Syllabus for MAA 5616.01, Spring 2011 (Ref # 17412) Last modified on

Professor:  Steven M. Hudson. Phone: 305-348-3231. 
Office Hours: TR 3:30-4:30pm, in DM 419B, or by appt.  
E-mail: hudsons@fiu.edu , Home Page: http://www.fiu.edu/~hudsons

Main Text: Real Analysis, By Royden and Fitzpatrick, 4th Edition (most of Chs. 1.1 thru 7).
It is OK to use the 3rd Edn (Chs 1-6) instead, if you have access to the 4th for the HW, etc.

Other Texts (optional): If you have not had MAA 4211, you'll probably need a book on Advanced Calculus (or "Introduction to Analysis") for reference and learning some basic topics. You might find one in the FIU library, online, or at a local bookstore (the course is also being taught this term at FIU). If you have not had MAA 3200 (Introduction to Advanced Math) or some similar experience with proofs, you will probably find MAA 5616 quite difficult. One very basic text that may help is Velleman's paperback, How to Prove It.

Schedule:  See  the Schedule and Homework page for more details, updates and announcements.

Tues, 1/11, 5pm to 6:15pm - First lecture, in DM 144
Tues 1/25 - Homework 1 due
Approx 2/10 - The first of 2 exams 
3/4 - Last day to drop the course (without refund - pls check the date)
3/14 to 3/20 Spring Break
4/19 - All homework etc. must be in
Tues, 4/26, 5pm - the final exam covers the entire course.

The prerequisites for this course include various options, but I'd strongly suggest an undergraduate course in Analysis, such as MAA 4211, with a grade of B or better. If you have never taken a proof-oriented Math course, you should probably not try starting with this one. You can talk with me before you decide.

Your semester grade will be based on your average score - not on improvement, effort, etc. Incompletes will not be given, except in special cases such as last-minute medical emergencies. Percentages of course grade - Homework (HW) 15%, Two Midterm Exams 25% each, Final Exam 35%. Letter grades will be assigned approximately as follows; 

 A 85-100%,   B 75-84 %,   C 65-74 %,   D 55-64 %, F 0-54 %. 

(+'s and -'s will be used). I will set the official scale at the end of the semester, after all grades are in, but will usually announce a revised unofficial scale after each exam. The scale will be based mainly on the class average, but also on subjective elements, and on how much progress we make this term. Extra credit is not likely, especially at the end of the term, but if you help out, for example by spotting major errors on this website or writing up lecture notes, I may give some.

Expectations: You are expected to spend approx 10 hours a week outside of class, on homework and reading the corresponding sections of the text. If your background is weak (see above), you may need twice that effort. You will be expected to write proofs, with clear sentences and good explanations, without much coaching from me in class (though you are welcome to seek help with this during my office hours). At the very minimum (C level?), I expect you to walk into each exam ready for problems similar to the HW. If you are aiming for an A or B, you'll also need to understand most of the reading and lecture topics, even if unrelated to the HW. I may also ask you to learn and memorize some standard proofs.

Various Policies:  There will be regular homeworks (HWs), to help you learn the sublject and prepare for exams. It will be graded briefly. Do these by yourself and turn them in on  stapled loose leaf paper. For maximum credit be neat, show all your work, and explain your reasoning. Homework is due at the beginning of the class. Late homework (accepted up to 2 weeks) is worth half the normal credit. Exams mostly consist of problems similar to the previous homework assignment(s), and a few conceptual questions, such as  True-False, a textbook proof and/or a definition. 

The Main Rules:

Any beepers/cell phones/mp3s etc must be turned off during class.
If you cannot arrive and leave on time, see me and explain.
If you miss an entire class, get notes from a classmate.
If you must miss an exam, see me beforehand, and document your excuse.
In general, there are no make-up exams (but in special cases, see me).
If you turn in anything slightly unusual, such as late HW, write a note of explanation at the top.
If you find a grading error, write a note to me at the top of your paper and return it promptly.
I will try to identify any cheating that may occur in the course, and may impose more rules to help with that.

This covers the basics, but read over My Policies (the long version) so that you are not surprised by anything, and so you know your options.

LINKS: to the Homework, Exam Keys, common abbreviations used in class, etc are on my main page. In some undergrad classes, I've also posted hints or answers to HW problems, etc on special "Help" pages, and may add links like that for this course later, if there is enough interest. If you are using the 4th Edn, and let me know, I can post HW for that on a separate web page.