Friday, October 10
4:40 pm    School is out for today

PREREQUISITE: ALGEBRA II OR CONFERENCE WITH DEPARTMENT HEAD.

This is a course for people who like to play with ideas. The overarching idea is the concept of infinity. Did you know that there are different types of infinity? Some infinities are greater than others! The topics in this course often prompt vigorous philosophical debates. Students are encouraged to think deeply about difficult mathematical abstractions, with a strong emphasis on reading, discussion, written explanation and proof. Class sessions center around exploratory lab activities, with frequent use of computers. Less attention will be paid to algebraic manipulation. Class participation, homework assignments, and a portfolio of written work provide the basis for a student’s grade.

Quantitative Reasoning provides preparation for students to take a non-trig calculus course in college. Concepts of the course also provide a foundation for the quantitative methods of social science disciplines. Topics are drawn from a variety of fields in mathematics, including: modular arithmetic, number theory, infinite series, limits, cardinality, combinatorics, randomness, fractal geometry, complex numbers and nonlinear dynamical systems (including chaos). For more information, see the course web site at http://www.arps.org/users/hs/kochn/QuantitativeReasoning/.

Honors Option: Students who demonstrate a high degree of mathematical sophistication and independence may elect to work at the Honors level in this course. The portfolio of written work must include a rigorous theoretical approach to the course material.

Curriculum Map for Quantitative Reasoning

See all courses in Mathematics