About the Course

Computing for Mathematics: Introduction to the course

This course will follow 3 mains texts:

1. A book covering the use of a programming language called Python: vknight.org/pfm/
2. A set of short tutorials showing how to use the mathematical typesetting language LaTeX: vknight.org/tex/
3. A document with guidelines for writing mathematics.

All course materials are available online at vknight.org/cfm/. You can also find all the source files that create that website at github.com/drvinceknight/cfm/.

Virtual board

I will use a virtual board throughout class:

• This will allow you to see the board more clearly on the class recordings.
• I will share a copy of the board with you after each class.

Technology in class

Please use whatever resources you need to be successful in this class. Let me know if I can help with anything.

Office hours

I will not hold specific office hours: please email me to arrange a time to come and see me.

Kindness

In this course every participant (including myself) will be having many interactions with other participants. Some potential examples of this:

• Peer to peer discussions during classes;
• Me explaining a given topic.

I expect every participant (including myself) to act with kindness during these interactions.

Some examples of how this applies to me:

• When a student is late or absent at a class I will assume they have good reasons. If this happens regularly
  1. I will first be concerned for their well-being.
  2. Ask how I can help them catch up.
• If a student asks for an explanation of a topic that has been covered multiples times I will assume that some set of circumstances has prevented them from seeing these explanations and:
  1. will explain the topic.
  2. also point them at the explanations in the course materials and/or class recordings. If this is a regular occurrence I might ask if there are any circumstances that I can help with.
• If I make a mistake in a class explanation and someone helpfully points it out. I will listen and thank them for pointing it out and either go over the mistake then and there or go over it again at a future meeting.

Assessment

There are three pieces of assessment in this course:

• Individual coursework (20%)
• A collection of individual quizzes (20%)
• Group coursework (60%)

More information about assessment: here

Log of past relevant classes

12/06/24: Summary of mock coursework session and clarification about question 4b

In class today I went over the mock coursework.

12/04/24: Summary of release of individual coursework

In class yesterday we took a look at the individual coursework.

10/22/24: Mid module feedback and brief introduction to Combinatorics

In class today carried out the mid module feedback and briefly introduced the combinatorics chapter.

10/18/24: Review of Calculus

In class today we reviewed the calculus content of the course.

10/01/24: Overview of the class 2024

Thanks all for your presence in class today.

09/30/24: Welcome to the Computing for Mathematics class 2024

This is a brief message before our first class.

05/21/24: Overview of assessment performance

In this post I will discuss the performance of the class:

02/16/24: Mid module feedback and documentation

On Friday we discussed documentation and your mid module feedback.

12/08/23: Summary of mock coursework session

In class today I demonstrated how to submit and went over the mock coursework.

12/04/23: Summary of release of individual coursework

In class yesterday we took a look at the individual coursework.

10/20/23: Review of Calculus

In class today we discussed mid module feedback and reviewed the concepts from the Calculus chapter.

10/02/23: Overview of the class 2023

Thanks all for your presence in class today.

01/30/23: Welcome to the Computing for Mathematics class 2023

This is a brief message before our first class.