Subject Code/Name: e.g.
MAST20026 Real Analysis With ApplicationsWorkload: 3 x 1 hour lectures per week, 1 x 1 hour practice class per week, 4 x 1 hour computer laboratory classes during semester
Assessment: 12 written assignments worth 20% altogether, 80% exam.
Lectopia Enabled: Yes - except for lectures 33 & 34 (last two lectures)
Past exams available: Yes
*Lecturer: Barry Hughes
Textbook Recommendation: None. Most of them are either beyond the course or too advanced. But Barry's top recommendation is worth a read.
Rating: 3.5 Out of 5
Your Mark/Grade: P
Comments: I've come across a lot of high school students who say that they "love maths". Perfect. Then this is the subject for you. This subject will truly separate those who:
1. Truly love maths for its art & beauty
2. Appreciate maths & consider majoring in it
3. Loathe maths for its proofs, logic and deduction
It is the first subject to introduce pure maths to undergraduates for those who went through the Calculus 1,2 pathway. It is painstakingly annoying. You leave out something and/or don't consider all cases - then you can safely assume that you will be penalised. It will screw with your mind, motivation and confidence. That is a fact. It is the nature of the subject and you shouldn't expect it to be "easy". The lectures were confusing and hard to grasp the concepts. I have lost count of how many times I have said "WTF?!" in my mind. Very often you can walk out of a lecture not understanding what the hell went on in that lecture. And don't worry or fear, you won't be the only one.
This is why you need to go to the tutes. If you can walk, then rock up - even if you are dead drunk. Tutes operate a lot differently from other maths subjects. Instead of just purely working (pun not intended) on practice problems, the tutor actually goes through the important material in the lectures from the previous week and actually teaches. Then if time permits, then they'll get you to do some problems. That is why it is imperative to attend.
Despite the academic rigour of the subject and the difficulty of some of the assignments, the exam that I sat was fair. It was definitely doable. It was designed to separate those who had a thorough understanding of the course and those who just "skimmed" the surface.
Overall though, it was definitely challenging and is certainly an enriching subject to complete.
*In 2010 semester 1, all but one exam was useless. As almost every semester there was a change in lecturer, there was a change in what was emphasised more in the course. A sample exam was given generously by Dr. Alex Ghitza, the lecturer in 2009 semester 2. Other past papers from subjects that Barry taught were also given.