Assignment information will be posted here as the semester unfolds. A number such as A.B.c refers to problem or practice exercise c at the end of section A.B.

You only need to turn in the Problems; the Practice Exercises are suggestions for your study, and may be discussed in class. Remember to type your homework and bring a printed copy to class!

Homework 27 due at final exam

Turn in your written solutions to questions from the review sheet.

Homework 26 due Wednesday, 12/7

Problems: 8.3.9, 8.4.4, 8.5.8, 8.5.9, 8.5.17, 8.6.4, 8.6.5, 8.6.13, 8.7.1
Additional problem 1: Explain why the square-root of 6 must be irrational. (Note: this will require a new lemma, but the idea is similar to the one we used in class.)

Past Homework

Homework due Monday, 11/28

Read and think about the following two activities over the break. Be prepared to address general-level questions about each one:

• Activity 8N: Use the concepts of factors and multiples to explain the patterns in the table for any number of dots and dots per petal.
• Activity 8O: Explain why a fraction can always be represented by a terminating or repeating decimal.

Homework 25 due Monday, 11/21

Problems: 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.6, 8.2.3, 8.3.7

Homework 24 due Friday, 11/18

Problems: 7.2.14, 7.3.3, 7.3.4, 7.3.7, 7.4.5

Writing assignment due Friday, 11/11 and Monday 11/14

Participate in our Carmen course discussion on very large and very small numbers. There are two parts to this, one due Friday, and the other due Monday. See details there for resources and guidelines.

Homework 21 now due Wednesday, 11/09

Problems: 7.1.3, 7.1.8, 7.1.9, 7.2.2, 7.2.12

Homework 22 due Monday, 11/07

Turn in your written solutions to questions from the review sheet.

Homework 20 due Monday, 10/31

Problems: 6.6.4, 6.6.9, 6.6.13

Homework 19 due Friday, 10/28

Problems: 6.3.5, 6.3.9, 6.3.17
Additional Problem: Explain how to use the scaffold method in base four. Study activities 6M, 6N, 6O, 6P and be ready to discuss in class.

Homework 18 due Monday, 10/24 (or Wednesday, 10/26)

Problems: 6.2.3, 6.2.7, 6.2.9, 6.2.11

Homework 17 due Friday, 10/21

Problems: 5.4.6, 5.4.8, 5.4.12, 6.1.5, 6.1.8

Homework 16 due Monday, 10/17

Problems: 5.1.1, 5.1.8, 5.1.16, 5.2.6, 5.2.10, 5.3.1

Writing assignment due Wednesday, 10/12

Participate in our Carmen course discussion on the history of place-value arithmetic. See details there for resources and guidelines.

Homework 14 due Monday, 10/10

Turn in your written solutions to questions from the review sheet.

Homework 13 due Friday, 10/07

Problems (turn in): 4.5.5, 4.5.9, 4.6.4, 4.6.10, 4.6.12
Additional: Give a multiplication algorithm for base-four place value, and work a couple of two and three digit examples.

Homework 12 due Monday, 10/03

Problems (turn in): 4.3.6, 4.3.14, 4.4.6, 4.4.18

Homework 11 due Friday, 09/30

Problems (turn in): 4.1.1, 4.2.1, 4.2.2
Additional Problem: Represent the following numbers in base ten and base four: three; thirty; three hundred; twelve; fourty eight; one hundred ninety two.

Homework 10 due Monday, 9/26

Practice Exercises (do not turn in): 3.3.6, 3.4.10, 3.5.3, 4.2.1
Problems (turn in): 3.3.11, 3.3.12, 3.4.10, 3.4.26, 3.5.2, 3.5.4

Homework 9 due Friday, 09/23

Practice Exercises (do not turn in): 3.3.6, 3.4.10
Problems (turn in): 3.2.3, 3.2.8, 3.2.11, 3.3.1, 3.3.5
Additional Problem: Represent the current year and the year of your birth in base four. Show how to use multi-column subtraction to calculate your current age in base four.

Homework 8 due Monday, 09/19

Turn in your written solutions to questions from the review sheet.

Homework 7 due Friday, 09/16

Problems (type and turn in): 3.1.1, 3.1.3, 3.1.5

Homework 6 due Monday, 09/12

Practice Exercises: 2.4.3, 2.5.1, 2.5.2
Problems (type and turn in): 2.4.8, 2.4.14, 2.4.17

Homework 5 due Friday, 09/09

Practice Exercises (do not turn in): 2.3.8, 2.3.9, 2.4.2
Problems (type and turn in): 2.2.21, 2.3.5, 2.3.7, 2.3.13, 2.3.18

Writing assignment due Wednesday, 09/07

Participate in our Carmen course discussion on the history of zero. See details there for resources and guidelines.

Homework 3 due Friday, 09/02

Practice Exercises (do not turn in): 2.2.1, 2.2.6, 2.3.1
Problems (type and turn in): 1.4.4, 2.2.10, 2.2.14, 2.3.1

Homework 2 due Monday 08/29

Practice Exercises (do not turn in): 1.3.6, 1.3.9
Problems (type and turn in): 1.2.5, 1.2.7, 1.3.3
Additional Problem: Alice was born August 1, 2005, and her cousin Bob is thirteen years older. Write Alice and Bob's ages using base 4 and the digits 0, A, B, C.

Homework 1 due Friday 08/26

Practice Exercise (do not turn in): 1.1.4
Problems (type and turn in): 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.7, 1.2.1

Your final grade will be based on written homework, written and oral in-class participation, quizzes, midterms, and a final exam. The precise breakdown is as follows:

• Class participation: 13%
• Homework: 7%
• Quizzes: 15%
• Midterm exams: 15% each, for a total of 45%
• Final exam: 20%

Participation

Thoughout this semester we will be focused on the how and why of elementary mathematics. This means that you will be responsible both for knowing the content and for knowing how to explain the content. We will practice this in a variety of ways, and much of this practice will take place in class.

Teaching mathematics requires listening carefully to students, assessing their ideas, and responding in ways that make sense. Our class participation is designed to practice these essential skills. You will have opportunities on a daily basis to listen to your fellow classmates explain ideas and ask questions. You will be asked to respond with your ideas and with additional questions. Together we will see how and why mathematics works! Participating in this course includes all of the following:

• Show interest in mathematical ideas.
• Show interest in different ways of approaching mathematical ideas.
• Listen carefully to different ways of solving a problem.
• Carefully evaluate a proposed method of solution.
• State whether you agree or (respectfully) disagree with a statement.
• Show interest in learning with and from others.

Homework and Quizzes

Homework and Quizzes will be scored using the rubric below. Scores are based both on mathematical correctness and quality of explanations. Homework should be typed and presented as you would an essay. If necessary, you may draw diagrams by hand on separate pages. Quizzes will be hand-written during the first 10 or 15 minutes of class.

The homework is intended to give you time to develop your explanations and understanding of the content. You are encouraged to work with your classmates on this, but you must write your own explanations. Homework is designed to help you learn, and not as an assessment tool. Therefore grades for homework will be recorded on a complete/incomplete basis (scores of 3 and higher are complete). The numerical scores are given only for your information.

The weekly quizzes are opportunities to evaluate your current grasp of the material. They will be very short and based on previous homework problems or class activities. Quiz grades will be recored as scored.

Late Work Policy

If you miss class on the day homework is due, or forget to bring a printed copy of your homework, you may send me a copy by email the next day. I will accept up to three homeworks this way.

If you must miss class on the date of a quiz or exam, please do the following:

• Contact me before the time of the assessment to let me know you will be away.
• Provide a reason and objective documentation (e.g., a note from your health care provider).
• Make up the assessment within two days of your return to campus, and before the next class if possible.
• Miss no more than two assessments this way.

If you do each of the items above, you will have no penalty. For each item that you do not complete there will be a 10% reduction in your final score.

Exceptions may be made in the case of an emergency; please contact me as soon as you are able.

The descriptions on the rubric below are meant as a guide to help answer the question What constitutes a good explanation of mathematics? This is a subtle and challenging question—one that is worthy of considerable time and energy. As you write your explanations, consider the distinction between Procedure and Conceptual Meaning. A complete explanation addresses both of these, but the conceptual meaning is essential. Explanations that address procedure only are a disservice to students and do not support their future learning. They are also much less interesting!

Quizzes and exams will follow this scale; Niles will use these for comments on homework too, although homework grades are recorded on a complete/incomplete basis. Homework will be considered complete if the average score is R (3) or higher.

G++

Exemplary

Excellent work that exceeds the assignment guidelines.

G+

Good plus (10)

Correct procedure with an explanation that effectively addresses relevant definitions and concepts.

G

Good (9)

Correct procedure with nearly complete explanation.

Em/G

Emerging/Good (8)

Well-developed but incomplete explanation.
Procedural errors are minor or nonexistant.

Em+

Emerging plus (7)

Emerging explanation that shows understanding.
Procedural errors are minor or nonexistant.

Em

Emerging (6)

Explanation that mentions core definitions or conceptual meaning relevant to the question.
Possibly some non-minor procedural errors.

R/Em

Relevant/Emerging (5)

Work that has merit but also has significant shortcomings in the procedure and/or explanation.

R

Relevant effort (3)

Work that shows relevant effort but is seriously flawed.

NC

No credit (0)

No work submitted, or no relevant effort shown.