Writing Assignments

You will complete a total of six writing/technology assignments throughout the semester. You can choose these from the list below. They can all be writing assignments, or they could all be technology assignments or some can be writing and some can be technology. The dues dates are listed in the syllabus.

Writing Assignments Requirements

Each writing assignment is worth 20 points should include the following sections: 

Background (3 points): This is a discussion of how the non-mathematical and mathematical portions of your topic fit together. You might include a historical background of the topic, definitions of terms, the discrete mathematics ideas that are addressed (e.g. induction, logical fallacy, etc.), and some explanation about why these ideas were useful. 

Examples (10 points): In most of your writing assignments you are asked to discuss and describe an aspect of discrete mathematics. Give two of three examples or techniques of the topic under discussion. Give general information and also specific examples of the topic. 

Bibliography (2 points): List the references you used to complete this report. Just list title and author for any books and articles you used. You should also include a list of people that you consulted or any other form of help that you received. For example, you might obtain some of your information from the internet; in this case, you could include the website. You’ll need at least one book or article as a reference, preferably two, and a total of at least two references. 

You’ll notice that there are still 5 points unaccounted for. The remaining 5 points are for style: clarity, neatness, flow, design, organization and creativity–it’s important to be able to communicate your ideas. 

Note: you don’t have to put your report in the precise order given above. You may prefer to use the assigned problems to illustrate how the ideas of the subject fit together with the mathematical ideas that you will be using, in which case Background and Examples would be interwoven. Just make sure that these aspects appear in your report.

Number Theory:

13. Describe the history of the Chinese remainder theorem. Describe some of the relevant problems posed in Chinese and Hindu writings and how the Chinese remainder theorem applies to them.