Undergraduate Course: Calculus and Algebra Fundamentals for Informatics (MATH07005)
Course Outline
| School | School of Mathematics |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | An introductory course in University Mathematics and its application to Informatics, covering topics not covered in the previous education of many incoming undergraduates on Informatics degrees as a preparation for their first two years on all pre-Honours Informatics degree programmes. Delivery of the course is by lectures, workshops and online quizzes. |
| Course description |
This course is intended for incoming School of Informatics students who will be studying first year Informatics and Mathematics courses as a compulsory part of their degree programmes. The course introduces a range of calculus and algebra topics and their applications to various areas of Informatics. Incoming undergraduates may not have previously studied these topics to sufficient depth and will also benefit from studying their application to Informatics. They will use the principles of Assessment for Learning to assess their mathematical learning. With the aid of online diagnostic quizzes and the use of reflective journalling, they will record their progress and analyse their strengths and weaknesses, and create an improvement plan when necessary. On successful completion, students will be well-prepared for the algebra and calculus that appears in all pre-Honours Informatics courses. The units are centered around algebra, functions and calculus with an introduction to vectors.
The central topics are as follows:
Algebra
1. Algebra and functions basics
2. Polynomials and rational functions
3. Further functions (including trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic)
4. Sequences and series
5. Further trigonometry, circles and ellipses
6. Vectors
Calculus
1. Principles and techniques of differentiation
2. Further techniques and applications of differentiation
3. Principles and methods of integration
4. Applications of integration
5. Introduction to computational methods (e.g. root finding, Newton-Raphson)
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
Fundamentals of Algebra and Calculus (MATH07003) OR
Introductory Mathematics with Applications (MATH07004)
|
Other requirements | Only available to School of Informatics students, including those on joint degrees.
Required for students with SQA Higher Mathematics, SQA Advanced Higher Mathematics or A-Level Mathematics grade B or lower, or equivalent.
Not recommended for students with A-Level Mathematics at Grade A*, or SQA Advanced Higher at Grade A, or equivalent.
Due to limitations on class sizes, students will only be enrolled on this course if it is specifically referenced in their DPT. |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 17,
Online Activities 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
133 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework: 50%
Examination: 50%
Online Activities - 22 hours (STACK and Screencasts)
Summative Assessment - 2 hours (Exam) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | MATH07005 Calculus and Algebra Fundamentals for Informatics | 120 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Select and apply basic concepts of algebra and functions to solve problems relevant to Informatics.
- Select and apply basic concepts of calculus to solve problems relevant to Informatics.
- Select and apply basic concepts of vectors to solve problems relevant to Informatics.
- Self-assess their foundational mathematical strengths and weaknesses and identify how to remedy those weaknesses.
- To present the solution to a problem with explicit reasoning and correct mathematical arguments.
|
Reading List
| STACK resources augmented with OpenStax Pre-Calculus or Calculus books |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Algebra,functions,differentiation,integration,trigonometry,vectors |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Heather Yorston
Tel:
Email: Heather.Yorston@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
|
|
University Homepage