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Study Guides > Mathematics for the Liberal Arts

Course Overview

Course Overview

This course was originally developed for the Open Course Library project.  The text used is Math in Society, edited by David Lippman, Pierce College Ft Steilacoom.  Development of this book was supported, in part, by the Transition Math Project and the Open Course Library Project. Topics covered in the course include problem solving, voting theory, graph theory, growth models, finance, data collection and description, and probability.  Student learning outcomes include:
  1. Describe how mathematics can contribute to the solution of problems in the natural world or human society.
  2. Employ critical thinking skills, drawing upon prior knowledge when possible, to analyze and explore new and unfamiliar problems
  3. Form and communicate generalizations of patterns discovered through individual or group investigations.
  4. Solve problems using algorithms or formulas
  5. Model and solve problems using graphical methods
  6. Communicate methods of solutions and solutions to problems for the clarity of the receiver.
  7. Analyze and interpret data, including calculating numerical summaries and creating graphical representations, to propose possible implications
  8. Identify multicultural perspectives of, or multicultural contributions to, at least one mathematical topic studied

Course Access

The course materials and on-line homework sets are housed in MyOpenMath. You can access the course as a guest student to see how the course is set up and view the online homework system. Should you choose to use this course, MyOpenMath can be integrated into your school's LMS for ease of access.

Requesting an Instructor Account in MyOpenMath

If you would like to use MyOpenMath in your classroom, you can request an instructor account through the MyOpenMath homepage. Select "request an instructor account" at the bottom of the page. Give us a couple days to verify that you are an instructor at an accredited institution.  MyOpenMath generates an automated email when your account is verified, but sometimes it will end up in your junk email or won't make it through the filters set by your institution. To avoid this, you can check your junk folder or ask your institution to let mail from [email protected] through. If you already have an instructor account in MyOpenMath, you can view the instructor version of the course.