580 -Syllabus

Mathematics 580: Topics in Set Theory: Combinatorial Set Theory.

Section 1.
Instructor: Andres Caicedo.
Time: MWF 3:40-4:30 pm.
Place: Education building, Room 330.
Office Hours: By appointment. See this page for details.

We will cover diverse topics in combinatorial set theory, depending on time and the interests of the audience, including partition calculus (a generalization of Ramsey theory), cardinal arithmetic, and infinite trees. Time permitting, we can also cover large cardinals, determinacy and infinite games, or cardinal invariants (the study of sizes of sets of reals), among others. I’m open to suggestions for topics. 

Recommended background: Knowledge of cardinals and ordinals. A basic course on set theory (like 502: Logic and Set Theory) would be ideal but is not required.

Textbook: There is no official textbook. The following suggested references may be useful, but are not required:

• Set theory. By T. Jech. Springer (2006), ISBN-10: 3540440852  ISBN-13: 978-3540440857
• Set theory. An introduction to independence proofs. By K. Kunen. North Holland (1983), ISBN-10: 0444868399  ISBN-13: 978-0444868398
• Set theory for the working mathematician. By K. Ciesielski. Cambridge U. Press (1997), ISBN-10: 0521594650  ISBN-13: 978-0521594653
• Set theory. By A. Hajnal and P. Hamburger. Cambridge U. Press (1999), ISBN-10: 052159667X  ISBN-13: 978-0521596671
• Discovering modern set theory. By W. Just and M. Weese. Vol I. AMS (1995), ISBN-10: 0821802666 ISBN-13: 978-0821802663. Vol II. AMS (1997), ISBN-10: 0821805282 ISBN-13: 978-0821805282
• Problems and theorems in classical set theory. By P. Komjath and V. Totik. Springer (2006), ISBN-10: 038730293X  ISBN-13: 978-0387302935
• Notes on set theory. By Y. Moschovakis. Springer (2005), ISBN-10: 038728723X  ISBN-13: 978-0387287232

Grading: Based on homework.

I will use this website to post any additional information, and encourage you to use the comments feature. If you leave a comment, please use your full name, which will simplify my life filtering spam out.

305 -Syllabus

Mathematics 305: Abstract Algebra I.

Section 1.
Instructor: Andres Caicedo.
Time: MWF 10:40-11:30 am.
Place: Education building, Room 221.
Office Hours: By appointment. See this page for details.

Text: Redfield, Robert H. Abstract Algebra. A concrete introduction. Addison Wesley, 2001. ISBN: 0-201-43721-X. If needed, I will provide references for additional topics not covered by the textbook.

Contents:  The usual syllabus for this course lists 

Introduction to abstract algebraic systems – their motivation, definitions, and basic properties. Primary emphasis is on group theory (permutation and cyclic groups, subgroups, homomorphism, quotient groups), followed by a brief survey of rings, integral domains, and fields.

275 -Syllabus

Math 275: Calculus III.

Instructor: Andres Caicedo.
Time: MTWF 9:40-10:30am.
Place: Mathematics/Geosciences building, Room 139.

Text: Hass, Weir, Thomas, University Calculus.

Contents: Chapters 10-14. I will frequently update this entry with more detailed week to week descriptions; if time allows it, additional topics than indicated may be covered.

• August 25-29: Review of Calculus I and II, Chapter 10 up to section 10.5.
• September 2-5: Remainder of section 10.5, 10.6, and beginning of 11.1.
• September 8-12: Sections 11.1-4.
• September 15-19: Remainder of Chapter 11.
• September 29-October 3:  Chapter 12 up to section 12.3.
• October 6-10: Remainder of 12.3, 12.4, 12.5,  and beginning of 12.6. 
• October 13-17: Sections 12.5-12.7 and beginning of 12.8.
• October 20-24: We will skip section 12.8. Sections 12.7, 12.9, 13.1.
• November 3-7: Chapter 13 until 13.7 if possible. `Mean value property’ of harmonic functions.
• November 10-14: Sections 13.6-13.8. General version of the Chain rule.
• November 17-21: Sections 14.1-14.4.
• December 1-5: Sections 14.3-14.6.

Prerequisites: 175 (Calculus II) or equivalent. Linear algebra would be desired but it is not required.

Exams: There will be 2 in-class exams and a comprehensive final exam.

• Exam 1: Friday September 26.
• Exam 2: Friday October 31.
• Final exam: Monday December 15, 10:30am-12:30pm.

Dates and times are non-negotiable. Failure to take a exam will be graded as a score of 0. There will be no make up for the final exam. For the in-class exams, a make up can be arranged if I am notified prior to the exam date and a valid reason is presented; keep in mind that make up exams will be more difficult than regular in-class exams.

Homework: There is weekly homework, due Tuesdays at the beginning of the class. I will frequently update this entry with each week’s homework assignment. No late homework will be graded. Failure to turn in a homework set corresponds to a score of 0. The lowest homework score will be dropped at the end of the term. Some homework sets will have a small amount of extra credit points.

• Homework 1, due Wednesday, September 3. Solve the following exercises: From section 10.2, #49, 53. From 10.3, #17, 18. From 10.4, #28. From 10.5, #22. Please explain (and show) all your work. Each exercise is worth 2 points. The set is worth 10 points, and you can get 2 extra credit points.
• Homework 2, due Tuesday, September 9. From section 10.5, solve exercises #45, 46, 64, 66. From section 10.6, exercises #1-12. From the practice exercises for chapter 10, #62. From the additional and advanced exercises for chapter 10, #18. Each exercise from section 10.5 is worth 1 point. The combined question from section 10.6 is worth 2 points. The other two exercises are worth 2 points each, for a total of 10 points. 
• Homework 3, due Tuesday, September 16. From section 11.1, exercises #20, 24. From 11.2, #14, 26. From 11.3, #14. From 11.4, #22. The set is worth 10 points, each exercise is worth 2 points, and you can get 2 extra credit points. Please turn in your homework at the beginning of lecture, not in the middle of lecture or at the end, not when you arrive to lecture if you arrive late. Starting with this homework set, I’ll be getting pickier on how you write your solutions. Please write them in a reasonable fashion so the person reading them can understand what you are doing without having to go check in the book what formula you are trying to use. Use words if necessary. A long string of equations and implications is not particularly readable, unless the reader already knows what you are trying to do, so try to make your solutions a bit more reader-friendly than they have been so far. This will also help you study later. You may lose points even if you have found the correct answer to an exercise but it is not written appropriately.
• Homework 4, due Tuesday, September 23. Same remarks as above apply. From section 11.5, solve exercises #8, 18, 26. From 11.6, #4. From the practice exercises for Chapter 11, #10. Each exercise is worth 2 points.   
• Homework 5, due Tuesday, October 7. Same remarks as before apply. Section 12.1, exercises 13-18, 44. Section 12.2, exercises 36, 54. Section 12.3, exercises 21, 22, 30. The exercises in section 12.3 are worth 1 point each, the combined exercise 12.1.13-18 is worth 3 points, the other exercises are worth 2 points each; there are two extra credit points.
• Homework 6, due Tuesday, October 14. Same remarks as before apply. Section 12.3, exercises 63, 66, 68, 74-77. Section 12.4, exercises 4, 10, 32, 42-44, 48, 50. This homework will be graded out of 10 points. Each exercise is worth 1 point. You can turn in as many exercises as you want. Indicate the ones you want to be extra credit problems. Of those, 2 will be chosen randomly to be graded, so you can have up to 2 extra credit points.
• Homework 7, due Tuesday, October 21. Same remarks as before apply. Section 12.5, exercises 6, 11, 16, 24, 28. Section 12.6, exercises 2, 6, 14, 18, 40, 56, 57. This homework will be graded out of 10 points. Each exercise is worth 1 point. You may obtain two extra credit points.
• Homework 8, due Tuesday, October 28. Same remarks as before apply. Section 12.7, exercises 2, 20, 36, 40, 44, 46. Section 12.9, exercises 4, 10, 12. Section 13.1, exercises 6, 24. This homework will be graded out of 10 points. Each exercise is worth 1 point. You may obtain one extra credit point.
• Homework 9, due Tuesday, November 11. Same remarks as before apply. Section 13.2, exercises 5, 17, 39, 47, 54. Section 13.3, exercises 13, 16, 21. Section 13.4, exercise 27, 36. Each exercise is worth 1 point.
• Homework 10, due Tuesday, November 18. The usual considerations apply. Section 13.5, exercises 4, 8, 19, 22, 30, 45. Section 13.6, exercises 6, 11, 24, 30. Section 13.7, exercises 13, 21, 37, 60, 78, 79. Section 13.8, exercises 1, 6, 16, 21. There are 20 exercises this week. Turn in at least 10. The remaining problems (at most 10) will be due together with a few additional exercises on December 2. Each exercise is worth 1 point.
• Homework 11, due Tuesday, December 2. The usual considerations apply. Turn in the problems listed for Homework 10  that you still have pending. Section 14.1, exercises 1-8, 12, 16, 29. Section 14.2, exercises 6, 8, 34, 41. Section 14.3, exercises 2, 6, 12, 17, 20, 34, 38. Section 14.4, exercises 2, 8, 18, 31-35. The combined exercises 14.1.1-8 count as a single problem. Besides the problems pending from last week, there are 23 exercises. Turn in at least 10 of these. The remaining problems (at most 13) will be due together with a few additional exercises on December 9. Each exercise is worth 1 point.
• Homework 12, due Tuesday, December 9. The usual considerations apply. Turn in the problems you still have pending. Each exercise is worth 1 point.

Grading:

• Homework: 60%.
• Exam 1: 10%.
• Exam 2: 10%.
• Final exam: 20%.

I will then grade on a linear scale:

• If your final score is 90% or higher, you receive an A.
• If it is between 80 and 89%, you receive a B.
• If it is between 70 and 79%, you receive a C.
• If it is between 60 and 69% you receive a D.
• If it is 59% or lower, you receive an F.
• There may be a small curve up if the distribution of scores warrants this. Plus and minus grades might be used for grades near the top or bottom of a grade range.

Attendance: Not required, but encouraged. I will use this website to post any additional information, and encourage you to use the comments feature, but I will not post here content covered in class. If you leave a comment, please use your full name, which will simplify my life filtering spam out.

175 -Syllabus

Math 175 Section 5: Calculus II.

Instructor: Andres Caicedo.
Time: MTWF 7:40-8:30am. (Ugh!)
Place: Business building, Room 217.

Text: Hass, Weir, Thomas, University Calculus.

Contents: Chapters 6-9. I will frequently update this entry with more detailed week to week descriptions. My general plan is a bit ambitious, and leaves a few additional hours free at the end of the semester, where additional topics could be covered. These hours will also act as a buffer in case some topics require more time than originally intended.

• August 25-29: Review of Calculus I, Sections 6.1, 6.2.
• September 2-5: Sections 6.3, 6.4, and half of 6.5.
• September 8-12: Remainder of Chapter 6, Sections 9.1 and half of 9.2. 
• September 15-19: Remainder of section 9.2, sections 9.3, 9.4, and half of 9.5.
• September 29-October 3: Chapter 7 up to 7.2.
• October 6-10: Sections 7.3, 7.4, 7.6.
• October 13-17: Sections 7.6, 7.7, 8.9 (only as it concerns to Taylor polynomials and the error terms of these approximations). The discussion of the error term in Simpson’s rule is based on the article “Simpson’s rule is exact for quintics” by Louis A. Talman, American Mathematical Monthly, vol 113 February 2006, pp. 144-155.
• October 20-24: Sections 7.7 and 8.1.
• November 3-7: Sections 8.1-4.
• November 10-14: Sections 8.3-5.  
• November 17-21: Sections 8.6-9.
• December 1-5: Section 8.7-8.10. 
• December 8-12: Uniform and pointwise convergence of power series, Wierstrass test, infinite products, additional material on the -series . 

Prerequisites: 170 (Calculus I) or equivalent.

Exams: There will be 2 in-class exams and a comprehensive final exam.

• Exam 1: Friday September 26. Should cover Chapters 6 and 9.
• Exam 2: Friday October 31. Should cover Chapters 7 and 8 (up to half of section 8.7).
• Final exam: Monday December 15, 8-10am.

Dates and times are non-negotiable. Failure to take a exam will be graded as a score of 0. There will be no make up for the final exam. For the in-class exams, a make up can be arranged if I am notified prior to the exam date and a valid reason is presented; keep in mind that make up exams will be more difficult than regular in-class exams.

Homework: There is weekly homework, due Tuesdays at the beginning of the class. I will frequently update this entry with each week’s homework assignment. No late homework will be graded. Failure to turn in a homework set corresponds to a score of 0. The lowest homework score will be dropped at the end of the term. Some homework sets will have a small amount of extra credit points.

• Homework 1, due Wednesday September 3: From section 6.1, solve exercises 8, 15, 35. From section 6.2, solve exercises 14, 24. Please display all your work, not just the final answer, and explain what you are doing rather than making me guess what you are trying to do. Each exercise is worth 2 points.
• Homework 2, due Tuesday September 9: From section 6.3, solve exercises 14, 30. From section 6.4, exercise 28. From section 6.5, exercises 4, 8, 13, 18, 32, 34. From the practice exercises for chapter 6 (beginning in page 444), exercise 24. Each exercise is worth 1 point.  
• Homework 3, due Tuesday, September 16: From section 6.5, exercises #25, 36. From 6.6, #2, 33. From 6.7, #8, 30. From 9.1, #2, 26, 30, 34. From 9.2, #2. The set is worth 10 points, each exercise is worth 1 point, and you can get 1 extra credit point. Please turn in your homework at the beginning of lecture, not in the middle of lecture or at the end, not when you arrive to lecture if you arrive late. Starting with this homework set, I’ll be getting pickier on how you write your solutions. Please write them in a reasonable fashion so the person reading them can understand what you are doing without having to go check in the book what formula you are trying to use. Use words if necessary. A long string of equations and implications is not particularly readable, unless the reader already knows what you are trying to do, so try to make your solutions a bit more reader-friendly than they have been so far. This will also help you study later. You may lose points even if you have found the correct answer to an exercise but it is not written appropriately.
• Homework 4, due Tuesday, September 23. Same remarks as above apply. From section 9.2, solve exercsies #12, 24. From 9.3, #23, 30. From 9.4, #26, 44, 69. From 9.5, #38. From the practice section of Chapter 9, #17-24. Each exercise is worth 1 point, except for the combined exercise 17-24, which is worth 2 points.
• Homework 5, due Tuesday, October 7. Same remarks as before apply. Section 7.1, exercises 20, 30, 32, 42. Section 7.2, exercise 40. Section 9.3, exercise 23. Each problem is worth 2 points; there are 2 extra credit points.
• Homework 6, due Tuesday, October 14. Same remarks as before apply. Section 7.2, exercises 24, 32, 38, 42. Section 7.3, exercises 4, 11 32, 39. Section 7.4, exercises 4, 8, 12, 16, 26, 38, 46. Each exercise is worth 1 point.
• Homework 7, due Tuesday, October 21. Same remarks as before apply. Section 7.4, exercise 50. Section 7.6, exercises 6, 10, 24, 27, 34. Practice Exercises for Chapter 7, exercises 46, 48, 98. Section 8.9, exercises 41, 42, 44. Each exercise is worth 1 point, and you may obtain two extra credit points.
• Homework 8, due Tuesday, October 28. Same remarks as before apply. Section 7.7, exercises 11, 20, 32, 42, 50, 65, 74. Section 8.1, exercises 2, 8, 11, 12, 16, 42, 49, 81. Solve as many problems as you want; of those, up to 12 will be chosen randomly and graded. Each exercise is worth 1 point, so you may obtain two extra credit points.
• Homework 9, due Tuesday, November 11. Same remarks as before apply. Solve at least 10 of the following problems; the others will be due as part of Homework 10. Do not use the solutions manual for any of these problems. Section 8.1, exercises 86, 88, 127. Also, the following exercise: Starting with a given , define the subsequent terms of a sequence by setting . Determine whether the sequence  converges, and if it does, find its limit. More precisely: You must indicate for which values of  the sequence diverges, and for which it converges, and for those that converges, you must identify the limit, that may again depend on . You may want to try studying the sequence with different initial values of  (choose a large range of possible values) to get a feeling for what is going on. Section 8.2; exercises 14, 22, 38, 40 (do not use a calculator for this one; you can use that  if necessary), 64-68, 71. Section 8.3; exercises 26, 35, 41, 43, 44.
• Homework 10, due Tuesday, November 18. The usual considerations apply. Do not use the solutions manual for any of these problems. Turn in the problems listed for Homework 9  that you still have pending. Also: Section 8.4, exercises 3, 12, 23, 26, 35, 38, 40. Section 8.5, exercises 4, 8, 10, 25, 31, 34, 44, 47. Besides the exercises you have pending from last week, there are 15 new problems. Turn in the exercises you have pending, and at least 7 of the new problems. The others (at most ) will be due December 2, together with the additional exercises for that week. Each exercise is worth 1 point.
• Homework 11, due Tuesday, December 2, at the beginning of lecture. The usual considerations apply. Do not use the solutions manual for any of these problems. Turn in the problems listed for Homework 10  that you still have pending. Section 8.6, exercises 8, 25, 28, 37, 60. Section 8.7, exercises 2, 4, 39-48. Besides the exercises you have pending from last week, there are 17 new problems. Turn in the exercises you have pending, and at least 10 of the new problems. The others (at most 7) will be due December 9, together with the additional exercises for that week. Each exercise is worth 1 point.
• Homework 12, due Tuesday, December 9, at the beginning of lecture. The usual considerations apply. Do not use the solutions manual for any of these problems. Turn in the problems you still have pending. Also: Section 8.8, exercise 28; section 8.9, exercise 40; section 8.10, exercise 19. 

Grading:

• Homework: 60%.
• Exam 1: 10%.
• Exam 2: 10%.
• Final exam: 20%.

I will then grade on a linear scale:

• If your final score is 90% or higher, you receive an A.
• If it is between 80 and 89%, you receive a B.
• If it is between 70 and 79%, you receive a C.
• If it is between 60 and 69% you receive a D.
• If it is 59% or lower, you receive an F.
• There may be a small curve up if the distribution of scores warrants this. Plus and minus grades might be used for grades near the top or bottom of a grade range.

Attendance: Not required, but encouraged. I will use this website to post any additional information, and encourage you to use the comments feature, but I will not post here content covered in class. If you leave a comment, please use your full name, which will simplify my life filtering spam out.

Core outcomes: In this class you will be assessed on a wide range of skills. Among these, the following make Math 175 a part of the University Core. By the end of the course, you should be able to:

1. Identify and appropriately apply different integration techniques.
2. Express solutions using (reasonably) correct mathematical language.
3. Know that integration is an inverse operation to differentiation, and can be used to measure lengths, areas, and volumes, among others.
4. Formally manipulate power series and justify rigorously these manipulations.
5. Solve (separable) differential equations using the integration techniques covered throughout the course, and to express some of these solutions in terms of power series.

116c: Mathematical Logic (Set Theory) – Syllabus

Math 116c. Tuesday, Thursday 2:30-4:00 pm. 151 Sloan. 

Instructor: Andres Caicedo, caicedo at caltech dot edu, 384 Sloan
Office Hours: By appointment

Grader: Todor Tsankov, todor at caltech dot edu, 260 Sloan
Office Hours: Monday 3-4pm

Math 116 provides an introduction to the basic concepts and results of mathematical logic and set theory. Math 116C will be devoted to set
theory. This is formalized following Cantor’s approach of considering ordinals and cardinals; we will present the Zermelo-Fraenkel axioms, explain how different mathematical theories can be modelled inside the set theoretic universe, and discuss the role of the axiom of choice. Once these basic settings have been studied, we will present different combinatorial results and describe Gödel’s constructible universe.

Grading Policy: The grade for this course will be based on homework assignments. There will be no exams.
Solutions to homework problems should be written individually, although collaboration is allowed unless otherwise stated. All references used to solve a problem should be explicitly mentioned, including those students you collaborated with. You cannot look up solutions from any source.
No late submissions of solutions are allowed, except for medical problems (note needed from the health center) or serious personal difficulties (note needed from the Deans office).

Please try to solve as many problems as it seems reasonable from each set.
Let me know if you find some problems to be too hard or too easy or to contain mistakes. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Textbook: There is no required textbook. The following suggested references may be useful:

• Set theory for the working mathematician. By K. Ciesielski. Cambridge U. Press (1997), ISBN-10: 0521594650  ISBN-13: 978-0521594653
• Set theory. By A. Hajnal and P. Hamburger. Cambridge U. Press (1999), ISBN-10: 052159667X  ISBN-13: 978-0521596671
• Set theory. By T. Jech. Springer (2006), ISBN-10: 3540440852  ISBN-13: 978-3540440857
• Discovering modern set theory. By W. Just and M. Weese. Vol I. AMS (1995), ISBN-10: 0821802666 ISBN-13: 978-0821802663
  Vol II. AMS (1997), ISBN-10: 0821805282 ISBN-13: 978-0821805282
• Problems and theorems in classical set theory. By P. Komjath and V. Totik. Springer (2006), ISBN-10: 038730293X  ISBN-13: 978-0387302935
• Set theory. An introduction to independence proofs. By K. Kunen. North Holland (1983), ISBN-10: 0444868399  ISBN-13: 978-0444868398
• Notes on set theory. By Y. Moschovakis. Springer (2005), ISBN-10: 038728723X  ISBN-13: 978-0387287232

Additional references will be provided throughout the course.

116b- Syllabus

Math 116 provides an introduction to the basic concepts and results of mathematical logic and set theory. Math 116B will be devoted to computability theory and the incompleteness theorems.

(Additional topics may include the behavior of countable models and Hilbert’s 10th problem.)

Our approach to incompleteness will be somewhat non-standard and will allow us to discuss subsystems of second-order arithmetic.

Grading Policy: The grade for this course will be based on homework assignments. There will be no exams.

Solutions to homework problems should be written individually, although collaboration is allowed. All references used to solve a problem should be explicitly mentioned, including those students you collaborated with. You cannot look up solutions from any source.

No late submissions of solutions are allowed, except for medical problems (note needed from the health center) or serious personal difficulties (note needed from the Dean’s office).

Please try to solve as many problems as it seems reasonable from each set. Let me know if you find some problems to be too hard or too easy or to contain mistakes. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Textbook: There is no required textbook. The following suggested references may be useful:

R. Cori and D. Lascar. Mathematical logic. A course with Exercises (Part II), OUP, 2001, ISBN 0198500505

T. Franzén. Inexhaustibility, ASL (A K Peters), ISBN 0198500505 J. Shoenfield. Mathematical logic, ASL (A K Peters), ISBN 1568811352S. Simpson. Subsystems of second order arithmetic, Springer, ISBN 3540648828

117b – References

There won’t be a required textbook. In lecture, I will mention references according to the topics being discussed. General references that may be useful are:

The incompleteness phenomenon, by M. Goldstern and H. Judah. AK Peters (1998), 1-56881-093-8

Hilbert’s tenth problem, by Y. Matiyasevich. MIT Press (1993), 0-262-13295-8 or 978-0-262-13295-4

Mathematical logic, by J. Shoenfield. ASL (2001), 1-56881-149-7

117b – Grading Policy

Grading will be based on Homework assignments. There will be no exams.

Solutions to homework problems should be written individually, although collaboration is allowed. All references used to solve a problem should be explicitly mentioned, including those students you collaborated with. However, you cannot look up solutions from any source (including other students, earlier years’ solution sets, books, etc).

No late submissions of solutions are allowed, except for medical problems (note needed from the health center) or serious personal difficulties (note needed from the Dean’s office).

Please, and this is very important, make sure that what you turn in is your final solution, as opposed to a draft or your scratch work. Be neat and professional about the appearance of your work. However, if you cannot find a complete solution to a problem, turn in a partial solution, indicating what is missing. Again, this does not mean that you can turn in your scratch work for problems you only have partially completed, but make clear at the beginning of your solution that you did not finish the problem.  

117b – About this course

We continue the introduction to the basic mathematical theory of computation. The term will roughly cover three topics.

First, we will introduce the notion of relative computability, use this to define the structure of Turing degrees, and proceed to prove a few structural results about .

Second, we will study the connection between undecidability, mathematical logic, and number theory;  in particular, we will provide proofs of Gödel’s incompleteness theorems and of the undecidability of Hilbert’s tenth problem.

Finally, we will discuss examples of undecidability arising in diverse areas of mathematics and computer science.