MATH 0010 - Intro to Special Topics

Instruction Method On Campus and Online

Course Description

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Instructors

Bruce M Boghosian

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MATH 0010 - 01

Summer IV: <6-wk (May-Aug)

On Campus

Available

Coding Bootcamp: Intro to R

Date and Time TBA

Location

Medford/Somerville Campus

On Campus

Credit or Non-Credit: High School Students credit (1 units)	$990.00 or $450.00 deposit	Click here to get more information
Credit: Undergraduate Level credit (1 units)	$990.00 or $450.00 deposit

1 credit(s)

Section Notes

Module 2: Introduction to R Programming (MATH 0010B2)

As one of the leading languages in data science and statistics, R is becoming the tool of choice for data science professionals in various fields. In this course, we will cover practical issues in statistical computing which includes programming in R, reading data into R, accessing R packages, writing R functions, debugging, profiling R code, and organizing and commenting R code. (1 semester hour unit)

MATH 0010 - 02

Summer IV: <6-wk (May-Aug)

On Campus

Available

Coding Bootcamp: MATLAB

Date and Time TBA

Location

Medford/Somerville Campus

On Campus

Credit or Non-Credit: High School Students credit (1 units)	$990.00 or $450.00 deposit	Click here to get more information
Credit: Undergraduate Level credit (1 units)	$990.00 or $450.00 deposit

1 credit(s)

Section Notes

Module 3: MATLAB Programming (MATH 0010B3)

MATLAB is a special-purpose language that is an excellent choice for solving problems involving the manipulation of numbers/vectors/matrices. MATLAB is easy to learn, versatile and very useful for talents from the natural sciences, through all disciplines of engineering, to finance, and beyond, since it nicely combines calculation and graphic plotting. Starting from variables and basic operations, you will eventually learn how to handle data structures such as vectors and matrices. In the final section, you will dive deeper into the graphical capabilities of MATLAB, and create your own stunning data visualizations. (1 semester hour unit)

MATH 0010 - 03

Summer IV: <6-wk (May-Aug)

On Campus

Available

Coding Bootcamp: Intro Python

Date and Time TBA

Location

Medford/Somerville Campus

On Campus

Credit or Non-Credit: High School Students credit (1 units)	$990.00 or $450.00 deposit	Click here to get more information
Credit: Undergraduate Level credit (1 units)	$990.00 or $450.00 deposit

1 credit(s)

Section Notes

Module 1: Introduction to Python (MATH 0010B1)

Python is a general-purpose and is a popular choice as a first language because it is concise and easy to read, and it is also a good language to have in any programmer's stack as it can be used for everything from web development to software development and scientific applications. In this class, you will learn about both fundamental programming concepts and the Python programming language. By the end, you'll be familiar with Python syntax and be able to put into practice what you'll have learned in a final project. (1 semester hour unit)

MATH 0010 - B

Summer II: 6-wk (Jul 2-Aug 9)

On Campus

Available

Coding Bootcamp

Date and Time TBA

Location

Medford/Somerville Campus

On Campus

Credit or Non-Credit: High School Students credit (3 units)	$2,970.00 or $450.00 deposit	Click here to get more information
Credit: Undergraduate Level credit (3 units)	$2,970.00 or $450.00 deposit

3 credit(s)

Section Notes

This course consists of three modules, exposing students to popular introductory level programming and trends. Through this course, students will gain beginning proficiency with software for areas like scientific writing, statistical software, or data mining. Registration in one, two, or three modules is permitted. Tufts undergraduates: enrollment in all three modules will qualify for completion of the mathematical science distribution.

MATH 0010 - BB

Summer II: 6-wk (Jul 2-Aug 9)

Online

Available

An Intro to Wealth Inequality

Lecture

Jul 02, 2019 to Aug 09, 2019

Online

Credit or Non-Credit: High School Students credit (3 units)	$2,970.00 or $450.00 deposit	Click here to get more information
Credit: Undergraduate Level credit (3 units)	$2,970.00 or $450.00 deposit

3 credit(s)

Section Notes

In 2010, there were 388 billionaires in the world whose combined wealth exceeded that of half the earth's population. Today, that number is under 50, and all indications are that it continues to decrease. The enormous concentration of wealth and the unchecked growth of inequality have emerged as crucial social issues of our time. To what extent can mathematics help shed light on this problem?

In this interdisciplinary course, which requires only high school mathematics as a prerequisite, we will learn to think about wealth distribution in a quantitative fashion. We will learn the difference between wealth, money and income, and we will learn how these things are measured by banks, governments and international institutions. We will survey historical thought on this subject from mathematical, economic and philosophical perspectives.

Some of the quantitative ideas in this course will be introduced by computer simulation of idealized mathematical models. No prior knowledge of a computer language is required, but instruction will be provided for the use ofMathematica ©, which is available to all Tufts students. We will ask questions such as,

Can inequality be quantified? What properties should a mathematical measure of inequality have to capture our intuitive notion of the concept?
Can idealized mathematical models, such as agent-based models, describe the current distribution of wealth with any accuracy?
Are market economies naturally stable, or is continuous government intervention needed to keep them stable?
What ethical tools exist to determine the morality of decisions that societies make about wealth distribution and wealth inequality?
Should societies attempt to manage their levels of inequality? If so, what public policy tools do they have at their disposal for doing so? If not, what, if anything, should be done about runaway concentration of wealth?

What we learn along the way will raise deep mathematical, economic, and ethical questions about the way that human society has chosen to allocate limited resources amongst people and populations. Our emphasis will be on how mathematical thinking contributes to this critically important conversation.

Only high school mathematics, and no prior background in economics is assumed. There will be weekly problem sets, at least one midterm and a final exam.

Tufts summer online courses are designed to provide high-quality, flexible, and interactive courses to Tufts and visiting students. While most online courses are offered in an asynchronous format, some courses may require webinar sessions and/or proctored exams. For more information about online course policies and expectations, please visit https://summer.tufts.edu/online/online-learning.

A sample syllabus for this course can be found here. Please note: Syllabus dates, content, and format are subject to change between now and the summer session.