Mathematics (MATH)

Beginning the Study of Mathematics

There are many ways to begin the study of the mathematical sciences at Mount Holyoke College. Students can begin with calculus, an introduction to statistics or data analysis, an “explorations” course, or computer science.

Calculus isn’t for everyone, but it is recommended or required for many majors and graduate programs, including economics, statistics, and most pure and applied sciences. Students who intend to study calculus at Mount Holyoke are strongly encouraged to complete precalculus (or a comparable course) before they arrive. (No Mount Holyoke credit is given for precalculus courses taken at other institutions.)

Students who are planning to take beginning calculus are required to complete a brief self-assessment on precalculus skills. Sample questions, with answers, are available on the department’s Web page, http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/math. Competency in these basic skills is very important in quantitative courses throughout the Mount Holyoke curriculum, and students can profit from addressing any weaknesses before arriving on campus. The department also offers a noncredit mathematics refresher during January Term. The actual self-assessment is available to all entering students and all students preregistering for calculus. It is designed so that a student can use it as a learning tool, taking it as many times as she wishes, and getting pointers to appropriate review materials for the questions she misses. More information is on the department’s Web page.

Beginning with Calculus. Many students begin their study of mathematics with calculus. If your interests lie in science or social science, calculus is important, because it is the language these disciplines use. Unlike many high school calculus courses, ours emphasize not only technical skills but also the concepts of calculus, the contexts in which the mathematical ideas arise, and realistic applications. Mastering the subject at this deeper level can be hard work, but the rewards are great, as students acquire meaningful, practical knowledge.

If you wish to begin with a calculus course, you can take one of the following courses:

Mathematics 100 A and B, Enriched Calculus IA and IB; Mathematics 101, Calculus I; Mathematics 202, Calculus II; or Mathematics 203, Calculus III.

Mathematics 100 A and B, Enriched Calculus IA and IB: This yearlong course includes the topics in Mathematics 101, Calculus I. It is intended for students who, based on the results of their precalculus assessment and the agreement of the instructor, need to strengthen their quantitative and algebraic precalculus skills in order to learn calculus.

Students who have not studied calculus and who have the necessary precalculus background belong in Calculus I. Because some sections of Calculus I differ significantly from traditional high school calculus, it has been our experience that students who “start over,” in order to ease the transition into college, initially may have more difficulty in Calculus I than beginners. However, students who take Calculus I expecting and welcoming new ideas have found it rich and rewarding.

Most students who have taken calculus in high school begin with Calculus II. In particular, if you have studied the derivative and its applications and have been introduced to the definite integral, you will be prepared for Calculus II.

If you have a good knowledge of applications of integration and of transcendental functions, and if you enjoy mathematics, we encourage you to begin your college-level study of calculus with Calculus III (203). (The study of series is neither required for nor included in Calculus III. Physics and mathematics students will encounter this topic in later courses.)

Beginning the study of calculus beyond 101 does not require the advanced placement examination, although the score on this examination is a useful guide. A student with an advanced placement AB score of 3 or less should consider Mathematics 101, Calculus I; an advanced placement AB score of 4 or 5 or a BC score of 3 indicates readiness for 202; a grade of 4 or 5 on the BC examination indicates readiness for 203.

Other Beginnings. The “explorations” courses in algebra, number theory, geometry, fractals and chaos, and cryptology (110,114,120,125, 139) offer another way to begin your study of mathematics. They emphasize mathematics as an art and as a way of seeing and understanding. The exploration courses do not presuppose special talent for or prior strong interest in mathematics. They intend to awaken interest by demonstrating either the remarkable pervasiveness of mathematics in nature and its power as a tool that transcends disciplines, or its qualities as an art that can fascinate and offer aesthetic pleasure to the participant.  Any explorations course can serve as an entry to the further study in mathematics, and even to a minor or a major.  Students who wish to go on may follow up with the Laboratory in Mathematical Experimentation (251), among various other possibilities, all of which can be discussed with any member of the Department.  At least two and usually three of these exploration courses are offered each year.

A few students begin their study of mathematics with Linear Algebra (211) or the Laboratory in Mathematical Experimentation (251). Linear Algebra is a good choice for students who have a very solid background in high school mathematics and who enjoy abstraction. If you have taken some calculus, and if you enjoy exploring ideas on your own, then you might consider the Laboratory in Mathematical Experimentation (251).

Finally, some students begin their study of mathematical sciences with statistics or computer science. For more information see the sections on statistics and computer science in this catalogue.

First-year students may consider enrolling in:

MATH-100Af	Enriched Calculus IA
MATH-100Bs	Enriched Calculus IB
MATH-101fs	Calculus I
MATH-110f	Explorations in Algebra
MATH-160f	Introductory Seminar in Mathematics: Mathematics and Music
MATH-202fs	Calculus II
MATH-203fs	Calculus III
MATH-211fs	Linear Algebra
MATH-232s	Discrete Mathematics
MATH-251fs	Lab: Math Experimentation