## Colorado State University — Pueblo; Fall 2014 Math 495: Independent Study/Capstone Seminar:Communicating Mathematical Ideas

• Not meeting this week.
• NOTE: Friday is the last day to add classes

• W: We went over this introduction to LaTeX
• Please do HW0 Send me e-mail (at jonathan.poritz@gmail.com) telling me:
2. Your e-mail address. (Please give me one that you actually check fairly frequently, since I may use it to contact you during the term.)
4. What you intend to do after CSUP, in so far as you have an idea.
5. Past math classes you've had.
6. The reason you are taking this course.
9. Anything else you think I should know (disabilities, employment or other things that take a lot of time, etc.).
10. [Optional:] The name of a good book you have read recently.
• Start working on HW1:
• Get a version of LaTeX working on a machine you can use in class and at home: perhaps an installation of MiKTeX on a thumbdrive, or install the packages you need on a laptop running Linux, whatever you choose.
• Please bring that working computational environment to class from now on.
• Download the hw1.tex file and make the modifications as suggested on the paper version as handed out in class. (Or here is a scanned version of that handout.) Bring that new file with you to our next class
• Consult with any of the faculty associated with this class if you get stuck at any point installation or working with LaTeX.
• Find a few problems (at least a one you like and one back-up) from a math course in the range Calc I to Linear Algebra, and bring its statement (i.e., the book or a copy of the page(s)) to our next class. In class next time (so: no need to get started ahead of time, we'll have time set aside for this in class) you will make a LaTeX version of the problem. The problem should have a nice mix of text and mathematical notation, so it will be fun to put into LaTeX.

• W:
• Four students will give short ($\approx$ 5-10 minute) presentations of their chosen articles, with slide support. Those students should e-mail all course instructors the PDF and source files (LaTeX and BibTeX) for their presentation slides.

• W:
• one student presentation on their article
• we watched a video How NOT to give a presentation by Neil Dodgson, which can be seen here
• after the model BAD talk video, we discussed some issues about giving talks, also in consultation with the handout How_To_Talk_Handout.pdf
• please have a proposal for your final project, consisting of the following:
1. a title
2. a paragraph or so discussing the topic
3. at least one reference you will consult in the preparation of your final project
Don't hesitate to contact any of the three instructors for assistance in settling in on your project topic, in putting together various LaTeX documents, and in finding source materials.
• as always, make sure you have e-mailed all of your LaTeX files (final versions, or works-in-progress if you are having troubles) to all three instructors
• NOTE: Friday is the last day to withdraw (with a W) from classes

• W:
• Dr Lundberg spoke on Some Adventures in Parametric Optimal Control

• W: One-on-one meetings between students and instructors about the status of their projects, not necessarily during regular class time.

• Thanksgiving Break! No classes or office hours.

• W: An overview, with discussion, of the art and challenges of finding and choosing material, writing, and speaking about mathematics. At our usual time, but in the math department conference room, PM213.

• Exam week, hooray!
• We will meet during the scheduled exam period for this class, which is Wednesday, December 10th, 2014, 8-10:20am, in the math department computer lab, PM221, for students' 15 minute presentations. Here is the poster annoucing this event — which will be open to other members of the math department community — including times and titles of individual presentations. Please be on time and attentive to your fellow students' work, and ready to transition quickly between presentations (there will be only 2 minutes between successive presentations!).
• Students must e-mail their slides, in both PDF and TeX forms, to Dr Poritz by 11:59pm on Tuesday, December 9th, 2014
• Students must e-mail their final papers, in both PDF and TeX forms, to all three course instructors (Drs Barnett, Lundberg, and Poritz) by 5pm on Wednesday, December 10th, 2014, 8-10:20am (that's the day of the presentations).
• If students enrolled in this class could please answer the following questions, it would help to improve the course for the future. You can do this anonymously in the free response part of the regular CSU-P on-line course evaluations for Math 495 or simply by giving a written response to Mary Sandoval in the department office. If you don't mind the lack of anonymity, you can also send your answers in an e-mail to any (or all) of the course instructors.
Here are the questions:
1. What worked; ... best.
2. What did not; ... worst.
3. Areas in which you grew most.
4. Areas in which you needed more help.
5. Main challenges you encountered.
6. Ideas for future versions of this seminar.
7. I would have liked to                            .
8. I would have liked not to                            .
9. Best sources of material and materials you encountered:                            .
10. Three ideas or experiences that impacted you the most:                            .