Academic Bulletin Mathematics & Computer Science - 2010-11

Currently viewing 2010-11 bulletin

Faculty: R. Foote (chair), D. Limmer, E. Poffald, P. Thompson, W. Turner, C. Westphal

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science has as its goals:

• To give all students who take mathematics courses a sense of the nature of mathematics and its place in society;
   
• To give our majors and minors an understanding of mathematics and computer science, their nature, and uses, to prepare students to become effective users of mathematics and computer science in their careers;
   
• To prepare future high school teachers of mathematics;
   
• To give our students interested in continuing to graduate study in mathematics, statistics, or computer science an adequate preparation to succeed in that study.

Mathematics
Mathematics majors may opt for either the Pure Mathematics Major, the Computational Mathematics Major or the Financial Mathematics Major. There is a great deal of overlap between these choices.

Requirements for the Pure Mathematics Major:
1) Calculus I (111) or Calculus I with Pre-Calculus Review (110), Calculus II (112), Linear Algebra (223), Abstract Algebra (331)
2) Real Analysis (333) or Topology (341)
3) Electives to reach the Department’s 9-credit minimum

Requirements for the Computational Mathematics Major:
1) Calculus I (111) or Calculus I with Pre-Calculus Review (110), Calculus II (112), Linear Algebra (223), and Abstract Algebra (331)
2) Computer Science 111. This does not count towards the major, but it is a prerequisite for 337 and 338.
3) Numerical Methods (337) or Topics in Computational Mathematics (338)
4) Electives to reach the Department’s 9-credit minimum

Requirements for the Financial Mathematics Major:
1) Calculus I (111) or Calculus I with Pre-Calculus Review (110), Calculus II (112), Linear Algebra (223), Abstract Algebra (331)
2) Mathematical Finance (251), Mathematical Interest Theory (252), Probability Models I (253), Probability Models II (353), Statistical Models (254)
3) Mathematical Statistics (354) or Regression Models (355)
4) Mathematics electives to reach the department’s 9-credit minimum

Electives may not include 010, 103, 104, 106, or 108.

Additional courses to consider, especially for students who are considering graduate school:

• Pure mathematics: 219, 221, 222, 224, 225, 323, 324, 332, 334, 344
• Computational mathematics: 219, 222, 224, 226, 314, 323, 332
• Financial mathematics: 224, 324, 333

Incoming freshmen interested in pursuing mathematics at Wabash College will typically take Mathematics 111 or Mathematics 112 in the fall (depending on placement) and Mathematics 112 or Mathematics 223 in the spring. Course choices in the fall of the sophomore year will usually depend on the direction the student sees himself headed. Students should plan on taking Mathematics 331 in the spring of their sophomore year. It is a good idea for all mathematics students to discuss their plans with one of the mathematics professors.

Requirements for the Minor: Five or more course credits, including Mathematics 110 or 111, 112, 223, excluding Mathematics 010, 103, 104, 106 and 108. Mathematics 010 may not be used in an area concentration.

An Area of Concentration and High School Teaching licensure in this discipline is awarded by the Teacher Education Program. For licensure information please see the Indiana Teacher Licensing Requirements for Adolescent and Young Adult License section and for information on this specific discipline see the Content Area Course Requirements for Teaching at the Adolescent and Young Adult Licensure Level section.

Computer Science

No major is offered.

Requirements for the minor: The requirements for a minor in computer science are five courses in computer science and one course in mathematics. The computer science courses must be: Computer Science 111 and 112 and three other Computer Science courses. The mathematics course must be Mathematics 108 or 219.

Advanced Placement

• A student who gets a 5 on the AB calculus exam receives immediate credit for Mathematics 111 and is placed into Mathematics 112.
• A student who gets a 4 on the AB calculus exam is placed into Mathematics 112 without immediate credit for Mathematics 111.
• Any student starting in Mathematics 112 (by the AP exam or our internal placement) who gets a B- or better will receive retroactive credit for Mathematics 111.
• A student who gets a 4 or 5 on the BC calculus exam receives immediate credit for Mathematics 111 and 112, and is placed into Mathematics 223.
• A student who gets a 5 on the statistics AP exam receives immediate credit for Mathematics 103 and 104.