This assignment is worth 20% of your final grade, and it is due by 8 AM Monday October 22 (Ontario time). As usual, you should submit a final product and whatever is needed to verify your full work. This means
- if you use LaTeX, the compiled .pdf, plus any .tex (or .bib, image, etc) files comprising the sources.
- if you use Maple, a .mw file.
- if you use GeoGebra, a .ggb file.
- optionally, you can put all of these files together in a .zip.
If you think you might submit in other formats such as .html or .ppt ask in advance; you'd still have to satisfy all of the requirements below.
Choose Your Own Assignment
For this project, you will be required to use at least two out of the three pieces software of this course: LaTeX, Maple, and GeoGebra. (You can use all 3 if you like.)
It is important that you pick one file as your "main" file and this is what we will read first. LaTeX is a natural choice for your main file since it's a written document that can hold any content, but Maple would also work well. If you can think of a way to use GeoGebra as your main file please check with us first. We'll read your other documents to substantiate what you say in your main file, but it should be in principle possible for a reader to understand the majority of your project just by reading the main file alone.
- When you submit your files there is a place to type a note with your submission. There, indicate which is your main file. Inside the main file, you should also indicate which other files have important content to be graded. (You don't need to list all source files and .bib/image files.)
Like in week 3: The type of document (e.g. quiz, assignment, classroom handout, course notes) as well as the content (e.g. algebraic manipulation, quadratic equations, discussion of gas prices) is left entirely open and up to you. You could create a resource that you would be able to use in your own classroom, or write a document on a topic of personal interest. Be creative and don't be afraid to think outside of the box.
Here are a few if you need a hand getting started:
- Write a tutorial in LaTeX designed to lead the reader through the construction of a diagram in GeoGebra, and include the resulting GeoGebra file.
- Prepare a lesson proving a mathematical property or experiment requiring the computing power of Maple, and write directions for the insturctor in LaTeX. (In this case the LaTeX document is probably more natural to make the main one.)
- Use Maple and/or GeoGebra to create pictures to illustrate a LaTeX document. (If you choose to do this, take the time to make sure that not only do the pictures look good in the original program, but also that they look good in the final PDF.)
- Use GeoGebra to perform some construction, and use Maple to explore it in more depth or to prove the result via algebraic manipulation. (Make sure that Maple is capable of doing any calculations that you anticipate you will be doing.)
A formal import-export of data between the different programs is not necessarily required, for example if you combine Maple and GeoGebra, there may not be any natural way to accomplish this with the tools discussed in the course.
Go Beyond
You must make use of at least one tool or package beyond the mandatory parts of the course material. This would be
- something in the Week 6 Maple content, OR
- something in the LaTeX Extras page, OR
- something for Maple, LaTeX, or GeoGebra not discussed in the course notes, which you found either in the help pages, a manual, or by searching online. This can be a package or a command (in Maple or LaTeX) or a new type of object (in GeoGebra), or anything else.
The idea here is put in to practice independent learning. The more naturally that the extra idea fits in to your current material, the better. But be cautious of trying to make one of the programs try to do something that it cannot, which may be a time sink.
Size
Although this project is worth slightly more than the other weeks' work, and although there are a lot of instructions, it is not intended to be something that takes more time than a typical week... don't spend every night and day on the project. The course guideline is 10 to 12 hours per week including reading (which is optional this week) and everything else. You should not exceed this (including whatever reading you choose) unless you really feel like it. That having said, make wise use of your time. If you spend 20 minutes not being able to figure a feature out, post in the forum or contact course staff to get help.
Our coverage of LaTeX and GeoGebra has not been very comprehensive, so you don't need to perform rocket science with them. (But a project on the science of rockets would be awesome.)
Again: ask us! We're here to help! You can ask in the forums, by e-mail, or by office hours.
Summary of Requirements
- Use at least 2 out of the 3 of LaTeX, Maple, and Geogebra.
- Ensure one of your files is the "main" file. The number of non-main files that contain significant content requiring us to read and grade should be 0, 1, or another small positive integer. When submitting, mention this file in the dropbox notes.
- Do something from the Go Beyond section above.
- Create your own grading scheme (see below). Divide 50 points between LaTeX, Maple, and Geogebra, using multiples of 10. At least two of them must get nonzero weight. It should reflect roughly the proportion of time you spent using each tool for the project.
- Like Week 3, we want to know explicitly how you satisfied the requirements. Somewhere in the main file, explain how you met the requirements (in particular the Go Beyond one), give your grading scheme, and give a general short description of your project. You can put your citations here too if you want.
- Formatting and following instructions are important, but they don't get their own grade column. Each part will be graded on whether you used the tools in a natural way, whether the end result is well-presented, and for overall appeal.
Independent Work / Citation Policy (same as week 3)
Recall in week 3 we stated that you should not re-use material from that project in this one (although they can be on the same topic, if they're both created from scratch). Here is a more general policy on what we expect: cite all inspirations, figures, text, or code fragments taken from outside sources. For web resources, list at minimum the URL and a brief description of the page. (Remember that \url{} may be useful.)
Include citations of resources that you use, including for Go Beyond. You can use a formal bibliography if you like, but you don't have to.
Grading
The assignment is worth a total of 50 points. To give more creative freedom to you, we would like you to choose how many marks will be designated to the use of each piece of software. The weight you designate to each should reflect the amount of work put towards each piece of software. Use multiples of 10 to divide the marks; at least two must be nonzero.
Example: LaTeX = 20 marks, Maple = 30 marks
Example: LaTeX = 30 marks, Maple = 10 marks, GeoGebra = 10 marks
Even if you use PowerPoint, .html, or something else, you cannot assign it any marks.
Late Policy
If you absolutely need to hand in your assignment in late,
- Tell any one of the course staff in advance so we can unlock your dropbox.
- When you finally submit to the dropbox, inform one of us it's ready to be graded.
- You will get a penalty of 2.5 marks per day.
Good Luck!
If anything is unclear or you have questions, do not hesitate to tell us.