Professors Haines and Wong, Chair; Associate Professors Ross, Rhodes (on leave, 2002-2003), and Shulman; Assistant Professor Johnson; Visiting Assistant Professor Hildebrand; Ms. Greer; Ms. Harder and Mr. Towne

A dynamic subject, with connections to many disciplines, mathematics is an integral part of a liberal arts education, and is increasingly vital in understanding science, technology, and society. Entry-level courses introduce students to basic concepts and hint at some of the power and beauty behind these fundamental results. Upper-level courses and the capstone experience provide majors with the opportunity to explore mathematical topics in greater depth and sophistication, and delight in the fascination of this important discipline.

During new-student orientation the department assists students planning to study mathematics in choosing an appropriate starting course. Based on a student's academic background and skills, the department recommends Mathematics 101, 105, 106, 205, 206, or a more advanced course.

The mathematics department offers a major in mathematics, a secondary concentration in mathematics, and a secondary concentration in computing science (available to the classes of 2003, 2004, and 2005 only).

Cross-listed Courses. Note that unless otherwise specified, when a department/program references a course or unit in the department/program, it includes courses and units cross-listed with the department/program.

Major Requirements. The mathematics major requirements accommodate a wide variety of interests and career goals. The courses provide broad training in undergraduate mathematics and computer science, preparing majors for graduate study, and for positions in government, industry, and the teaching profession.

The major in mathematics consists of:

1) Mathematics 205 and 206;
2) Mathematics s21, which should be taken during Short Term of the first year;
3) Mathematics 301 and 309, which should be taken before beginning a senior thesis or the senior seminar;
4) four elective mathematics or computer science courses numbered 200 or higher, not including 360, 395, 457, 458 or s50;
5) completion of either a two-semester thesis (Mathematics 457-458) or the senior seminar (Mathematics 395). The thesis option requires departmental approval.

Any mathematics or computer science Short Term unit numbered 30 or above may be used as one of the electives in 4). One elective may also be replaced by a departmentally approved course from another department.

While students must consult with their major advisors in designing appropriate courses of study, the following suggestions may be helpful: For majors considering a career in secondary education the department suggests Mathematics 312, 314, 315, 341, and Computer Science 101 and 102. Students interested in operations research, business, or actuarial science should consider Mathematics 218, 239, 314, 315, 341, and the courses in computer science. Students interested in applied mathematics in the physical and engineering sciences should consider Mathematics 218, 219, 308, 314, 315, 341, and the courses in computer science. In addition to the computer science courses, students interested in computer science should also consider Math 218, 239, 314, and 315. Majors planning on graduate study in pure mathematics should particularly consider Mathematics 308, 313, and 457-458. Mathematics majors may pursue individual research either through 360 or s50 (Independent Study), or 457-458 (Senior Thesis).

Pass/Fail Grading Option. Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major.

Secondary Concentration in Mathematics. Designed either to complement another major, or to be pursued for its own sake, the secondary concentration in mathematics provides a structure for obtaining a significant depth in mathematical study. It consists of seven courses, four of which must be Mathematics 105, 106, 205, and 206. (Successful completion of Mathematics 206 is sufficient to fulfill the requirements for Mathematics 105 and 106, even if no course credit for these has been granted by Bates.)

In addition, the concentration must include at least two courses forming a coherent set. Approved sets include: 1) Analysis: s21 and 301; 2) Algebra: s21 and 309; 3) Geometry: 312 and 313; 4) Mathematical Biology: 155 and either 219 or 341; 5) Actuarial Science: 314 and either 218, 239, or 315; 6) Statistics: 314 and 315; 7) Applied/Engineering Mathematics: 219 and either 218, 308, or 341.

The final course in the concentration can be any mathematics or computer science course at the 150 level or above (or a unit at the 20 level or above), or Computer Science 102. The following do not count toward the mathematics secondary concentration: Mathematics or Computer Science 360, s50, Mathematics 457-458.

Pass/Fail Grading Option. Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the secondary concentration in mathematics.

General Education. The quantitative requirement is satisfied by any of the mathematics or computer science courses or units. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or A-Level credit awarded by the department for mathematics, computer science, or statistics may also satisfy the quantitative requirement.

Courses

MATH 101. Working with Data. Techniques for analyzing data are described in ordinary English without emphasis on mathematical formulas. The course focuses on graphical and descriptive techniques for summarizing data, design of experiments, sampling, analyzing relationships, statistical models, and statistical inference. Applications are drawn from everyday life: drug testing, legal discrimination cases, and public opinion polling. Enrollment limited to 30. Not open to students who have received credit for Biology 244, Economics 250 or 255, Environmental Studies 181, Mathematics 315, Psychology 218, or Sociology 305. Normally offered every year. B. Shulman.

MATH 105. Calculus I. While the word calculus originally meant any method of calculating, it has come to refer more specifically to the fundamental ideas of differentiation and integration that were first developed in the seventeenth century. The subject's early development was intimately connected with understanding rates of change within the context of the physical sciences. Nonetheless, it has proved to be of wide applicability throughout the natural sciences and some social sciences, as well as crucial to the development of most modern technology. This course develops the key notions of derivatives and integrals and their interrelationship, as well as applications. An emphasis is placed on conceptual understanding and interpretation, as well as on calculational skills. Graphing calculators are used in the course for graphical and numerical explorations. Enrollment limited to 25 per section. Normally offered every semester. Staff.

MATH 106. Calculus II. A continuation of Calculus I. Further techniques of integration, both symbolic and numerical, are studied. The course then treats applications of integration to problems drawn from fields such as physics, biology, chemistry, economics, and probability. Differential equations and their applications are also introduced, as well as approximation techniques and Taylor series. Graphing calculators are used in the course for graphical and numerical explorations. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 105. Enrollment limited to 25 per section. Normally offered every semester. Staff.

BI/MA 155. Mathematical Models in Biology. Mathematical models are increasingly important throughout the life sciences. This course provides an introduction to deterministic and statistical models in biology. Examples are chosen from a variety of biological and medical fields such as ecology, molecular evolution, and infectious disease. Computers are used extensively for modeling and for analyzing data. Recommended background: a course in biology. Enrollment limited to 30. Not open to students who have received credit for Biology 155 or Mathematics 155. Normally offered every other year. M. Greer.

MATH 205. Linear Algebra. Vectors and matrices are introduced as devices for the solution of systems of linear equations with many variables. Although these objects can be viewed simply as algebraic tools, they are better understood by applying geometric insight from two and three dimensions. This leads to an understanding of higher dimensional spaces and to the abstract concept of a vector space. Other topics include orthogonality, linear transformations, determinants, and eigenvectors. This course should be particularly useful to students majoring in any of the natural sciences or economics. Prerequisite(s): one 100-level mathematics course. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every semester. W. Johnson.

MATH 206. Multivariable Calculus. This course extends the ideas of Calculus I and II to deal with functions of more than one variable. Because of the multidimensional setting, essential use is made of the language of linear algebra. While calculations make straightforward use of the techniques of single-variable calculus, more effort must be spent in developing a conceptual framework for understanding curves and surfaces in higher-dimensional spaces. Topics include partial derivatives, derivatives of vector-valued functions, vector fields, integration over regions in the plane and three-space, and integration on curves and surfaces. This course should be particularly useful to students majoring in any of the natural sciences or economics. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 106 and 205. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every semester. D. Haines.

MATH 218. Numerical Analysis. This course studies the best ways to perform calculations that have already been developed in other mathematics courses. For instance, if a computer is to be used to approximate the value of an integral, one must understand both how quickly an algorithm can produce a result and how trustworthy that result is. While students will implement algorithms on computers, the focus of the course is the mathematics behind the algorithms. Topics may include interpolation techniques, approximation of functions, solving equations, differentiation and integration, solution of differential equations, iterative solutions of linear systems, and eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 106 and 205 and Computer Science 101. Normally offered every other year. B. Shulman.

MATH 219. Differential Equations. A differential equation is a relationship between a function and its derivatives. Many real-world situations can be modeled using these relationships. This course is a blend of the mathematical theory behind differential equations and their applications. The emphasis is on first and second order linear equations. Topics include existence and uniqueness of solutions, power series solutions, numerical methods, and applications such as population modeling and mechanical vibrations. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 206. Normally offered every year. Staff.

EC/MA 239. Linear Programming and Game Theory. Linear programming grew out of the recognition that a wide variety of practical problems reduces to maximizing or minimizing a linear function whose variables are restricted by a system of linear constraints. A closely related area is game theory, which deals with decision problems in a competitive environment where conflict, risk, and uncertainty are often involved. The course focuses on the underlying theory, but applications to social, economic, and political problems abound. Topics include the simplex method of solving linear programming problems and two-person zero-sum games, the duality theorem of linear programming, and the min-max theorem of game theory. Additional topics are drawn from such areas as n-person game theory, network and transportation problems, and relations between price theory and linear programming. Computers are used regularly. Prerequisite(s): Computer Science 101 and Mathematics 205. Not open to students who have received credit for Economics 239 or Mathematics 239. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

MATH 301. Real Analysis. An introduction to the foundations of mathematical analysis, this course presents a rigorous treatment of fundamental concepts such as limits, continuity, differentiation, and integration. Elements of the topology of the real numbers are also covered. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 206 and s21. Normally offered every year. P. Wong.

MATH 308. Complex Analysis. This course extends the concepts of calculus to deal with functions whose variables and values are complex numbers. Instead of producing new complications, this leads to a theory that is not only more aesthetically pleasing, but is also more powerful. The course should be valuable to those interested in pure mathematics, as well as those who need additional computational tools for physics or engineering. Topics include the geometry of complex numbers, differentiation and integration, representation of functions by integrals and power series, and the calculus of residues. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 206. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

MATH 309. Abstract Algebra I. An introduction to basic algebraic structures common throughout mathematics. These include the integers and their arithmetic, modular arithmetic, rings, polynomial rings, ideals, quotient rings, fields, and groups. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 205 and s21. Normally offered every year. P. Wong.

MATH 312. Geometry. This course studies geometric concepts in Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries. Topics include isometries, arc lengths, curvature of curves and surfaces, and tesselations, especially frieze and wallpaper patterns. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 206. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

MATH 313. Topology. The notion of "closeness" underlies many important mathematical concepts, such as limits and continuity. Topology is the careful study of what this notion means in abstract spaces, leading to a thorough understanding of continuous mappings and the properties of spaces that they preserve. Topics include metric spaces, topological spaces, continuity, compactness, and connectedness. Additional topics, such as fundamental groups or Tychonoff's theorem, may also be covered. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 206 and s21. Normally offered every other year. P. Wong.

MATH 314. Probability. Probability theory is the foundation on which statistical data analysis depends. This course together with its sequel, Mathematics 315, covers topics in mathematical statistics. Both courses are recommended for math majors with an interest in applied mathematics and for students in other disciplines, such as psychology and economics, who wish to learn about some of the mathematical theory underlying the methodology used in their fields. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 106. Normally offered every other year. M. Harder.

MATH 315. Statistics. The sequel to Mathematics 314. This course covers estimation theory and hypothesis testing. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 314. Normally offered every other year. M. Harder.

MATH 341. Mathematical Modeling. Often analyzing complex situations (like the weather, a traffic flow pattern, or an ecological system) is necessary to predict the effect of some action. The purpose of this course is to provide experience in the process of using mathematics to model real-life situations. The first half examines and critiques specific examples of the modeling process from various fields. During the second half each student creates, evaluates, refines, and presents a mathematical model from a field of his or her own choosing. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 206. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

MATH 360. Independent Study. Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.

MATH 365. Special Topics. Content varies from semester to semester. Possible topics include chaotic dynamical systems, number theory, mathematical logic, representation theory of finite groups, measure theory, algebraic topology, combinatorics, and graph theory. Prerequisites vary with the topic covered but are usually Mathematics 301 and/or 309.

MATH 365B. Number Theory. The theory of numbers is concerned with the properties of the integers, one of the most basic of mathematical sets. Seemingly naive questions of number theory stimulated much of the development of modern mathematics and still provide rich opportunities for investigation. Topics studied include classical ones such as primality, congruences, quadratic reciprocity, and Diophantine equations, as well as more recent applications to cryptography. Additional topics such as continued fractions, elliptical curves, or an introduction to analytic methods, may be included. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics s21. Offered with varying frequency. J. Rhodes.

MATH 365C. Introduction to q-Analysis. Students work with two simple notions, permutations and partitions. Each is worth examining by itself, but there are also important relationships between them. We look at all the rearrangements (permutations) of a sequence of numbers and ways in which they differ. Permutations are closely tied to a certain kind of finite product. Similar products (finite and infinite) and corresponding series are intimately connected with partitions—ways of writing a positive integer as as sum of positive integers. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 106. Recommended background: Mathematics s21. Not open to students who have received credit for Mathematics s45G. W. Johnson. New course beginning Winter 2003.

MATH 395. Senior Seminar. While the subject matter varies, the seminar addresses an advanced topic in mathematics. The development of the topic draws on students' previous course work and helps consolidate their earlier learning. Students are active participants, presenting material to one another in both oral and written form, and conducting individual research on related questions.

MATH 395A. Hyperbolic Geometry. The year was 1829. Bolyai and Lobachevsky independently discovered a new non-Euclidean geometry—a subject too radical to be accepted by the mathematical community at the time. After the work of Beltrami and Klein, Poincaré stepped in and put the subject—hyperbolic geometry—in the limelight; this once-obscure discipline has secured a prominent position in mathematics ever since. This seminar examines the role of hyperbolic geometry in modern mathematics. In particular, the focus is on the connections of hyperbolic geometry to other branches of mathematics and physics, such as complex analysis, group theory, and special relativity. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 301 and 309. Written permission of the instructor is required. Offered with varying frequency. P. Wong.

MATH 395B. Einstein's Theory of Relativity. The main focus of this course is the mathematics behind Einstein's special theory of relativity. Students discuss the Lorentz group, study the geometry of Minkowski's space, and compare special relativity to Galilean relativity. Possible additional topics include hyperbolic geometry, pseudo-Riemannian geometry, and curved space-time. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 301 and 309. Written permission of the instructor is required. Offered with varying frequency. P. Wong.

MATH 395D. Chaotic Dynamical Systems. One of the major scientific accomplishments of the last twenty-five years was the discovery of chaos and the recognition that sensitive dependence on initial conditions is exhibited by so many natural and man-made processes. To really understand chaos, one needs to learn the mathematics behind it. This seminar considers mathematical models of real-world processes, and studies how these models behave, as they demonstrate chaos and its surprising order. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 301. Corequisite(s): Mathematics 309. Offered with varying frequency. S. Ross.

MATH 457, 458. Senior Thesis. Prior to entrance into Mathematics 457, students must submit a proposal for the work they intend to undertake toward completion of a two-semester thesis. Open to all majors upon approval of the proposal. Required of candidates for honors. Students register for Mathematics 457 in the fall semester and Mathematics 458 in the winter semester. Normally offered every year. Staff.

Short Term Units

MATH s21. Introduction to Abstraction. An intensive development of the important concepts and methods of abstract mathematics. Students work individually, in groups, and with the instructors to prove theorems and solve problems. Students meet for up to five hours daily to explore such topics as proof techniques, logic, set theory, equivalence relations, functions, and algebraic structures. The unit provides exposure to what it means to be a mathematician. Prerequisite(s): one semester of college mathematics. Required of all majors. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every year. Staff.

MATH s45. Seminar in Mathematics. The content varies. Recent topics have included number theory and an introduction to error correcting codes.

MATH s45G. Introduction to q-Analysis. This unit considers two simple notions, permutations and partitions. Students examine all the rearrangements of some sequences of numbers, and study some of the ways in which they differ. Students also consider all the ways to write a given number as a sum of smaller numbers. In the process they learn about certain kinds of finite and infinite series and products. Prerequisite(s): Mathematics 106. Recommended background: Mathematics s21. Offered with varying frequency. W. Johnson.

MATH s45H. Introduction to the Symmetric Group. The symmetric group was the foundation on which the concept of modern group theory was built. Therefore questions related to the symmetric group serve as an introduction to many important branches of higher level mathematics. This unit introduces students to the basic idea of group theory via the symmetric group and considers some of its applications, particularly in the areas of combinatorics and algebra. Heavy emphasis is placed on student presentations. Prerequisite(s): Math 205 and s21. Enrollment is limited to 30. J. Hildebrand. New unit beginning Short Term 2003.

MATH s50. Independent Study. Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.

Computer Science

© 2002 Bates College.
All Rights Reserved.
Last Modified: 11/26/02 by mkm