Previous Weeks in SSI2 163 B

This file will contain the week-to-week reading and lecture schedules.  At the end of the week the "this week" will be modified to reflect what actually happened and will be appended to this file.

Week 1:  Monday, January 20

• Topics:
  • Introduction to the course
  • Geometry in early civilizations
• Reading:
• Aaboe, Chapter 1
• Struik, Chapters 1 - 2

• An introduction to the course

• Mathematics in early Mesopotamia
• Plimpton 322

Other Notes:

• Monday is Martin Luther King day:  no classes or office hours.
• Tuesday, January 21 is the first day of class
• Office hours resume next week.
• I found an interesting blog post on writing cuneiform at http://writingcuneiform.blogspot.com/2012/10/1-introduction.html
• An article on the Mesopotamian Tablet House can be found here
• E. Robson's article on Plimpton 322 can be found here

Week 2:  Monday, January 27

• Topics:
  • Mathematics in Ancient Mesopotamia
  • Mathematics in Egypt
  • Mathematics in China

  Reading:

• Aaboe, Chapter 2
• Struik, Chapter 3

• Doing arithmetic in Babylon:  Multiplication tables, tables of reciprocals, squares and cubes.  Second degree equations.
• The Egyptian experience

• Mathematics in Egypt
• Mathematics in early China
• Essay #1 discussed and assigned

Other Notes:

• Office hours resume this week
• Next Monday, February 3, is the last day to drop without record.

Some Links:

• From MacTutor:  Babylonian Mathematics

• From MacTutor:  Egyptian Mathematics

• Ahmes the Scribe

• Fibonacci

Week 3:  Monday, February 3

• Topics:
  • Setting the stage:  Hellenistic geometry before Euclid
    • Thales
    • Pythagoras
  • Reading:
  • Aaboe, Chapter 2
  • Struik, Chapter 3

  Tuesday:

  • The beginnings of geometry in Greece
  • The precursors to Euclid
    • Thales
    • Pythagoras

  Thursday:

  • Pythagoras
  • Discussion of first research paper

  Other Notes:

  • Monday, February 3,  is the last day to drop without record

  Some Links:

  • Proclus:  A Commentary on the First Book of Euclid's Elements.  Morrow, Glenn R. (tr)  Princeton University Press, 1970.  In UPS library (QA 31/P7413/1992
  • Guthrie, Kenneth Sylvan (tr):  The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library.  Phanes Press 1988.  In UPS library B/243/G88.

Week 4:  Monday, February 10

• Topics:
  • Euclid and the elements

  Reading:

• Aaboe, Chapter 2
• Struik, Chapter 3
• Tabs A and C from the writing handbook.

• The Platonic solids.
• The precursors to Euclid (some of them, anyway)
• Alexandria and the contributions of Euclid
• Introduction of Billy Rathje, writing advisor to our course.

• Student presentations and discussion.
• First Essay due
• First Research paper topic due
• First Research paper thesis statement due
• All submissions must be printed and turned in in class.  Please recall that 5 points (out of a possible 100 points) are assigned to the paper topic and thesis statement.  Late submissions will be accepted for a short time at an increasing penalty for late work.

Other Notes:

• Topic and thesis statement due for first paper
• Student presentations:  Thesis statements

Some Links:

• Proclus:  A Commentary on the First Book of Euclid's Elements.  Morrow, Glenn R. (tr)  Princeton University Press, 1970.  In UPS library (QA 31/P7413/1992
• Guthrie, Kenneth Sylvan (tr):  The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library.  Phanes Press 1988.  In UPS library B/243/G88.

Week 5:  Monday, February 17

• Topics:
  • Euclid and the elements

  Reading:

• Aaboe, Chapter 2
• Struik, Chapter 3
• Review tab A and tab C from the writing handbook

• Euclid and the elements.
• Discussion of annotated bibliography.
• Topic and thesis statement returned and discussed.

• Euclid's elements
• The due date for the annotated bibliography for the first research paper has been moved to next Thursday.
• Second essay assigned (due Thursday, March 13)

Other Notes:

Week 6:  Monday, February 24

• Topics:
  • Euclid and the elements
  • The axiomatic method
  • Apollonius

  Reading:

• Aaboe, Chapter 2
• Struik, Chapter 3

• Euclid and the axiomatic approach

• A work session on straight-edge and compass constructions (please bring an inexpensive compass to class on Thursday.  I will have a few to lend out)
• Annotated bibliography for first research paper due.

Other Notes:

• Next Monday, March 3, is the last day to drop with an automatic 'W'
• Annotated bibliography for first paper due (changed from February 27)
• The due-date for the outline for the first paper has been changed to Thursday, March 6

Some Links:

Week 7:  Monday, March 3

• Topics:
  • Alexandrian Mathematics

  Reading:

• Aaboe, Chapter 3
• Please review section R of your Writer's Reference
• Please look at pages 12 - 14 of the Writer's Reference (discussion on outlines)

• The classic problems of antiquity
• Discussion on paper outlines
• Discussion of term paper

• Apollonius and the conics
• Archimedes
• Outline for first research paper due. 

Other Notes:

• Monday is the last day to drop with an automatic 'W'
• Outline of first paper due (changed from Thursday, February 27).  In preparing the outline, please be guided by the discussion on formal outlines on pages 14 - 16 of the Writer's Reference.
• Discussion of major term paper.
• The draft of the first research paper is due next Thursday, March 13.  This is intended to be a substantial draft (that is, all writing done - no references to yet-to-be-written text).
• Topic and draft thesis statement for the term paper due next Thursday.

Some Links:

Week 8:  Monday, March 10

• Topics:
• The followers of Euclid
• Reading:
• Aaboe, Chapter 4

• No class (instructor ill)

• First research paper draft due
• Essay #3 assigned
• Work session on thesis statements

Other Notes:

• Friday, March 14 is midterm (not an exam date for us)
• Next week is Spring Break!  No classes or office hours
• The first research paper draft is due Thursday, March 13.  This is intended to be a substantial draft (that is, all writing done - no references to yet-to-be-written text).
• The Topic and Thesis Statement for the Term paper was also due on Thursday, March 13 (now Tuesday, March 25).  Please come to class prepared with four copies of your topic and thesis statement with
• Your name
• Your thesis statement
• The question you are trying to answer in your term paper (please review page 10 of your Writer's Reference)
• Your thesis statement
Please be prepared to discuss your thesis statement with two other colleagues in the class with particular emphasis on the questions asked in the box on page 11 labeled "Testing a working thesis".  I will ask for a revised thesis statement when we return from break.

Some Links:

Week 9:  Monday, March 17