Prove It!

Catalog description

A useful course for students who wish to improve their skills in mathematical proof and exposition, or who intend to study more advanced topics in mathematics. The methodology of proof provides a central tool for confirming the validity of mathematical assertions, functioning much as the experimental method does in the physical sciences. We will study various methods of mathematical proof, starting with basic techniques in propositional and predicate calculus and in set theory and combinatorics, then moving to applications and illustrations of these via topics in one or more of the three main pillars of mathematics: algebra, analysis, and geometry. Because cogent communication of mathematical ideas is important in the presentation of proofs, the course emphasizes clear, concise exposition.