MTG 3212

Modern Geometry

MW 4:30-5:45

Professor: Dan Dreibelbis

Office: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Building 14, Room 2709
Office Phone: 620-3718
Office Hours: MW 1:30-4:15, or by appointment
E-mail: ddreibel@unf.edu
Web Site: http://www.unf.edu/~ddreibel/mtg3212

Text: Roads to Geometry, 3rd edition, Wallace and West

Software: Geometer's Sketchpad

Other Material Needed:

This course will be very visual, and as such a lot of arts and crafts material will make the course more useful:

Colored pencils
Compass
Graphing paper
Ruler

I reserve the right to ask for other supplies later in the course (I won’t be asking you to buy anything that is expensive). Also, internet access and basic computer skills (i.e., knowing how to use a web browser) will be required.

Tentative List of Topics:

Axiom systems, finite geometries
Nuetral geometry
Euclidean geometry, constructions
Hyperbolic geometry
Projective geometry, perspectivity

Homework:

Homework will be assigned every week on Wednesday and then collected on the following Wednesday. Assignments will be given out in class and will also be listed on the web site. The only way to learn this material is through doing lots of problems. If you don’t learn the material, then you will probably fail the exams, and thus fail the course. Moral of the story: DO THE HOMEWORK!

Exams:

There will be one midterm and the final:

Midterm:          Wednesday, March 4
Final:                Wednesday, April 22, 3:00-4:50

Exams will not be cumulative. Of course, there are no excuses for missing an exam.

Grades: The grades will be worked out as follows:

Homework:              30%
Midterm:                  35%
Final:                        35%

Important Dates:

January 19:        MLK Day, no class
March 16-21:     Spring Break, no class
March 27:           Last Day to Withdraw

Office Hours:

My office hours are Monday and Wednesday 1:30-4:15, or by appointment. Take that "by appointment" seriously: If you cannot make my scheduled office hours, I am more than willing to meet with you at other times. I have no pity for people who did poorly in my class, but never came to talk to me outside of class. My office is Room 2709, second floor in Building 14. I am a big, big fan of office hours, you are strongly encouraged to come to visit me.