Assignments

There will be weekly problem sets, each of which typically contain three to five multi-part problems. Typically you will not be required to solve all of the problems, you be given the option to choose a subset that sums to 100 points. Some problems are purely theoretical in nature, while others are more computationally focused; those who prefer proofs to programming (or vice versa) can choose problems that appeal to there interests.

Several of the problems require the use of the Sage computer algebra system. You will find relevant of examples of Sage usage in the problem descriptions themselves, and in the worksheets listed in the lecture notes section. There is also a wealth of useful information to be found on the Sage website, including tutorials. You can download a copy of Sage to run on your own machine if you wish, or create an account for free on the SageMathCloud™.

Problem sets are to be prepared in typeset form (typically via LaTeX) and submitted electronically as PDF files. Collaboration is encouraged, but you must write up your own solutions; there will be computational problems for which the correct answer will be different for every student, based on a unique identifier derived from your MIT ID number.