

2. I thought the dots on the prisoners' foreheads was interesting.

4.5-4.6,5.1, due on September 26

1. I didn't really understand the part where they flipped around the false statements to make them true.

2. The proofs of the different properties are interesting. Good to know that the laws we've been using really do work.

4.3-4.4, due September 24

1. I don't really understand the proof to prove theorem 4.13. More specifically why they multiplied by 1/x.

2. I think the triangle inequality is interesting. I guess it makes sense, but I had never really thought about it before.

• How long have you spent on the homework assignments? Did lecture and the reading prepare you for them?
• I usually spend about an hour on each assignment. Usually the lecture explains pretty well how to do the problems, if not then I look in the book.
• What has contributed most to your learning in this class thus far?
• I think coming to lecture and listening and watching examples being done.
• What do you think would help you learn more effectively or make the class better for you? (This can be feedback for me, or goals for yourself.)
• I think if I tried more to understand the proofs while I was reading the textbook.

4.1-4.2, due on September 22

1. I do not really understand the concept of the proofs with mods.

2. I think the proofs for divisors is interesting. The new notation is different though, it's kind of reverse. Instead of 4/2 it's 2|4.

3.3-3.5, due on September 19

1. I'm really not sure which type of proof to use in which situation or how to know what type of lemma or class to make.

2. Proof by contrapositive is interesting because it allows us to find maybe an easier way of doing some types of proofs.

3.1-3.2, due on September 17

1. I had to read many times to understand the difference between a trivial proof and a vacuous proof.

2. I think it's interesting that you shouldn't use anything unexpected in a proof. The reader should understand exactly what is happening and how it's happening.

pages 5 to 12, due on September 15

1. That and which has always confused. It is still confusing in a math context.

2. I'm actually a writing tutor, so it's interesting to see how the same concepts that apply to other areas also apply in math writing.

2.9-2.10, due on September 12

1. The quantifiers seem kind of ambiguous. It seems like it would be much clearer if it were defined exactly where it was true or false.

2. It's like learning arithmetic all other again with commutative, associative, and distributive laws. But it's good to be able to switch without having to have to draw a truth table every time.

2.5-2.8, due on September 10

1. A tautology seems kind of weird to me. It doesn't seem to make sense that no matter what you put in it is always true. What would be the value?

2. I remember doing math problems that, to me, seemed really ugly until someone reminded me that I could just switch the way that I wrote something to a different format and suddenly the problem became easy again. Reading about logical equivalence made me think of this. Sometimes it's easier to understand or apply when it's written differently.

2.1-2.4, due on September 8

1. Sometimes the implications don't make sense to me. Like the examples where the hypothesis is false, but the conclusion is true, then it really doesn't imply anything, but it's still true.

2. The first sentence reminded me a lot of my english classes. But it is interesting to consider if they are true or false.

1.1-1.6, due on September 5

1. Index sets. I'm really not sure what they are or what their purpose is.

2. The section on set operations reminds me of every other math class I've ever taken. It seems like we also just tweak the definition a little but the operations have the same name. I guess it makes it easier to remember.

Introduction, due on September 5

What is your year in school and major?
I am a junior and my major is Biophysics with a minor in math.

Which calculus-or-above math courses have you taken? (Use names or BYU course numbers.) Math 112, Math 113, and Linear Algebra

Why are you taking this class? (Be specific.)
My plan is to do a master's program for bioengineering which requires differencial equations and multivariable calculus, which was almost a math minor, so I thought, why not.

Tell me about the math professor or teacher you have had who was the most and/or least effective. What did s/he do that worked so well/poorly?
I think the most effective for me is applying things to real life. Giving examples in terms of real things instead of just numbers.

Write something interesting or unique about yourself.
I like to bake bread.

If you are unable to come to my scheduled office hours, what times would work for you?
No conflict