Home, 12/18 (last message)
The course is over and the grades are in! You can see exam statistics on the "scores and docs" page, including the distribution of the final grades.

I enjoyed teaching this course - special thanks to students who participated in class discussion - you always make my job easier and more enjoyable!

Have a wonderful break!
(scroll down for previous messages)


Home, 12/8
The final exam has been moved to Thursday at 1:30PM in Faculty Hall 303 (with my Calculus 3 class).

The problems on the final exam will come from the problems on the previous three exams, as described in final exam problem list. I chose the problems from among the ones that did not routinely get solved on the three exams. I know this is harder, but you have the benefit of knowing the problems ahead of time, plus, I didn't want people circumvening the harder problems by selecting the easier ones. Furthermore, the scores on the last two exams were pretty dismal, so some of those problems deserve another look.

If you need to see me, here are my office hours for finals week:
Monday 10:00-3:00, Tuesday 11:00-2:00, Wednesday 10:00-3:00, Thursday 10:00-1:30

I'll see you at the final exam! Good luck on finals!


 Home, 11/26
Exam 3 is scheduled for the Thursday during the last week of class. It will cover sections 5.1-5.3, 6.1, 6.2.

The homework assignment for 6.1 and 6.2 and the test knowledge sheet for exam 3 have been posted. One more homework - for sections 6.1 and 6.2 - will be due by the final exam.

Have a great Thanksgiving!


 Home, 11/15
After exam 2, you may take a breather.

 I anticipate to have the homework assignment for chapters 5 and 6 up soon. Until then, if you'd like to look ahead, check out problems in section 5.1.




 Home, 11/8
Exam 2 is scheduled for Thursday, covering sections 3.1-3.4, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.4. Come with some questions to discuss on Tuesday.

As requested, on the "scores and docs" page I have posted all the exams from my previous topology course, which used a different book where the material was ordered differently. Consider these simply to be "supplementary problems" rather than a sample of what may come on our exam.

As everyone is looking ahead to final grades, I have updated the grade computer page to reflect the grade structure in this course. Try it! Enter your information, see what you current overall grade is, enter hypothetical exam 2 and 3 grades to see what your final grade may be and whether it could be improved by taking the final exam.


 Home, 11/1
We'll discuss homework in 4.1, 4.2 and 4.4 on Tuesday, with the homework due on Thursday. The homework assignment will appear here soon.

Exam 2, covering sections 3.1-3.4, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.4 is planned for Tuesday of week after next. I should have the "test knowledge" sheet by Monday. The exam will have the same format as the first exam.

 Home, 10/25
We'll discuss homework in 3.3 and 3.4 on Tuesday, with the homework due on Thursday.


 Home, 10/21
We'll discuss homework in 3.1 and 3.2 on Tuesday, with the homework due on Thursday.


 Home, 10/11
After the exam, everyone can take a breather... Check out homework in 3.1 if you would like to look ahead.


 Home, 10/4
Homework in 2.5 and 8.1 is due on Tuesday. Recall that I will not be able to grade more than 60 points' worth of homework per section (I will go in order problems are written until 60 points are reached).

Exam 1 is scheduled for Thursday, covering sections 2.1-2.5 and 8.1. No questions will directly address sections 1.1-1.5, but proficiency in material from those sections is necessary for chapter 2.

The exam will have 3 theory questions (definitions or theorems) and then a selection of problems divided into types A, B and C, like on homework. You will have to do five problems, at least one of which is type B or C (two if you are graduate student).

On the "scores and docs" page, or by following the "test knowledge" link at right, you can find a sheet detailing what knowledge I am expecting on the theory part. You may be asked to reproduce any item from the "Definitions" as a theory question. The "Theorems" section lists the most useful statements that you will need to know. You may be asked to reproduce one of those theorems as a theory question. (They would not be referred to by number, but rather described, like "state the theorem that gives the condition for when a collection of subsets is a basis for a topology".) The "Proofs" section lists the theorems whose proofs have important ideas. Any item from the "Proofs" list may come up as a problem on the exam (that is, to prove the stated theorem.)


 Home, 9/25
Homework in 2.3 and 2.4 is due after fall break.

I am sorry I have been late with returning homework, but it has turned out that grading them demands a lot of time, sometimes on the order of hours for a few homeworks. Part of it is due to the policy of collecting more problems than just the minimum. Grading these is managable if only one or two turn in a lot, but not so when there are four or more. Due to the inordinate amount of time that grading has been taking, I am afraid that I will have to limit submissions to a maximum of 60 points per section (i.e. twice the minimum). (One of you I have told otherwise today, but I have to reverse myself.)  Let's have that in effect starting with homework for 2.3 and 2.4, if you have read this.


 Home, 9/20
We will discuss homework from 2.3 and 2.4 on Tuesday, to be turned in after fall break.


 Home, 9/13
We will discuss homework from 2.3 on Tuesday, likely turned in the following week with 2.4.


 Home, 9/6
We will discuss homework from 1.5 and 2.2 on Tuesday, to be turned in on Thursday.


 Home, 9/2
We will discuss homework from 1.4 and 2.1 on Tuesday, to be turned in on Thursday.


 Home, 8/23
The list of homework problems has been posted. Sections 1.2 and 1.3 are due on Thursday. We will discuss some problems on Tuesday, if necessary.

Home, 8/20
Welcome to the course!  Look around to familiarize yourself with the layout of these webpages.  Note that the most important links at right are highlighted.  All documents (homework assignment, solutions to exams, etc.) can be found at the "scores and documents" page. Links to often-used documents also appear in the menu bar at right.

 These pages will get more content as information becomes available.  Check back often: useful information is provided in the "home" section (which you are reading), typically updated weekly.  Homework assignments will be updated when we start a new chapter.