PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA

(University of the City of Manila)

Gen. Luna cor Muralla Sts., Intramuros, Manila

6th Flr Gusaling Lacson, Gen. Luna cor. Muralla Sts., Intramuros, Manila5279075
Intended for BS Biology Semester/SY 2nd semester, SY 2014-15
Course Code MMW Course Title Mathematics in the Modern World
Units 3 No. of Hours 54 Contact Hours/Semester
Pre-requisite none Professor(s) Dr. Rebecca C. Tolentino

A. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course deals with nature of mathematics, appreciation of its practical, intellectual and aesthetic dimensions and application of
6th Flr Gusaling Lacson, Gen. Luna cor. Muralla Sts., Intramuros, Manila5279075
mathematical tools in daily life.

The course begins with an introduction to the nature of mathematics as an exploration of patterns in nature and the environment and as an
application of inductive and deductive reasoning. By exploring these topics, students are encouraged to go beyond the typical
understanding of mathematics as merely a set of formulas but as a source of aesthetics in patterns of nature, for example, and as rich
language in itself (and of science) governed by logic and reasoning.

The course then proceeds to survey ways in which mathematics provides a tool for understanding and dealing with various aspects of
present-day living, such as managing personal finances, making social choices appreciating geometric designs, understanding codes used in
data transmission and security, and dividing limited sources fairly. These aspects will provide opportunities for actually doing mathematics
in a broad range of exercises that bring out the various dimensions of mathematics as a way of knowing and test the students’
understanding and capacity. (CMO No.20 series of 2013)

B. UNIVERSITY VISION

Guided by the values of academic excellence, integrity and social responsibility, PLM endeavors to be one of the leading universities in the
ASEAN.

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C. UNIVERSITY MISSION
The PLM Board of Regents, Management, faculty and staff are committed to:
Be recognized by Philippines and ASEAN academic accrediting agencies as a premier university for its quality education, research and
extension services
Insure that PLM maintains a higher than national average performance on all professional licensure examinations taken by its graduates
Continue to provide the students with an education that will give them a competitive advantage from employment oppurtunitiues.

D. COLLEGE OF SCIENCE VISION

We envision the PLM College of Science as the priority choice of students who seek quality undergraduate education, and of a Faculty who
actively seek the extension of the frontiers of knowledge through critical study, research and scholarship. The College will likewise be
recognized for its role in promoting and upholding sustainable commitment to civic responsibility.

E. COLLEGE OF SCIENCE MISSION

We are a national center for science education instilled with Pamantasan Filipino values.
We promote the advancement of knowledge through research and extension services and an encompassing practical application of the
same; encourage the achievement of the full academic and personal potential of both students and faculty through scholarly innovations;
and uphold unwavering commitment to rise above the challenges of the times.
We are steadfast to address the needs of disadvantaged communities through participatory approach.

F. PROGRAM INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (PILOs)

At the end of the program, the students are expected to:

Common to all baccalaureate programs in all types of institutions

a) Articulate the latest developments in their specific field of practice. (PQF level 6 descriptor)
b) Effectively communicate orally and in writing using both English and Filipino languages.
c) Work effectively and independently in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams. (PQF level 6 descriptor)
d) Demonstrate professional, social, and ethical responsibility, especially in practicing intellectual property rights and sustainable
development.
e) Preserve and promote "Filipino historical and cultural heritage" (based on RA No. 7722).

Common to the Science and Mathematics Disciplines

f) Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge and understanding in the core areas of physical and natural sciences.
g) Apply critical and problem solving skills using the scientific method.
h) Interpret relevant scientific data and make judgments that include reflection on relevant scientific and ethical issues.
i) Carry out basic mathematical and statistical computations and use appropriate technology in (a) the analysis of data; and (b) in pattern
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 recognition, generalization, abstraction, critical analysis and problem solving.
j)Communicate information, ideas problems and solutions, both, orally and in writing, to other scientists, decision makers and the public.
k) Relate science and mathematics to the other disciplines.
I) Design and perform safe and responsible techniques and procedures in laboratory or field practices.
m) Critically evaluate input from others.
n) Appreciate the limitations and implications of science in everyday life.
o) Commit to the integrity of data.

Specific to Bachelor of Science in Biology

p) Develop an in-depth understanding of the basic principles governing the science of life;
q) Utilize techniques/procedures relevant to biological research work in laboratory or field settings;
r) Apply basic mathematical and statistical computations and use of appropriate technologies in the analysis of biological data;
s) Extend knowledge and critically assess current views and theories in various areas of the biological sciences

G. COURSE OUTCOME AND RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM OUTCOME

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES PROGRAM INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

(CLOs)

At the end of this course, the a b c d e f g h i j K l m n o p q r s

students should be able to:

Discuss and argue about the nature of

mathematics, what it is, how it is    
expressed, represented and used.
Use different types of reasoning to
justify statements and arguments
   
made about mathematics and
mathematical concepts.
Discuss the language and symbols of
 
mathematics.
Use a variety of statistical tools to
 
process and manage numerical data.
Use mathematics in other areas such
as finance , voting, health and    
medicine, business, environment, art
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and design, and recreation.
Appreciate the nature and uses of
 
mathematics in everyday life.
Affirm honesty and integrity in the
application of mathematics to various     
human endeavors.

H. COURSE CONTENT

DURATION TOPICS
WEEK 1-2 Section 1. The Nature of 1. Identify patterns in
Mathematics
4 HOURS
I. Mathematics in our World 2. Articulate the
Core Idea. Mathematics is a
useful way to think about
nature and our world.
 Patterns and Numbers in
Nature and the World; the
snowflake and honeycomb;
tiger’s stripes and hyena’s
spots; the sunflower; the
snail’s shell, flower petals,
world’s population, the
weather etc.
 The Fibonacci Sequence
 Mathematics helps organize
patterns and regularities in
the world.
 Mathematics helps predict
the behavior of nature and
LEARNING OUTCOMES TEACHING & LEARNING
ACTIVITY
Activities to do. (i) video
nature and regularities watching (ii) pair-sharing
in the world (K) or small group sharing (iii)
journal writing (iv) whole
importance of
mathematics in one’s class discussion
life (V)
Questions to Pose (i) What
3. Argue about the nature is Mathematics? (ii) Where
of mathematics, what it is Mathematics? (iii) What
is, how it is expressed, role does mathematics
represented and used paly in your world?
(K)
4. Express appreciation Some ideas to elicit and
for mathematics as a encourage. (i) Many
human endeavor (V) patterns and occurrences
exist in nature, in our
world, in our life.
Mathematics helps makes
ASSESSMENT METHODS REFERENCES
Evaluation Requirements. (i)
short-response/essay writing at Required: (i)
the end of class to one question. Nature’s
Examples of these questions Numbers by Ian
are: what new ideas about
Stewart or
mathematics did you learn?;
Mathematics in
what is it about mathematics
Nature:
that might have changes your
thoughts about it?, and; what is Modelling
most useful about mathematics Patterns in the
for humankind? (ii) Two-to- Natural World by
three-page synthesis paper
John A. Adam or
focusing on one of the following
A Mathematical
aspects of mathematics: (a)
Mathematics helps organize Nature Walk by
patterns and regularities in the John A. Adam or
world. (b) Mathematics helps any book of the
predict the behavior of nature
same level,
and phenomena in the world. (c)
Mathematics helps control intent and
nature and occurrences in the approach (2)
world for our own ends. https://vimeo.co

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 phenomena in the world.
 Mathematics helps control
nature and occurrences in
the world for our own ends.
 Mathematics has numerous
applications in the world
making it indispensible.
sense of these patterns Standards/Basis for Grading to m/9953368
and occurrences. (ii) Use. 0 point – The student is
unable to elicit the ideas and
Mathematics is a tool to
concepts from the readings and
quantify, organize, and video indicating that s/he has Recommended:
control our world, predict not read the prescribed reading (1) A Day’s
phenomena, and make life or watched the video. Adventure in
easier to us. 1 point – The student is able to Math
elicit the ideas and concept Wonderland by
Some ideas to discourage
from the readings and video but Akiyama & Ruiz
or debunk or disprove. shows erroneous understanding
(2) The number
(i)Mathematics is just for of these.
Devil by
the books, confined in the
2 points – The student is able to Enzensberger
classroom. (ii) elicit the ideas and concept
Mathematics has no place from the readings and video and
in my life. shows correct understanding of
these.
3 points – the student not only
elicits the correct ideas from the
readings and video but also
shows evidence of internalizing
these.
4 points – The student elicits
the correct ideas from the
readings and video, shows
evidence of internalizing these
and consistency contributes
additional thoughts to the Core
idea.
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 Section 1. The Nature of
Mathematics
Week 2-3
II. Mathematical Language
3 hours
and Symbols
Core Idea. Like any
language, mathematics has
its own symbols, syntax and
rules.
 Characteristics of
mathematical language:
precise, concise,
powerful
 Expression vs.
sentences
 Conventions in the
mathematical language
 Four basic concepts:
sets, functions,
relations, binary
operations
 Elementary logic:
connectives quantifiers,
negation, variables
 Formality
. Hence, it is useful in
Activities to do.(i)
Evaluation Requirements, (i)
Individual or small group Required for
Writing exercise sets (ii) Quiz
exercises including Instructors;
games (see exercises in Jamison, R. E.
The Language of (2000). Learning
Standards/Basis for Grading to
Mathematics(from One the language of
Use. Use numerical scores.
Mathematical Cat, mathematics.
Please! By Carol Burns Language and
Fisher) (ii) Whole class Learning across
discussions of the the Disciplines,
comparisons between 4(1), 45-54.
the English and (attached)
Mathematical language
(iii) Compilation of
mathematical symbols
Required for
and notations and their Students: (i) The
meanings Language of
Mathematics
Some ideas to elicit and
(from One
encourage.
Mathematical
(i) Mathematics is a Cat, Please! By
language in itself. Carol Burns
Fisher) (ii) The
communicating Language and
important ideas. ( Grammar of
(ii) ii) Mathematics as a Mathematics
language is clear and (both attached)
objective. (iii) Language
conventions are
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 necessary in
mathematics for it to
be understood by all.

Some ideas to discourage

or debunk or disprove. (i)
Mathematics is not a
language but a useless
set of formal rules and
alien symbols. (ii)
Mathematics confuses
the communication of
concepts and ideas. (iii)
Mathematics is full of
unnecessary symbols,
rules and conventions.

5. Identify patterns in
Section 1. The Nature of nature and regularities Required:
Week 3-4 Mathematics in the world (K) Activities to do. (i) reading Evaluation Requirements. Mathematical
III. Problem Solving and 6. Articulate the and writing proofs (ii) Excursions (Ch.
5 hours One (1) take-home
Reasoning importance of small-group problem 1) by R. Aufmann
Core Idea. Mathematics is mathematics in one’s problem set et al.; What is
solving (iii) whole class
not just about numbers; life (V) Mathematics
discussions of key
much of it is problem 7. Argue about the nature Really? (Ch.4&5)
problems and solutions
of mathematics, what it by R. Hersh;
solving and reasoning. Standards/Basis for
is, how it is expressed,
represented and used Grading to Use. 0 point –
 Inductive and
(K) The students did not make Recommended:
Deductive Reasoning Some ideas to elicit and
8. Express appreciation any attempt to solve any
 Intuition, proof and encourage. (i) Mathematical
certainty for mathematics as a of the problems in the
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 Polya’s 4-steps in human endeavor (V) Mathematics requires not
Problem Solving only facility with numbers
 Problem solving but also the ability to
strategies critically think through
 Mathematical
situations, to reason and
Problems involving
Patterns argue logically and to
 Recreational creatively solve problems.
Problems using (ii) Mathematics is an
mathematics active human endeavor.
We can create the
mathematics we need to
solve problems. (iii)
Mathematics is for
everyone and anyone who
cares to learn it. (iv)
Mathematical problem
solving takes time.
Solutions are not always
apparent to the solver. (v)
There may be more than
one approach in solving
mathematical problems.
Some ideas to discourage
or debunk or disprove. (i)
One only needs to learn
numbers and fractions to
be mathematically
proficient (ii) Mathematics
problem set or prove any Excursions (Ch.2)
of the statements in the by R. Aufmann et
quiz. 1 point – The student al.; Mathematics,
attempted to solve 50% of A Practical
the problems in the Odyssey (Ch.1)
problem set or displayed by Johnson &
logical reasoning 50% of Mowry; The
the time in attempting to Number Devil by
prove the statement/s in Enzensberger,
the quiz. 2 points – The Professor
student attempted to Stewart’s
solve all the problems in Cabinet of
the problem set or Mathematical
displayed logical reasoning Curiosities by Ian
75% of the time in Stewart;
attempting to prove that Problem Solving
statement/s in the quiz. 3 Through
points – The student is Recreational
able to completely solve Mathematics by
50% of the problems in Averbach and
the problems set or Chein.
completed 75% of the
problems in the problem
set or completed all the
proof/s in the quiz.
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 is a spector sport.
Mathematics is just out
there to be discovered and
appreciated. (iii)
Mathematics is for the
gifted. (iv) One is dumb if
s/he cannot solve a
mathematical problem
right away. (v) There is
only one way to solve a
mathematical problem.

Week 5-8 Section 2. Mathematics as a
Tool (Part 1)
10 hours
Data Management
Core Idea. Statistical tools
derived from mathematics
are useful in processing and
managing numerical data in
order to describe a
phenomenon and predict
values.
 Review: Descriptive
Statistics, Normal
Distribution, Hypothesis
Testing, Regression and
Correlation (Chapter 1, 5,
8 & 9)
Activities to do. (i) lectures
(ii) work with appropriate
computer statistical
software, like Excel (iii)
class discussions
Examples of applications.
1. A brisk walk at 6.4
km/hr burns an
average of 300
calories per hour. If
the standard deviation
of the distribution is 8
calories, find the
probability that a
person who walks 1
Evaluation requirements. Required: CK-12
(i) 1 quiz (ii) group project Probability and
proposal for a quantitative Statistics
study Advanced
Second Edition
(pdf file)
Sample Project Proposal
You want the university to
Recommended:
offer free shuttle rides for
students, faculty and staff Mathematics, A
from strategic points practical
outside your university in Odyssey by
order to improve traffic Johnson &
flow in your campus. The Mowry (Ch.4)
university chancellor asks
your team to present hard
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  Chi-Square (Chapter 10) hour at the rate of 6.4 data that will convince the Math in Our
 Planning or Conducting km/hr will burn the administration. Prepare a World by
an Experiment or Study given number of proposal on how you will Sobecki, Bluman,
(Chapter 6) calories. Assume the
do this task. & Schirck-
Note: (i) The topics to be variable is normally
reviewed are expected to have distributed. (a) more Matthews
been covered in Junior and Senior than 280 calories (b)
High School. The focus should less than 293 calories Standards/Basis for
then be on deepening and using (c) Between 285 and Grading to Use. (i)
these to be able to critically 320 calories (From:
examine information from various Numerical scors for the
Sobecki et al., Math in
sources (e.g. newspapers). (ii) quizzes, test and problem
Our World). Interpret
Exert efforts to use technology
the result for each sets (ii) rubric for the
that are available to students. project proposal
number of calories.
2. Does good health
relate to education?
Below are the figures
Caution. (i) Define the
for the Philippines:
Immunizzation bounds of the project
(measles, % of proposal to ensure that
children ages 12-23 the work required is
months) commensurate to the
2005…92 hours allotted for this
2006…92
section of the course. (ii)
2007…92
The oral proposal is not to
2008…92
2009…88 be graded.
2010…80

Primary completion
rate (total, % of
relevant age group)
2005…94
2006…91

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 2007…91
2008…92
2009…91
2010…no data

Can you predict the

primary completion
rate for 2010?

WEEK 9- LOGIC 9. Use mathematical Activities..(i) lectures (ii) Evaluation requirements.

11 tools in logic role playing (iii) written (i) 1 problem set (ii) an
 Logic statement nd
exercises integrating project
10 hrs quantifiers
 Truth tables and
tautologies
 Conditional, biconditional
and related statements
 Symbolic arguments
 Aeguments and Euler
diagrams
Week 12- III. The Mathematics of 10. Identify patterns Activities..(i) lectures (ii) Evaluation requirements. Johnson &
14 Graphs in nature and role playing (iii) written (i) 1 problem set (ii) an Mowry, Ch. 12
regularities in the exercises integrating project
10 hrs world (K) Aufmann et al.,
 Graphs and Euler circuits
11. Articulate the Chapter 11
 Weighted Graphs
importance of
 Euler’s formula
mathematics in one’s Sample Integrating Project
 Graph coloring
life (V) (by groups)
12. Argue about the

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Week IV. The Mathematics of nature of mathematics, Create a poster aimed at Aufmann et al.,
15-17 Graphs what it is, how it is recruiting students to join Chapter 5
expressed, represented a club that promotes
12 hrs and used (K)
mathematics as an
 Graphs and Euler circuits 13. Express
 Weighted Graphs appreciation for important tool in everyday
 Euler’s formula mathematics as a life.
 Graph coloring human endeavor (V)

Standards/Basis for
Grading to Use.(i)
Numerical scores for
problem sets (ii) Rubrics
for the project

I. GRADING SYSTEM

Midterm exam – 20%

Final exam - 20%
Quizzes - 30%
Assignment/Project - 15%
Seat Work/Recitation - 10%
Attendance/Behavior - 5%
Total 100%

Passing percentage – 60%

Grading Scale

98-100 ....................................... 1.00 83-85 ............... 2.25

95-97 ......................................... 1.25 80-82 ............... 2.50
92-94 ......................................... 1.50 77-78 ............... 2.75
89-91 ......................................... 1.75 75-76 ............... 3.00
86-88 ......................................... 2.00 <75 .................. 5.00

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J. COURSE AND CLASS POLICIES

ATTENDANCE

Attendance will be checked anytime during the first 30 minutes of the class sessions. Any student who is not in class when attendance is
checked will be marked “ABSENT”. When the total number of hours lost by absences exceeds 20% of the class hours, the student will be
automatically dropped from the subject. For this course, a student’s absence should not exceed 8 meetings. Excuse slips must be presented
to the instructor not later than the second session of the class after the date of the student’s return.

Seat works, Assignments and Recitations

From time to time, seat works shall be given. During these exercises, students may be allowed to open their own notes but borrowings of
calculator and notes are not allowed . Answers to assignments should be written in yellow pad and/or graphing papers and will be checked
during class sessions. All recitations will be graded accordingly. Take note that no make-up will be given for any work covered by the class
during the absence, either excused or unexcused.

Long Exams

Excused absences during an examination will be dealt with on a case to case basis. However, an exam missed due to an unexcused absence
is equivalent to a grade of zero on that activity.

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