640:492-H1 Junior-Senior Honors Seminar (Spring, 2004)
The main purpose of the seminar is to help students learn how to read, understand, and present advanced mathematics. We will follow the book "Fourier analysis on finite groups" by Audrey Terras (see the syllabus). The course will meet once a week on Thursday at 1:10-2:30 in Hill 425. Additionally, students will be required to meet with each other in small discussion groups at least once more per week.
Every fortnight, a pair of students (presenters) will be chosen to prepare and present the material for the next 2 weeks. The remaining students will be divided into discussion groups of 3 or 4.
It is expected that the presenters will help each other prepare the material, and take turns presenting it to the seminar. Professors Goodman and Sahi will be available to discuss the topics with the presenters and to rehearse their presentations.
In order to encourage participation of the students who are not presenting material in a particular two-week period, the study groups will meet at mutually agreable times once a week to discuss the material of the upcoming lecture. Each student is expected to keep notes of any observations/questions arising out of the discussions. These notes are to be turned in (or better yet, sent by e-mail) on Wednesday at the latest (the day before the seminar).
Sometimes the "notes" might be mostly questions, such as "How can a function be a vector?", "Please explain figure 4.2", or "We don't see how this graph gives a matrix!" This is ok; the important part is that every student maintain involvement with the topics discussed in the seminar and that the speakers respond to the questions.
Grades will be based on the presentations and the weekly notes.
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This is an honors-level seminar. Minimal course prerequisites are
linear algebra and multivariable calculus (math 250 and 251/291).
Higher level courses such as math 350 (linear algebra II), 351 or 451
(algebra), or 356 (number theory) are helpful, but are not explicitly
required.
- Admission is by special permission. All students in the
mathematics honors track are automatically admitted; other students
are invited to participate in the seminar based on recommendations by
mathematics faculty.
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This seminar counts for the honors track
requirement.
- There is also a U-seminar for first or second year students.
Return to Mathematics Department Home Page
Roe Goodman / goodman "at" math "dot" rutgers "dot" edu / Revised February 19, 2004