Homework 7

This assignment is due by the beginning of class on Friday, March 20th. Be sure to review the homework guidelines before getting started.

• From Strayer, Chapter 4, do the following problems:
• 13(b)
• 24
• 27
• 28(b,d,f)
• 33
• 34
• 35(b)
• 36(d)
• Evaluate $\left(\frac{2}{19}\right)$ using Eisenstein's Lemma.
• From Chapter 5 of Strayer, do the following problems
• 1(d)
• 3(a)
• Answer the following question in a short paragraph. You answer should be well-thought out, and your writing should be clear and concise. I'm more interested in your honest opinion than what you think I'd like to hear, so please tell it like it is.

We spend a lot of time in this course discussing proofs, and you spend a good bit of your time on homework assignments writing proofs. Is there a non-mathematical benefit to all this emphasis on proof? If so, what skills do you gain from learning and practicing proofs that you can apply outside the math classroom? If not, how could we change the focus of class discussions and homework assignments to be more "real-world oriented"?