Core Studies 5

Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning and Computer Science

3 hours; 3 credits

Mathematical reasoning, formal mathematical systems, algorithms, and problem-solving. The nature of the computer and the use of computers in problem-solving. Introduction to computer programming.

(Not open to students who are enrolled in, or have completed, any course in Computer and Information Science or to students who have completed a Mathematics course numbered 3.20 or higher with a grade of C or higher.)

Prerequisite: A high school course in intermediate algebra or Course 2 of the New York State Sequential Mathematics Curriculum, or Mathematics 0.35 or 0.44 with a grade of at least C, or Mathematics 0.36 or 0.04, or the equivalent.

Rationale

This course develops students' abilities to reason precisely and to express and analyze real-world problems in mathematical terms. It provides opportunities for students to explore the powerful concepts of a mathematical proof and of an algorithm, and to learn a variety of formal methods and problem-solving strategies.

An understanding of the nature of a computer and of computer programs emerges. Students are given hands-on experience formulating solutions to problems, and writing and running simple computer programs to implement algorithms.

The course develops methods of reasoning that will be useful in other courses in the curriculum. It also reinforces connections between computer science and mathematics by applying the techniques and power of computing to solve mathematical problems, and by making concrete the notion of formalization, whether of a mathematical concept in a proof or of an algorithm in a program.


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