FYS: Puzzles and Paradoxes

General Information for Completing Problem Sets

(i) Each Problem Set will consist of five problems. You are required to complete exactly three of the five problems from the set.

(ii) Each problem is worth up to ten points. You will get one point for providing the correct answer and up to nine points for clearly and concisely justifying whatever answer you give. Note, that the emphasis is on justifying your solution regardless of whether it is correct or not. Below are some questions that I will ask when evaluating your assignments.

1. Is the answer clearly stated and identified as the answer?
2. Is the answer answering the question asked?
3. Does the student justify the answer actually given?
4. Does the student fail to account for (or contradict) a relevant fact from the problem?
5. Does the student make any assumptions not warranted by the problem?
6. Does the student contradict him/herself in the answer or justification?
7. Would the justification be understandable to someone who has read the problem, but does not know the answer?

(iii) All problems sets must be your own individual and independent work and be pledged. By 'your own individual and independent work' I understand that the student will not have discussed the assignment with any other individual or looked at any other individual's solution prior to the assignment being handed in. Note that looking at any solution to these or similar problems posted online constitutes looking at another individual's solution.

(iv) Writing consultants are available in the Writing Center to give you feedback on your writing prior to submission for a grade. They can help with grammar, clarity, structure, etc., but cannot help you solve the problems.

(v) All assignments are to be done on separate sheets of paper. Each sheet of paper must be numbered and have your name on it. Late assignments receive no credit.

Bonus Points:

(A) A good way to approach the writing of your solutions is to imagine that you are writing a solution that is to appear in a magazine in which the problem was presented in an earlier issue. Hence, you need to clearly and fully, but concisely, explain why the answer is the way it is, such that the readers will understand exactly why the answer is the way it is. So in addition to grading each solution, I will also pretend to be the magazine editor and judge whether your solution is, in its current form, publishable or not. Publishable solutions will get a P grade and an extra point. Non-publishable solutions will get a U grade and no extra point. Hence, three correct, adequately justified, and publishable solutions would generate a grade of 33 out of 30. Note: Getting a P is hard--I gave just two the last time I taught this course.

(B) The fifth problem on each problem set will be labeled the bonus point problem. It will be, in my judgement, harder than any of the other four. You will automatically get a bonus point for submitting the bonus point problem as one of your three solutions.

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