Mathematics

Mathematics is a rich area of inquiry ranging from pure abstractions to concrete applications. At Amherst College, the study of Mathematics includes both its pure and applied aspects as well as a developing program in Statistics. The language of Mathematics is remarkably powerful and flexible, and the modes of thinking learned in Statistics can yield remarkable insight into the many numbers that pervade modern life. The ideas of Mathematics and Statistics are not only beautiful and valuable in themselves but also relevant to many other disciplines, including Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Environmental Studies, and Physics.

Our introductory course offerings include Calculus, Linear Algebra and Applied Statistics. For students interested in Mathematics as a liberal art, we also have courses in Number Theory, Mathematical Modeling, and Discrete Mathematics. In these courses, suitable for majors and non-majors alike, students learn the power of applications and enjoy the satisfaction of constructing rigorous proofs. For students who wish to inquire more deeply into the subject, the major in Mathematics offers a full range of courses in Mathematics and Statistics, together with the possibility of doing a senior honors thesis.

1. To have acquired both proficiency at calculation and a theoretical understanding of single-variable calculus, multivariable calculus, and linear algebra.

2. To have developed an ability to read and understand mathematical proofs, as well as to construct and communicate their own mathematical proofs.

3. To have demonstrated in a variety of courses the ability to learn and apply new mathematical concepts, definitions, theorems, reasoning skills, and proof skills.

4. For honors students, to have delved deeply into an advanced topic and written a clear and detailed exposition in the form of a senior thesis.

The Department of Mathematics is located in the Seeley Mudd Building and shares many resources with the Departments of Computer Science and Information Technology.