2016-2017 Official General Catalog [Archived Catalog]
|
MAT 115 - Mathematics for General Education I
This course is the first course of a two-course sequence designed to satisfy the SUNY General Education Requirements at the baccalaureate level. It provides an interdisciplinary approach to quantitative literacy, critical thinking and the relevance of mathematics in society. Prescribed topics include analysis of propositions, assumptions and inductive and deductive arguments, the basic principles of counting, the laws of probability and introductory descriptive and inferential statistics. Computer technology will be used throughout the course to explore these concepts and to prepare a presentation on a related topic in the student’s field of study. The SUNY GER in mathematics is satisfied only upon completion of both MAT 115 and MAT 116.
Prerequisite- Corequisite
Prerequisite: MAT 092 Foundations for College Mathematics II or MAT 093 Integrated Arithmetic and Basic Algebra, or equivalent
Credits: 3
Hours
3 Class Hours
Course Profile
Learning Outcomes of the Course:
Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1. Use e-mail.
2. Use electronic spreadsheet.
3. Use the Internet.
4. Use electronic presentation software.
5. Give examples of how math can be used to solve problems in everyday life and in his/her discipline.
6. Apply general principles and guidelines to critical thinking in everyday life.
7. Distinguish between and analyze inductive and deductive arguments.
8. Use symbols of logic to work with propositions and truth values.
9. Determine the validity of an argument.
10. Use set operations and Venn diagrams to evaluate categorical propositions.
11. Apply principles of counting including permutations and combinations.
12. Distinguish between theoretical, empirical, and subjective probabilities.
13. Determine theoretical probabilities.
14. Specify probability distribution.
15. Calculate probabilities for independent events, dependent events, non-overlapping events, overlapping events.
16. Calculate conditional probability.
17. Use trees for counting and probability applications.
18. Calculate and interpret expected values.
19. Explain the difference between a population and a sample, a parameter and a statistic.
20. Find the mean, mode, median and range of a data set.
21. Construct boxplots, histograms and scatterplots.
22. Find the standard deviation of a set of numbers.
23. Describe a normal distribution and conditions under which it can be expected.
24. Understand and apply the empirical rule for the normal distribution.
25. Use a standard score table for normal distribution.
26. Understand and apply the law of averages.
27. Understand the concept of statistical significance.
28. Understand how a margin of error arises from sampling distribution.
29. Use a linear regression analysis and test the correlation coefficient.
30. Calculate a confidence interval for the mean of a population.
This course prepares students to meet the Mathematics General Education requirement.
In the context of the course objectives listed above, upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1. Interpret and draw inferences from mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables and schematics.
2. Represent mathematical information symbolically, visually, numerically and verbally.
3. Employ quantitative methods such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, or statistics to solve problems.
4. Estimate and check mathematical results for reasonableness.
5. Recognize the limitations of mathematical and statistical methods.
|
