UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

FACULTY OF SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTATIONAL SCI-

ENCE

COURSE OUTLINE: MATHEMATICS 1.

Lecturer : Mrs Chipo Mandave

Course title : Mathematics 1

Course code : HCE104/HHE104/HSE104.

Duration : 1 Semester

Office No. : 225 New wing

The course has two lectures per week which have a duration of two hours each. Lecture times are as follows:
Tuesday 0800 − 1000 hrs and Thursday 0800 − 1000 hrs.

1 AIMS

This course is designed for beginning university students whose main specialism requires the use and under-
standing of basic mathematical discourse and calculus. The course is intended to enable students to acquire
and become familiar with appropriate mathematical skills and techniques, develop further understanding
of mathematical concepts and processes so as to improve confidence and enjoyment.

2 Course Content

2.1 Number Systems

1. Geometric representation of numbers on the real line, coordinates in the 2-dimensional plane, natural,
rational and irrational numbers,

2. Absolute value, inequalities and intervals.

3. The Principle of Mathematical Induction

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2.2 Symbolic Logic

1. Statement/Proposition, Combining Propositions, Connectives, Tautologies and Contradictions,

2. Conjunctions, disjunctions, implications, bi conditional statements,
3. Propositional functions, Universal Quantification, Existential Quantification,
4. Proofs: direct and indirect proofs

2.3 Set Theory

1. Definition of a set, Different forms of representing a set, Union and Intersection of sets,
2. Proofs of some properties of sets, subsets, cardinality of a set, the power set, the Cartesian product
of sets,

2.4 Relations

1. Relations on two sets, Properties of relations,

2. Equivalent relations, equivalent classes,
3. Combining relations,
4. Partitions

2.5 Functions

1. Functions (emphasis is on real-valued functions): definition, domain, range, representation by arrow

diagrams,
2. Arithmetic of functions, function types: even, odd, injective, surjective, bijective, identity function,
inverse function,

2.6 Limits of Sequences

1. Definition (emphasis is on sequences of real numbers), examples (to include formulas and recursive
definitions),
2. Arithmetic of sequences (adding and subtracting sequences etc),
3. Sequence types (monotone, alternating, constant, null sequences), examples and graphical illustra-
tions,
4. Convergent sequences (introducing the ε-definition of convergence, limits and uniqueness of limits),
examples (including classical sequences like (1 + n1 )n ),
5. Bounded sequences, least upper bound, greatest lower bound, divergent sequences.

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3 Methods/Strategies to be used

1. lecture method,

2. group discussion,

3. seminars,

4. tutorials.

4 Student Assessment

Students will write three one hour tests after every four weeks.
The average of the tests will constitute the coursework mark where 25% of the coursework mark will
contribute to the final mark.
A 2 hour final examination will be written in the 14th or 15th week of the semester.
The examination will contribute 75% to the final mark.
The examination paper has two sections. Students answer ALL questions in section A and at most TWO
questions in section B.

5 Selected Resources(references)

Recommended reading

• A D Polimeni and H J Straight, Foundations of Discrete Mathematics (Wadsworth, 1985).

• M R Spiegel, Advanced Calculus (Schaum’s Outline Series).

• K E Hirst, Calculus of One Variable (Springer-Verlag London Limited, 2006).

• J C Burkill, A First Course In Mathematical Analysis (Cambridge University Press).

• J R Kirkwood, An Introduction To Analysis (PWS Publishing Company).