Course Description

Course Objective:

This is an inquiry course, where students are expected to study relevant aspects of the history and development of important mathematical concepts and ideas in a scientific and cultural context.

Some reference books:

• "Mathematics and its History" by John Stillwell,  Springer Verlag. (I like this book)
  
• "The History of Mathematics" by David Burton, McGraw-Hill, 4th ed. (This was a textbook that I used a few years ago)
  
• "An Introduction to the History of Mathematics" by Howard Eves, 6th ed. (I actually don't have this book)
  
• "A History of Mathematics" by Carl Boyer,  Princeton University Press.
• "A concise History of Mathematics" by Dirk Struik,  Dover.
• "God created the integers" : edited by Stephen Hawking, Running Press, 2005. (a collection of beautiful original articles by the Masters, translated into English)
  

Some interesting pages about the history of mathematics on the internet:

• http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/
• http://www.math.tamu.edu/%7Edallen/masters/hist_frame.htm 

You are expected to exhibit honesty and use ethical behaviour in all aspects of the learning process. Academic credentials you earn are rooted in principles of honesty and academic integrity. Academic dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way that results or could result in unearned academic credit or advantage. This behaviour can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty), and/or suspension or expulsion from the university. It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For information on the various types of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, located at http://www.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrity

The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:

1.  Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one's own or for which other credit has been obtained.

2.  Improper collaboration in group work.

3.  Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.