Studiegids

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Mathematics (Basic)

Vak
2014-2015

Tag(s)

First-year programme

Admission Requirements

None.

Remark:
There are two first-year mathematics courses that run in parallel. Which one you should choose depends on your interest, your mathematical background knowledge and skills, and your future plans. If you feel more comfortable with numerical computations, and do not plan to follow higher-level mathematics and modelling courses, you may choose the ‘Mathematics Basic’ course. If you are interested in learning to apply mathematics to uncover relationships and gain insights into the properties of the natural world, you should choose the ‘Mathematics Intermediate’ course.

Description

The purpose of this course is to develop and enhance quantitative reasoning skills. We will exemplify the role of computation and logical reasoning in society, and show how these can be used to gain (often surprising) insights in at first sight complex issues. The mathematical subjects covered in this course will not go beyond what is normally taught at high school, but we will focus on a deeper understanding of quantitative concepts and computational techniques, and correction of misconceptions. Specifically, students will learn how to apply numerical procedures correctly, and to interpret and critically evaluate their outcomes in practical contexts. We will focus on applications in the context of global challenges and the LUC majors.

Course Objectives

After the course students should be able to:

  • understand the role of mathematics in society and in the context of global challenges;

  • perform calculations correctly and appropriately;

  • evaluate results from quantitative reasoning;

  • apply computational skills and logical reasoning to solve a complex problem in a real-world context.

Literature

Math Overboard!: (Basic Math for Adults), Part 1
By Colin W. Clark
Dog Ear Publishing
Part 1 (2012): ISBN-10: 1457514818; ISBN-13: 978-1457514814