Mathematics Combined Major

Mathematics

The Mathematics Field group offers a major and minor in mathematics as well as a minor in data science.

Mathematics

Pitzer’s mathematics courses are designed to serve three purposes: general education; service to courses in social, behavioral and natural sciences; and the basis for the mathematics major.

Pitzer Advisers: Bahar Acu, David Bachman, Jemma Lorenat, Shriya Nagpal

General Education in Mathematics

What is mathematics? What are its major methods and conclusions? How is it related to other subjects? What do modern mathematicians do? Several Pitzer courses specifically address these questions. Ones that have been taught in recent years include: The Mathematics of Gambling, Rubik’s Cube and Other Mathematical Puzzles, Doodling in Mathematics Class, 3D Printing, History of Algebra, and Philosophy of Mathematics. These courses cover mathematical material that is exciting and sophisticated and yet accessible to students with a standard high school education in mathematics. As such, they offer students an excellent opportunity to break fresh ground in kinds of mathematics they are not likely to have seen before. All of these courses meet Pitzer’s Educational Objective in Quantitative Reasoning.

The Precalculus and Calculus Sequences

MATH 025 PZ -Precalculus , is designed to prepare students for Calculus I. The course reviews linear, quadratic and polynomial functions, before introducing the exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions. These are the functions most widely used in the quantitative social sciences and natural sciences. MATH 025 PZ  does not fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning Requirement.

MATH 030 PZ -Calculus I  , MATH 031 PZ  and MATH 032 PZ  comprise the calculus sequence. The calculus, since it studies motion and change, is the key mathematical tool in understanding growth, decay and motion in the physical, biological, and social sciences. Pitzer offers MATH 030 PZ -Calculus I , MATH 031 PZ  and MATH 032 PZ  each year. Calculus is also offered at the other Claremont Colleges.

We also offer more advanced courses as part of The Claremont Colleges’ Intercollegiate Mathematics program.

AP Credit: A student who has a score of 4 or 5 on the Mathematics Calculus AB examination or on the BC examination, and who then takes MATH 031 PZ , will receive credit for MATH 030 PZ -Calculus I  after passing MATH 031 PZ . Similarly, a student with a score of 4 or 5 on the Calculus BC exam will receive credit for MATH 030 PZ -Calculus I  and MATH 031 PZ  after passing MATH 032 PZ . Likewise, a student who has a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Statistics examination will receive credit for MATH 052 PZ  after passing a college statistics course for which introductory statistics (AP Statistics, MATH 058 PO  , MATH 052 PZ , MATH 052 CM  ) Is a prerequisite; such courses include MATH 157 PO, MATH 158 PO  

Learning Outcomes

Pitzer Mathematics majors will learn: 

1. A broad range of mathematical topics. 
2. How to construct logical, well-written, elegant proofs.
3. How to use mathematics as a problem-solving tool in the real world. 
4. How to work collaboratively.
5. How to connect and communicate ideas about mathematics effectively. 
6. The technical skills needed to prepare for graduate school or employment in a mathematics-related field.

Data Science

Data is everywhere. It is in every field, behind every decision by politicians, scientists, economists, etc. Modern Data Science is being used to not only understand the plethora of data that has already been collected, but also to create new data in a myriad of forms, including visual (e.g. new art forms) and audible. Data Science now includes such varied techniques as sentiment analysis of text, image recognition, word prediction, and topic modeling. Applications of Data Science are now inescapable: they range from almost every smartphone app that we use, to policy decisions of our government. It is not an overstatement to say that an understanding of Data Science is necessary for a true understanding of the way our modern world works.

Pitzer advisors: D. Bachman, D. Brown, S. Guillermo, H. Liu, J. Lorenat 

Major Requirements

The combined major in Mathematics requires completion of 11 courses and a senior thesis.

Required Courses

Core (6 courses)

• Three semesters of calculus (MATH 030 PZ  , MATH 031 PZ   andMATH 032 PZ  ) with grades of C or better in each course. In some cses, a suitable score on the Pitzer Mathematics Placement exam, or Calculus AP exam, may be substituted for one or more of these courses. 
• Linear Algebra (i.e. MATH 060 PZ  )
• Differential Equations or a Mathematical Modeling Course making extensive use of differential equations (i.e. MATH 102 PZ  `)
• MATH 055 PZ   - DIscrete Mathematics
• Four upper division math courses that address points of intersection between mathematics and the other major chosen in consultation with mathematics faculty advisors
• Mathematics Forum (MATH 198 PZ  )

A 0-credit course offered every semester and designed to provide experience in mathematical exposition and presentations for math majors/minors before they earn their degree in mathematics. Prerequisite for this course is MATH 055 PZ   (Discrete Mathematics). 

Other Requirements

A senior thesis drawing together mathematics and other major.