Instructor: Neil Sigmon
Office: Walker 212
Phone: 831-5340
Email:
npsigmon@radford.edu
Homepage:
http://www.radford.edu/~npsigmon
Course Homepage:
http://www.radford.edu/~npsigmon/courses/numtheory/math412.html
Office Hrs: 9:45
– 10:45 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday
2:00 – 3:00 Tuesday, Thursday
(Other times by appointment)
Textbook: A Friendly Introduction to Number Theory, 3rd Edition, Joseph Silverman.
Class Meeting Times: Tuesday, Thursday 9:30-10:45 p.m. in Russell 025.
Test Dates: To be announced (There will be three major tests).
Final Exam Date: Thursday, May 3rd at 8:00 a.m. in Russell 025.
Grading
Policy: 50 %
Major Tests (Two)
25 % Final Exam
20 % Homework
5 % Term Paper*
* The term
paper will be a short paper (4 pages) describing a person or method
pertaining
to number theory. Ideas can be found in the text and by seeing me. I
must approve the topic
you choose. The paper should be typewritten (using Microsoft Word, for
example) using 1.5
inch spacing and should have good grammatical structure with references
clearly stated. Do
not plagiarize! The term paper will be due Thursday April
20th.
Grade
Scale: 90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
< 60 F
Prerequisite: Math 300
“Makeup” Test Policy: Approval for making up a missed test should
be given prior to the
scheduled test. The makeup test must be taken within one week
following the scheduled test.
Documentation is required for all make-ups. Except for extraordinary
circumstances, approval
for a makeup test will not be granted if the scheduled test has already
been given.
Attendance Policy: Attendance
is a requirement in this class and in the lab period.
If you miss
a class or lab, you are responsible for making up any missed work.
Attendance
will be taken
each class and lab period. Attendance means RESPONSIBILITY –
I look much
more favorably
on students who have good attendance habits.
will be given. I consider late homework to be homework turned in later
than
5:00 p.m. of the
day the assignment is due. The maximum number of points a student can
receive
for a late
homework is ten points lower than the minimum grade of all students who
have
turned in the
assignment on time. For example, if an assigned homework is worth 80
points and
the lowest
score of the on-time assignments is 60/80, the maximum grade a student
can
receive for the
assignment is 50/80. No exceptions to this policy will
be granted
except for extreme circumstances
that require official university documentation
or a predetermined arrangement between the student
and myself that is done prior
to the assignment due date. Late assignments must be turned in within
one
class day of the assignment due date to obtain any
credit.
Laptop/Cell
Phone/Electronic Device Policy:
No cell phones, computers, or other
electronic devices
are
to be used in this class when these devices are not being used in a way
that is
conducive for learning
what is being taught in class during a particular day or
time. Determining what is conducive will be left
up to the instructor's
discretion. The instructor retains the right to ask a student to leave
class if
they
exhibit this or any other behavior that is a
distraction to
learning for other students in the class.
Textbook Coverage: Chapters 2, 5-19 and other selected chapters as time permits.