MATH-301-mhudelson-2026-09-14-10-59-40
Title of Course: Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning
Prefix and Number: MATH 301
Semester and Year [tbd]
Number of Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: Math 220, Math 225, or Math 230 with a C or better
Course Details
Day and Time: [tbd]
Meeting Location: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor Name: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information: [office location, phone, email] [tbd]
Instructor Office Hours: [click here for best practices] [tbd]
TA Name: [tbd]
TA Contact Information: [office location, phone, email]: [tbd]
TA Office Hours: [click here for best practices] [tbd]
Course Description
Introduction to mathematical arguments and the writing of proofs.
Course Materials
Books: Cummings, Jay, Proofs: A Long-Form Mathematics Textbook
Other Materials: None
Fees: None
|
Course Learning Outcomes (students will be able to:) |
Activities Supporting the Learning Outcomes | Assessment of the Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Develop and apply skills in reasoning, reading, writing, and communicating mathematically. | Regular homework exercises and semester portfolio activities | Homework, quizzes, portfolios, and final exam |
| Use formal logic to argue whether mathematical statements are true or false. | Regular homework exercises and semester portfolio activities | Homework, quizzes, portfolios, and final exam |
| Learn various structures of mathematical proof--direct proof, indirect methods, mathematical induction--and how they are used in various standard mathematical settings |
Regular homework exercises and semester portfolio activities |
Homework, quizzes, portfolios, and final exam |
| Dates | Lesson Topic | Assignment | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
Syllabus, Counting Problems, Chessboard Problems, Pigeonhole Principle | Chapter 1 exercises | Homework |
| Week 2 [dates] |
Introduction to Direct Proofs | Chapter 1 and 2 exercises; First set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission |
| Week 3 [dates] |
Proofs Involving Sets | Chapter 2 and 3 exercises; Second set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission; quiz 1 |
| Week 4 [dates] |
Introduction to Mathematical Induction | Chapter 3 and 4 exercises; Third set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission |
| Week 5 [dates] |
Introduction to Formal Logic - Statements and Truth Tables | Chapter 4 and 5 exercises | Homework; quiz 2 |
| Week 6 [dates] |
Quantifiers and Negations | Chapter 5 exercises; Fourth set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission and first progress report |
| Week 7 [dates] |
Introduction to Proof by Contrapositive | Chapter 6 exercises | Homework; quiz 3 |
| Week 8 [dates] |
Introduction to Proof by Contradiction | Chapter 7 exercises; Fifth set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission |
| Week 9 [dates] |
Counterexamples and "If and only if" Statements | Chapter 6 and 7 exercises; Sixth set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission; quiz 4 |
| Week 10 [dates] |
Existence and Uniqueness Proofs | Chapter 6 and 7 exercises; Seventh set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission and second progress report |
| Week 11 [dates] |
More Examples and Choosing a Method of Proof | Chapter 6 and 7 exercises; Eighth set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission; quiz 5 |
| Week 12 [dates] |
Proofs Involving Functions | Chapter 8 exercises; Ninth set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission |
| Week 13 [dates] |
Relations | Chapter 9 exercises; Tenth set of portfolio exercises | Homework; portfolio submission and progress report; quiz 6 |
| Week 14 [dates] |
Bonus Content - Cardinality | Portfolio revision | Portfolio revision |
| Week 15 [dates] |
Final Exam preparation | Portfolio revision | Final portfolio submission |
Expectations for Student Effort
[Describe how much time students should expect to invest in the course each week. Graduate courses should state: "For each hour of lecture equivalent, students should expect to have a minimum of two hours of work outside of class." Note that Global campus courses will automatically include credit hour equivalents in the syllabus.]
It is expected that students should spend 8 to 12 hours per week out of class working on the homework questions, addressing the portfolio prompts, and compiling and revising their final portfolio submissions.
Grading [add more lines if necessary]
| Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc) | Percent of Overall Grade |
|---|---|
| Attendance/Participation | 10% |
| Homework | 20% |
| Quizzes | 20% |
| Semester Portfolio Submission | 30% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
| Grade | Percent | Grade | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| A |
[92-100] |
C | [72-75) |
| A- | [89-92) | C- | [69-72) |
| B+ | [85-89) | D+ | [65-69) |
| B | [82-85) | D | [60-65) |
| B- | [79-82) | F | [0,60) |
| C+ | [75-79) |
Notice that these ranges are presented as half-open intervals, so a grade of A- is given for any percentage that is at least 89 and strictly less than 92.
Attendance and Make-Up Policy
Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings. However, in the event a student is unable to attend a class, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor as soon as possible, explain the reason for the absence (and provide documentation, if appropriate), and make up class work missed within a reasonable amount of time, if allowed. Missing class meetings may result in reducing the overall grade in the class. Notice, in particular, that attendance (determined by timely responses on Canvas to in-class questions) is 10% of the course grade.
Academic Integrity Statement
Academic integrity is the cornerstone of higher education. As such, all members of the university community share responsibility for maintaining and promoting the principles of integrity in all activities, including academic integrity and honest scholarship. Academic integrity will be strongly enforced in this course. Students who violate WSU’s Academic Integrity Policy (identified in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 504-26-010(4) will receive a zero for the assignment or exam, will not have the option to withdraw from the course pending an appeal, and will be reported to the Center for Community Standards.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration as defined in the Standards of Conduct for Students, WAC 504-26-010(3). Read and understand all of the definitions of cheating. If you have any questions about what is and is not allowed, ask your course instructor.
If you wish to appeal an instructor’s decision relating to academic integrity, please use the form available at communitystandards.wsu.edu. Make sure you submit your appeal within 21 calendar days of the instructor’s decision.
Use of AI
Artificial intelligence is a powerful resource, and learning to use them responsibly is a skill that
needs developing. However, in this course, your primary goal is to develop your own understanding of the course
concepts and problem-solving skills. AI tools must never be used as a substitute for your own thinking or to bypass
the learning process. Unless an assignment specifically gives you permission to use AI, all submitted work should
reflect your own understanding and effort. You are responsible for anything you submit, and you should be able to
explain, justify, and reproduce your solutions without AI assistance. Misuse of AI will be treated as an academic
integrity violation.