MATH 3210-001: Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometry

Spring 2020

MWF 1:00-1:50 pm, ECCR 131

Syllabus

This is an updated version of the original course syllabus.

The updates reflect changes that are due to the fact that
the course transitioned to remote learning on March 13.
(Changes are highlighted in red.)

Text: Geometry: Euclid and Beyond by R. Hartshorne.
You can freely download the PDF for the book from Springer through our library.

Supplementary text: Euclid's Elements of Geometry edited by R. Fitzpatrick
(available at http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/books/Euclid/Euclid.html)

Course description: Axiomatic systems; Euclid's presentation of the elements of geometry; Hilbert's axioms; neutral, Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries and their models.

Prerequisites:
‒ MATH 2001 or MATH 2002 (with minimum grade C-), and
‒ MATH 2130 or MATH 3130 or MATH 2135 or MATH 3135 (with minimum grade C-).
Familiarity with the following topics from the prerequisite courses will be assumed.

Homework and Quizzes: There will be regularly assigned homework and quizzes. As a rule, quizzes will take place in the last 10 minutes of Monday lectures, and homework will be due on Wednesdays ~~(by the beginning of the lecture).~~ (by 11:59 pm). The two lowest homework scores and quiz scores won't count towards the final grade. No make-up will be given for homework or quizzes.
There will be no quiz on March 16 and March 30. There will be no quizzes during the rest of the semester, but there will be ungraded practice quizzes.

Homework Submission: No late homework will be accepted.
~~I prefer that you submit your homework in class, on paper. In case you can't submit your homework in class, you may slide your paper under my office door, or you may send me your homework in an email.~~
Please submit your homework by uploading it to Canvas. Homework ~~sent in an email~~ uploaded to Canvas will be accepted only if
‒ the file is ~~sent as an attachment~~ in pdf format,
‒ the background is white and the writing is dark enough so that the homework is readable ~~after printing~~.
Electronically submitted homework that does not meet these requirements will not be graded.

Exams: There will be one mid-term exam:

March 6 (Fri), 1:00-1:50 pm (in class),

and a final exam

May 4 (Mon), 4:30-7:00 pm (in class).

Make-up for the midterm will be given only
‒ for unavoidable, documented absences,
‒ during the week March 9‒13.
In all other cases, if you miss the midterm, the result of your final exam will count for your midterm as well.

No make-up will be given for a missed final exam. If you miss the final for reasons that are beyond your control, and you have a passing grade for the rest of the course (i.e., for homework, quizzes, and midterm), then you may request a grade of `Incomplete'. The eligibility criteria are described in the University Catalog.

If the final exam is cancelled in response to inclement weather or other emergencies that result in a campus closure, then in accordance with the Final Examination Policy, course grades will be assigned based on graded work completed up to the end of the term (i.e., homework, quizzes, and the midterm).

Limits of Collaboration: I recommend that you first attempt to solve the homework problems alone, using only your textbooks, the supplementary text (if applicable), posted course material, and your notes. If you need more help, you may consult other books or persons (including me). However, I require that you write your homework solutions unaided.

All outside sources (books other than the texts for the course, collaboration with classmates, consultation with other persons, information found on the internet, etc.) used in homework solutions have to be acknowledged.
No student is allowed to see another's written work before that work has been graded.
No collaboration of any type is permitted on exams and quizzes.

Grading: You will be graded on your written work, which will be judged on the basis of correctness, completeness, and legibility. Most of the problems will ask you to justify your answer or give a proof. In these cases strings of formulas or diagrams without explanation will not be accepted.

Your final grade will be determined by the scores of your homework, quizzes, mid-term exam, and final exam. To combine these items the following weights will be used:

Homework: 25%
Quizzes: 25%
Midterm exam: 20%
Final exam: 30%.

There will be no extra credit assignments.

Getting Help: Don't wait until it is too late if you need help.

Ask questions!

I am available during my office hours and many other times. If you can't see me during office hours, then make an appointment with me to see me at a different time.

Campus Policies: On the web page of Required Syllabus Statements you will find details about

the honor code,
the campus policies on classroom behavior, on accommodating students with disabilities, on preferred student names and pronouns, and on observance of religious holidays,

and

the campus policies on sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment and/or related retaliation.

If you need any special accommodation due to medical disability or observance of a religious holiday, please inform me as soon as possible (preferably within the first two weeks of class), and provide documentation.