Spring, 2009  Course Announcement

M175: SEMINAR FOR PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS

Unique Number: 57220

Instructor: M. Smith

Intended audience: Upper division (or graduate) students interested in teaching mathematics in grades 6 - 12 or two-year college.

Prerequisite: Evidence of serious interest in teaching mathematics, upper division  (or graduate) standing,  and consent of instructor. (Instructor may be contacted by email or at 471-6142). Note: This course may be repeated for credit when topics vary. In particular, students who took this course in Spring 08 may enroll in the course again in Spring 09 for credit; although the topic sounds similar, the particular topics covered will be different.
                     
Time: Tu 5:00 – 6:00PM            

Room: RLM 7.112

Topic: Proofs without Words 

Required Textbook: Proofs Without Words: Exercises in Visual Thinking, Roger B. Nelson, Mathematical Association of America,  2000

Course description:  The textbook provides "pictures or diagrams that help the reader see why a particular mathematical statement may be true, and also to see how one might begin to go about proving it true." In this seminar we will use these diagrams to gain insight and to help develop proofs. After the first couple of class sessions, students will take turns presenting (or leading the class in developing) the proofs that they have worked out based on the diagrams.

Grades: Grades will be based on class participation and class presentations. There will be no exams.