Introduction to Mathematical Thinking

Offered By

Introduction to Mathematical Thinking

Stanford University

Learn how to think the way mathematicians do – a powerful cognitive process developed over thousands of years. Mathematical thinking is not the same as doing mathematics – at least not as mathematics is typically presented in our school system. School math typically focuses on learning procedures to solve highly stereotyped problems. Professional mathematicians think a certain way to solve real problems, problems that can arise from the everyday world, or from science, or from within mathematics itself. The key to success in school math is to learn to think inside-the-box. In contrast, a key feature of mathematical thinking is thinking outside-the-box – a valuable ability in today’s world. This course helps to develop that crucial way of thinking....

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Intermediate Level

Suggested: Expect to require at least 10 hours of study per week to complete this course satisfactorily.

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Skills you will gain

Mathematical LogicNumber TheoryLanguageReal Analysis

100% online courses

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Intermediate Level

Suggested: Expect to require at least 10 hours of study per week to complete this course satisfactorily.

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Section

3 hours to complete

Week 1

START with the Welcome lecture. It explains what this course is about. (It comes with a short Background Reading assignment, to read before you start the course, and a Reading Supplement on Set Theory for use later in the course, both in downloadable PDF format.) This initial orientation lecture is important, since this course is probably not like any math course you have taken before – even if in places it might look like one! AFTER THAT, Lecture 1 prepares the groundwork for the course; then in Lecture 2 we dive into the first topic. This may all look like easy stuff, but tens of thousands of former students found they had trouble later by skipping through Week 1 too quickly! Be warned. If possible, form or join a study group and discuss everything with them. BY THE WAY, the time estimates for watching the video lectures are machine generated, based on the video length. Expect to spend a lot longer going through the lectures sufficiently well to understand the material. The time estimates for completing the weekly Problem Sets (Quiz format) are a bit more reliable, but even they are just a guideline. You may find yourself taking a lot longer....

6 videos (Total 84 min), 1 quiz

6 videos

Lecture 0 - Welcome8m

Lecture 1 - Introductory Material27m

Lecture 2 - Logical Combinators26m

Tutorial for Assignment 12m

Tutorial for Assignment 29m

Tutorial for Problem Set 19m

1 practice exercise

Problem Set 1m

2

Section

4 hours to complete

Week 2

In Week 2 we continue our discussion of formalized parts of language for use in mathematics. By now you should have familiarized yourself with the basic structure of the course: 1. Watch the first lecture and answer the in-lecture quizzes; tackle each of the problems in the associated Assignment sheet; THEN watch the tutorial video for the Assignment sheet. 2. REPEAT sequence for the second lecture. 3. THEN do the Problem Set, after which you can view the Problem Set tutorial. REMEMBER, the time estimates for watching the video lectures are machine generated, based on the video length. Expect to spend a lot longer going through the lectures sufficiently well to understand the material. The time estimates for completing the weekly Problem Sets (Quiz format) are a bit more reliable, but even they are just a guideline. You may find yourself taking a lot longer. ...

6 videos (Total 131 min), 1 quiz

6 videos

Lecture 3 - Implication31m

Lecture 4 - Equivalence24m

SUPPLEMENT: Using the course evaluation rubric4m

Tutorial for Assignment 311m

Tutorial for Assignment 421m

Tutorial for Problem Set 237m

1 practice exercise

Problem Set 2m

3

Section

4 hours to complete

Week 3

This week we continue our analysis of language for use in mathematics. Remember, while the parts of language we are focusing have particular importance in mathematics, our main interest is in the analytic process itself: How do we formalize concepts from everyday life? Because the topics become more challenging, starting this week we have just one basic lecture cycle (Lecture -> Assignment -> Tutorial -> Problem Set -> Tutorial) each week. If you have not yet found one or more people to work with, please try to do so. It is so easy to misunderstand this material....

4 videos (Total 128 min), 1 quiz

4 videos

Lecture 5 - Quantifiers29m

SUPPLEMENT - How to Read Mathematical Formulas27m

Tutorial for Assignment 547m

Tutorial for Problem Set 323m

1 practice exercise

Problem Set 3m

4

Section

3 hours to complete

Week 4

This week we complete our analysis of language, putting into place the linguistic apparatus that enabled, mathematicians in the 19th Century to develop a formal mathematical treatment of infinity, thereby finally putting Calculus onto a firm footing, three hundred years after its invention. (You do not need to know calculus for this course.) It is all about being precise and unambiguous. (But only where it counts. We are trying to extend our fruitfully-flexible human language and reasoning, not replace them with a rule-based straightjacket!)...

4 videos (Total 88 min), 1 quiz

4 videos

Lecture 6A - Working with Quantifiers 115m

Lecture 6B - Working with Quantifiers 228m

Tutorial for Assignment 616m

Tutorial for Problem Set 427m

1 practice exercise

Problem Set 4m

Instructor

Dr. Keith Devlin

Co-founder and Executive Director

H-STAR institute

About Stanford University

The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is an American private research university located in Stanford, California on an 8,180-acre (3,310 ha) campus near Palo Alto, California, United States....

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
What is the passing grade for this course?
Since the focus is to acquire a new way of thinking (as opposed to getting right answers), the passing grade for the weekly Problem Sets is 35%, and for the Test Flight Problem Sets 30%. Basically, this means that if you stick with the course and complete all the work diligently, you should get a passing grade.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Introduction to Mathematical Thinking

Introduction to Mathematical Thinking

100% online courses

Flexible deadlines

Intermediate Level

Suggested: Expect to require at least 10 hours of study per week to complete this course satisfactorily.

English

Skills you will gain

100% online courses

Flexible deadlines

Intermediate Level

Suggested: Expect to require at least 10 hours of study per week to complete this course satisfactorily.

English

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Week 1

2

Week 2

3

Week 3

4

Week 4

38%

83%

12%

Top Reviews

Instructor

Dr. Keith Devlin

About Stanford University

Frequently Asked Questions