Bonus Assignment 1

Read a Book About Math

HW
Due: Wed, Apr 29, 11:59 pm

Read a Book About Math

Introduction

Admittedly, many of you are taking this course because it is required. There are various reasons why the university requires this course, but things we do because we have to are not always fun.

People often say that math is important, but it can be difficult to see why. Finding your own motivation for learning something is crucial; when you care about what you are doing, your effort is more rewarding and your learning becomes more effective.

For this reason, I am offering a bonus assignment in which you read a book that highlights how mathematics and mathematical thinking are useful in everyday life. Linear algebra plays a fundamental role in many of these phenomena. More broadly, studying mathematics (such as calculus, probability, or linear algebra) develops your ability to think mathematically and logically—skills that are valuable far beyond this course.

Other Books

If you would like to read a different book for this bonus assignment, please ask for approval in advance.

Submission

  • Write a short article about the book you read (roughly one page, but not strictly limited).
    • Reflect on your personal experience with the book.
    • If you liked it, recommend it to friends who have not read it.
    • If you did not like it, feel free to criticize the book or suggest improvements.
  • Include a few exact sentences from the book that you found particularly meaningful, and explain why you chose them.
  • Warning: AI tools are very bad at reproducing exact sentences from books and often make them up. This means you really do need to read the book.
  • Upload your article to the Canvas assignment Bonus Assignment 1. The format can be anything (DOCX, PDF, plain text, etc.).
  • Also upload your article as a comment on the Canvas Discussion Bonus Assignment 1 to share it with your classmates.

Grading

  • +1% bonus for any genuine submission based on a book.
  • +1% additional bonus if all requirements above are met.
  • 0% bonus if it is clear that the book was not read, after a brief Zoom call to confirm.