OLET2606: Intensive October - November, 2022

University home

Library

Current students

Staff intranet

Find an event

Give

Current students

Units OLET2606 Intensive October - November 2022 [Block mode]

Unit outline_

OLET2606: Origins of Mathematics

Intensive October - November, 2022 [Block mode] - Remote

Overview

The roots of mathematical thought reach as far back as the beginnings of human history, and many of the foundational ideas behind the modern standards of proof and scientific inquiry were conceived thousands of years ago. This OLE is an introductory course in the history of mathematics and its applications in the development of modern civilisation. You will learn about number systems of early indigenous Australian societies and discover the arithmetic and applied mathematics of the ancient Egyptians that made the construction of their great works possible. You will explore ancient Greek mathematics, from Pythagoras to Euclid and Archimedes, and their role in the development of contemporary science. You will learn how the ancestors of today’s numerals were conceived in India and made their way to Arab and Medieval European mathematics. You will study the Medieval mathematical understanding of the infinite. You will study primary source documents, such as the Ahmes and Moscow Papyri and Euclid’s foundational work Elements and conduct further research on a topic of your choice. By completing this unit, you will develop quantitative reasoning skills, and enhance your ability to read mathematical and technical text. You will gain a deeper understanding of the methods of mathematics and science, and how historical ideas underpin modern mathematical thought and reasoning. In your final essay, you will explore a historical mathematical topic of your choosing and use your newly attained knowledge to also review and provide feedback on the essay of one of your peers.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Mathematics and Statistics Academic Operations
Credit points	2
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	HSC Mathematics or equivalent and familiarity with basic scientific method
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Daniel Daners, daniel.daners@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Alan Hotham, alan.hotham@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Online task	Module 1-2 quizzes Untimed, repeatable Canvas quizzes.	25%	Multiple weeks	2x60 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Workshop Active Participation Active participation in the workshop.	10%	Ongoing	5 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Timed Canvas quiz Timed quiz summarising online material	15%	Week 05 Due date: 18 Nov 2022 at 15:00	60 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay Essay on a chosen topic, mark includes draft and peer review task.	50%	Week 07 Due date: 04 Dec 2022 at 23:59	4 weeks
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

25% Canvas self-grading quizzes repeatable; 15% Canvas timed quiz (one time only); 10% active participation in the Workshop; 50% Essay, including peer-review task.

Assessment criteria

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distiction	85-100	You demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard.
Distinction	75-84	You demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard.
Credit	65-74	You demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard.
Pass	50-64	You demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard.
Fail	0-49	You don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

For Essay, 5% each day late.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity	Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks	Early History of Mathematics	Independent study (40 hr)
Week 04	Early History of Mathematics	Workshop (5 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance at the workshop is mandatory and participation is part of the assessment.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 2 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 40-50 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

See Canvas Modules and eReserve.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Recount and explain the early history of mathematics (Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, Islamic, and Medieval European).
LO2. Analyse how the modern scientific method is rooted in thousands of years of discovery by cultures that differ profoundly from ours.
LO3. Analyse how classical techniques - engineering, geometric constructions, axiomatic methods, notational conventions - are still applicable today, and how they set the stage for scientific thinking.
LO4. Read and synthesise material about elementary - pre-calculus - mathematics and its history

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Workshop has been split between two days to alleviate "Zoom fatigue". The essay length has been reduced to better fit in a 2cp workload.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect