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An introduction to mathematical thinking through specified topics drawn from number theory, geometry, graph theory, algebra or combinatorics. The course will focus on giving students the opportunity to discover mathematics on their own. No previous mathematical background is required, but students will be expected to come with curiosity and a willingness to experiment. Not recommended for math majors. Meets the Critical Perspectives: Scientific Investigation of the Natural World requirement.

Prerequisite: Not recommended for Math majors.

Degree requirement — Critical Perspectives: I

1 unit — McDougall

Previously Featured Offering

Mathematics and Social Choice

Mar. 2020
Instructor: Beth Malmskog

Making decisions is hard enough: we spend our lives wondering what we want and trying to make the best choices. We will examine social choice from a mathematical perspective, showcasing how careful logic and thought can give us deeper insights into the possibilities and pitfalls of voting, elections, power, and representation.

Cryptography

Feb. 2017
Instructor: Stefan Erickson

Cryptography is the art and science of secret writing. Students will explore the development of cryptography through Ancient Rome, Arab cryptanalysis, Renaissance and Enlightenment Europe, World War II, and modern cryptography.

Cryptography is the art and science of secret writing. In this course, we will be tracing the development of cryptography through Ancient Rome, Arab cryptanalysis, Renaissance and Enlightenment Europe, World War II, and modern cryptography. We will be studying the mathematics behind creating and breaking various cryptosystems, including modular arithmetic, frequency analysis, permutations, primality testing, and factoring methods. In addition, we will see how cryptanalytic methods have been used to uncover the meaning of ancient languages lost to antiquity.

Offerings