Math 31003, Section 002

Spring 2025

Information on this syllabus is subject to change. Any updates will be posted to this site, and the class will be notified of any major updates by email or in class announcement. In particular, any required changes in course delivery, such as transition to remote delivery only, may necessitate significant modifications to this syllabus.

Homework assignments and important dates

Useful documents and links

• Professor Barton's notes on inverse functions, trigonometry, and exponentials (PDF file)

Course Information

Course Description: Basic combinatorial techniques including the study of the principle of inclusion and exclusion and generating functions. Additional topics may include modular arithmetic, algebraic coding theory, Polya’s method of enumeration, and an introduction to abstract algebraic structures.

Prerequisites: MATH 26103 (Discrete Mathematics) or MATH 28003 (Transition to Advanced Mathematics); pre- or corequisite MATH 30803 or MATH 30903 (Linear Algebra). Students should be familiar with the standard notation and properties of sets, functions, and relations.

Text: Discrete and Combinatorial Mathematics by Ralph P. Grimaldi, 5th edition, ISBN 9780321385024.

Notetaking: To benefit the most from in-class attendance, careful note-taking is essential. You may not understand the material that you see in class the first time that you see it, but research shows that the act of physically writing down notes on what you see helps your brain to retain and process the new information that you are seeing. This also gives you a resource to review after class and when you are doing homework and preparing for exams. If you find yourself falling behind, feel free to ask me to pause.

Course grade: Here is how I plan to weigh your grades:

Homework: Assignments will be posted to this website or to Blackboard. The due date and time will be clearly indicated. Each week you will be assigned a number of self-checked problems and a smaller number of graded problems. You may ask anyone for help with your homework, but you must write up your solutions on your own.

Self-checked problems will not be graded and need not be turned in. You will be able to check your answers by looking at the answers given in the back of the book. It is important that you do these problems; you will learn the material much better if you practice it by doing all problems, and material covered only on self-checked problems and not on instructor-corrected problems will still appear on the midterm tests and final exam.

Graded problems should be turned in on paper during class on the due date. We expect you to turn in your homework in class.

If you cannot make it to class on the day homework is due, you may:

• Give your homework to a classmate and have them turn it in on the due date.
• Turn in the completed homework during office hours or during an earlier class before it is due.
• Slide the completed homework under the instructor's door (SCEN 348) before the due date or before class on the due date.

• Ask for and receive permission to do so in advance, and explain why you cannot turn in a hard copy one or two days early.
• Send a document that will be legible after printing with a black-and-white printer. Generally, this will mean typing your homework, writing your homework on a tablet, or scanning your written homework with either a real scanner (many computer labs have them) or using an app such as TinyScanner (Apple, Android) that will legibly convert to black and white.
• Submit homework before class on the due date.

Late homework will not be accepted without prior permission, except in the case of a medical or other unforeseeable emergency, and documentation will be required.

I expect to have 11 assignments over the course of the semester; your lowest score (or two scores) will be dropped.

Tests: There will be three midterms tests and a final exam. I plan to hold midterm exams during class time on the dates indicated in the calendar above. The final exam will occur at the time and place indicated on UAConnect; this should be our regular classroom and should coincide with the time indicated on the registrar's website.

Students may use non-graphing calculators, one index card of notes (two on the final), and portable timepieces on exams. All other electronic devices, including watches that do anything other than tell the time and date, are prohibited.

Accommodations: If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact me privately at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. If you require accommodations on an exam, you must contact me at least one week before the exam is to be held.

Please note, for significant accommodations (such as extra time on exams) you must first verify your eligibility through the Center for Educational Access (contact 479–575-3104 or visit http://cea.uark.edu for more information on registration procedures). Some accommodations must be fulfilled using the CEA's resources. Minor accommodations (such as large print exams) are available to any student who requests them in a timely fashion.

Make-up exams: Make-up exam requests also require written documentation as to your conflict. Except in the case of medical or other unforeseen emergencies, make-up exam requests must be made at least one week before the exam is to be held. Make-up exams are at the instructor's discretion; if you do not provide a documented reason why you cannot take the exam at the usual time, if your reason is considered inadequate, or if your request for a make-up exam is not made in a timely fashion, I reserve the right to refuse a make-up exam or to assess a late penalty (deduction from your score).

As per the university policy, examples of absences that should be considered excusable include those resulting from the following: 1) disabilities documented by the CEA (see above under “Accommodations”); 2) illness of the student, 3) serious illness or death of a member of the student’s immediate family or other family crisis, 4) University-sponsored activities for which the student’s attendance is required by virtue of scholarship or leadership/participation responsibilities, 5) religious observances, 6) jury duty or subpoena for court appearance, and 7) military duty.

If you have three or more final exams scheduled for the same date, then under University policy you are entitled to reschedule one of your finals. If you wish to reschedule the final for our class, please notify me by email before the registrar's withdrawal deadline, and I will arrange for you to take a make-up final later in the week.

Make-up exams will be taken in the Mathematics Testing Center maintained by the MRTC. You will be allowed to take your exam on the scheduled exam date at any time when the Testing Center is open. You must finish your exam before the Testing Center closes; it is your responsibility to arrive early enough to allow this to happen.

Electronic devices: Cell phones, tablets, laptops, and other electronic devices may be used in class. The expectation is that these devices will be used for taking notes, routine calculations (i.e., calculator apps), accessing course materials, and other course-related uses only. Please do not text or play games in class!

Inclement weather policy: Class will meet unless the University is closed. On-campus students are expected to be present. Off-campus students should make their own decisions in the best interest of personal safety. Off-campus students will not be penalized for being absent on those days the Fayetteville Public Schools are closed due to weather.

If the University is closed due to inclement weather, our class will default to synchronous distance instruction; that is, I will deliver a lecture over Zoom. Students are encouraged to log in to Zoom and participate in lecture in real time (so that they may ask clarifying questions as necessary); however, a recording of the Zoom lecture will also be made available through Blackboard for any student unable to participate over Zoom.

If the University is closed due to inclement weather, office hours will be held over Zoom unless the instructor is without electricity or internet access.

If the University is closed on a day an exam is scheduled, the exam will be rescheduled to the first succeeding class period during which the University is open. A standard lecture covering new material will be held over Zoom, as described above, to make up the material that would have been covered on the new exam date.

If attendance is severely affected by weather, deadlines and exam dates may be adjusted. Please do not call the Department of Mathematical Sciences with weather-related inquiries. You may contact me for information.

Recording of Class Lectures: The lecture will be recorded on the room’s camera and recordings will be posted to Blackboard for student reference. These recordings are provided “as is” as a hopefully-useful supplement, but their availability and quality is not guaranteed and no make-up recordings or materials will be posted in the event of technical issues (such as the room's camera recording the wrong wall).

Students who need or particularly desire high-quality reliable recordings are allowed to record lectures with their own devices for their own use.

In addition, if the University is open but the weather is severe, a Zoom meeting will be opened during class so that students may participate remotely in real time.

By attending this class, the student understands the course may be recorded and consents to being recorded for official university educational purposes. Be aware that incidental recording may also occur before and after official class times. Recordings may include personally-identifiable comments submitted to the chat stream during class.

Department and University policies

Etiquette: Students and instructors each have an important role in maintaining a classroom environment optimal for learning, and are expected to treat each other with respect during class, using thoughtful dialogue, and keeping disruptive behaviors to a minimum. Both students and faculty perceive abusive language directed towards others as the most disruptive behavior. Other behaviors that can be disruptive are chatting and whispering during class, the use of smartphones or laptops for texting or in other ways unrelated to the course, preparing to leave before class is over, and consistently arriving late to class. Inappropriate behavior in the classroom may result in a request to immediately leave the classroom and/or a referral to the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct.

Academic honesty: Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. “As a core part of its mission, the University of Arkansas provides students with the opportunity to further their educational goals through programs of study and research in an environment that promotes freedom of inquiry and academic responsibility. Accomplishing this mission is only possible when intellectual honesty and individual integrity prevail.” Each University of Arkansas student is required to be familiar with and abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy, which may be found https://honesty.uark.edu/policy/index.php. Students with questions about how these policies apply to a particular course or assignment should immediately contact their instructor.

Inclement Weather Policy: Class will meet unless the University is closed. On-campus students are expected to be present. Off-campus students should make their own decisions in the best interest of personal safety. Off-campus students will not be penalized for being absent on those days the Fayetteville Public Schools are closed due to weather. If attendance is severely affected by weather, deadlines and exam dates may be adjusted. Please do not call the Department of Mathematical Sciences with weather-related inquiries. You may contact me for information.

Accommodations: Under University policy and federal and state law, students with documented disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations to ensure the student has an equal opportunity to perform in class. If any member of the class has such a disability and needs special academic accommodations, please report to the Center for Educational Access (CEA). Reasonable accommodations may be arranged after the CEA has verified your disability. Students who are registered with the Center for Educational Access must meet with the instructor by the end of the first week of class, or within one week of registering with CEA to discuss their accommodations. This must be done before you utilize your accommodations. Do not hesitate to contact your instructor if any assistance is needed in this process.

Communication: The best way to communicate with me (beyond coming to my office hours) is by email. You can expect a reply within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. Students are expected to monitor their uark email address regularly and consult the course Blackboard site for important announcements.

Intellectual Property: Notes, review material, exams, quizzes, videos or other learning material used in this class are the intellectual property of the instructor. Selling or freely sharing this content in electronic or written form is a violation of intellectual property rights and also constitutes a violation of the University’s academic integrity policy. Your continued enrollment in this class signifies your understanding of and your intent to abide by this policy. There are severe consequences for sharing class content online.

Emergency Procedures: Many types of emergencies can occur on campus; instructions for specific emergencies such as severe weather, active shooter, or fire can be found at https://safety.uark.edu/emergency-preparedness/.

Tutoring and help:

• For help with mathematics, especially with review of calculus or algebra, see the MRTC Tutoring Center located in Champions Hall (https://math.uark.edu/mrtc/)
• For generalized academic help, see the Student Success initiative (https://success.uark.edu/academic-initiatives/index.php)
• For hiring personal tutors: Tutor Request via the Department of Mathematical Sciences (https://math.uark.edu/about-the-department/forms/tutor-request.php)

Health and wellness: https://catalog.uark.edu/generalinfo/studentaffairs/#healthcentertext

Grade Disputes: The instructor is committed to keeping students informed of their standing in the class. Scores on all graded items will be posted in a timely manner. Students are expected to bring any possible errors to the attention of the instructor within one week of posting. This maintains an accurate grade record throughout the semester. All scores posted before Dead Day will be deemed accurate unless a possible error is brought to the attention of the instructor before the scheduled final exam.

Class Cancellation Policies & Procedures:

• Class cancellation by the University due to inclement weather-related delay/closure: In the event of an inclement weather delay, early dismissal, or closure, the instructor may conduct class over Zoom at the scheduled class time while the campus is closed for inclement weather but will not require a student to attend synchronously. Any class taught remotely while the campus is closed for inclement weather will be recorded and made available to all students in the class in the approved campus Learning Management System. Your instructor will provide students the opportunity to make up work due while the University is closed for inclement weather without penalty. If remote instruction is not used, the instructor will cancel class meetings altogether. Instead, alternative learning materials and assignments will be supplied, to make up the missing class days.
• Faculty absence due to medical or other emergency: Every effort will be made to arrange for a substitute if your instructor must take an emergency leave. If a substitute cannot be arranged, then your instructor may choose to teach classes remotely when they are able to do so, subject to appropriate university policies on remote instruction. If your instructor cancels class in case of an emergency (allowed per university policy https://provost.uark.edu/policies/185810.php), then your instructor will make up missed class time using recorded lectures, assignments, readings, instructional materials, or other alternative forms of instruction. Your instructor will send announcements promptly via email and posted to Blackboard. Each student will also get the opportunity to make up work that is due if class is impacted by an emergency.

Unauthorized Use of Class Recordings: These recordings may be used by students only for the purposes of the class. Students may not download, store, copy, alter, post, share, or distribute in any manner all or any portion of the class recording, (e.g. a 5- second clip of a class recording sent as a private message to one person is a violation of this provision). This provision may protect the following interests (as well as other interests not listed): faculty and university copyright; FERPA rights; and other privacy interests protected under state and/or federal law. Unauthorized recording, or transmission of a recording, of all or any portion of a class is prohibited unless the recording is necessary for educational accommodation as expressly authorized and documented through the Center for Educational Access with proper advance notice to the instructor. Unauthorized recordings may violate federal law, state law, and university policies. Student-made recordings are subject to the same restrictions as instructor-made recordings. Failure to comply with this provision will result in a referral to the Office of Student Standards and Conduct for potential charges under the Code of Student Life. In situations where the recordings are used to gain an academic advantage, it may also be considered a violation of the University of Arkansas’ academic integrity policy.

Incompletes: Only given in extreme circumstances, and only when the student has satisfactorily completed all but a small portion of the work in the course. Students must make prior arrangements with the professor well before the end of the semester.