Instructor: Tom Zaslavsky
Office: LN 2231
E-mail: zaslav@math.binghamton.edu
Office hours (open for business without appointment):
To be announced.
You will find additions and corrections to the textbook on the announcements page. Check regularly because there are important things to know there. Also look there if you see something strange in the book or assignment.
Also see Homework below.
There will be 450 course points.
Midterm Test (date TBA) 100 points Final Exam (final exam week): 150 points Homework: for handing in assignments, 60 points for correctness (your HW point total), 140 points Class participation: some bonus points
We meet on M, W, F for lectures and class discussion of graph theory, including homework problems. Discussion is a main part of the course (and fun; at least I always like hearing students' ideas).
Attendance is expected every day; if you have a problem and miss class, let me know about it.
You are responsible for everything covered in class and for all assigned readings and problems. NO MAKEUPS will normally be allowed on tests, but I will use my discretion. If you miss a test be prepared to document the reason. If you have a question about any grade, you must see me before the next test.
There may or may not be quizzes, and they may or may not be announced in advance. No makeups on quizzes.
No early finals under any circumstances.
Advice about solving problems (tests and homework): Often there are several ways to solve a problem. Some may be faster than others. Your ability to find efficient solutions will be a factor in taking tests. If you find inefficient, long solutions to some problems, you may not have enough time to finish a test. This is not speed, it is knowing how to find good ways of solving problems. You develop this by practice. Keep it in mind!
Homework assignments will appear gradually, as we work through the course.
Many problems will not be graded; they will be discussed in class (as time allows). (You may ask about any problem, not necessarily assigned: again, as time allows.) I'll specify a few hand-in problems that will be collected and some graded; they will not be discussed until after they are returned.
HW grading system: There are two parts: the number of assignments handed in, and the grade you receive on each. In the grade for correctness, each problem (with an occasional exception) has 4 "HW points".
I expect all answers to be fully justified (unless my instructions say otherwise). A "HW point" is worth about 0.1 course point, so don't worry about a point on the homework, but do worry if you don't understand how to solve the problem or how it was graded. Then come and discuss it with me.
For other rules and advice, see the homework page.
I'll ask everyone to present HW problems in class. (If you have any problem with this, please see me soon to make alternative arrangements.) You need not be correct, but you must have made a good try. If you are absent or not ready the first time I call you, I'll call on you the next week.