M 105M - Contemporary Mathematics

Credit(s): 3

Prerequisite(s): appropriate placement test score, a grade of “C” or better in M 094~, co-requisite of M 005, or Math Department consent.
This course is an introduction to mathematical ideas and their impact on society. The course is designed to give students the skills required to understand and interpret quantitative information that they encounter, and to make numerically based decisions in their lives. Several math topics will be explored, including basic probability and statistics. (Fall and Spring Semesters)

Course Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to

Use mathematical techniques to problem solve.
Read mathematical material and write using mathematical notation correctly.
Understand elementary probability concepts and phenomena.
Understand elementary statistical concepts and use elementary statistical tools such as measure of center and spread, graphical representations of data, and statistical estimation of population proportions.
Use tools from one or more areas of contemporary mathematics to solve theoretical or applied problems.
These areas could include, but are not limited to, finance, management science (e.g. graph models for network problems), social choice and decision making (e.g. elections, voting, fair division, Congress apportionment), geometry (e.g. symmetry, tilings, growth rates), or mathematical games.