Syllabus — MATH 110 Fall 2026
Patrick Collins, Ph.D. · Mondays & Wednesdays, 6:00–8:00 PM · 2520 S. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60608 — Room 008
- Office hours
- Mondays & Wednesdays, 5:00–6:00 PM (Room 008)
- p.collins@idpl.org
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to mathematical reasoning skills essential for success in healthcare and the sciences. Emphasis is placed on careful reasoning, problem-solving, and the ability to interpret and communicate quantitative information.
The course covers three units: Counting, Probability, and Statistics.
Class Meetings
The class meets twice per week on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 2520 S. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60608 (Room 008). On regular instructional days there is a 10-minute break from 6:55 PM to 7:05 PM.
Midterm Exams
There are two 1-hour midterm exams, each worth 16% of your grade.
- Midterm Exam 1 — Wednesday, November 4. Covers the Counting and Probability units.
- Midterm Exam 2 — Wednesday, December 2. Covers the Statistics unit.
Final Exam
The final exam is 2 hours and cumulative, worth 26% of your grade. It will be administered on Wednesday, December 9.
Homework
In each instructional week, a worksheet will be distributed at the end of class on Wednesday and is due at the beginning of class the following Monday. The one exception is Homework 7: since there is no class on Wednesday, November 25, it will be distributed at the end of class on Monday, November 23, and is due at the beginning of class on Monday, November 30. There are 7 assignments, together worth 42% of your grade.
Resubmission Policy
Each homework assignment may be resubmitted once, subject to the conditions below. Resubmissions are due at the beginning of class one week after the graded assignment is returned, or at the next class meeting if there is no class that day. Correct resubmissions earn back full points.
To be eligible for resubmission, all of the following requirements must be met:
- Reasonable original attempt. Only problems for which a reasonable attempt was made on the original submission are eligible. Blank or skipped problems may not be resubmitted. The instructor will determine what constitutes a reasonable first attempt.
- Separate sheet. Resubmitted work must be written on a fresh sheet of paper. Writing over, erasing, or otherwise modifying the original submission is not permitted.
- Office hours discussion. Before resubmitting, you must meet with the instructor during office hours to discuss the original submission. You must be able to explain your mistakes and demonstrate an understanding of how to correct them.
- Complete and correct solution. The resubmitted solution must be complete from start to finish and 100% correct. Partial credit is not awarded on resubmissions.
Attendance
Regular attendance is essential. Each class session covers a substantial amount of material. If you must miss a class, please notify the instructor in advance, and make sure to review the slides on your own time — they are posted on the Slides page.
Late Work
Homework submitted after the Monday deadline will not be accepted without prior arrangement. If you anticipate a conflict, please contact the instructor as early as possible.
Academic Integrity
All submitted work must be your own. Collaboration on homework is encouraged for the purpose of discussion and checking understanding, but each student must write up and submit their own solutions independently. Use of AI on the homework is strictly prohibited. Any form of cheating on exams will result in a grade of zero for that exam, and the student may be referred to the appropriate institutional authority.
Communication
Announcements will be posted on the home page of this site, and lecture slides, homework assignments, solutions, and exam materials all live here as well. Please check the site regularly, and before each class.
For anything individual — questions about your own work, scheduling a resubmission discussion, or notifying me of an absence — email me at p.collins@idpl.org or come to office hours.
Grading
| Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Midterm Exam 1 | 16% |
| Midterm Exam 2 | 16% |
| Homework (7 assignments) | 42% |
| Final Exam (cumulative) | 26% |
| Total | 100% |
Course Topics
1. Counting
- Sets
- The Fundamental Principle of Counting
- Factorials
- Permutations
- Combinations
- Counting Arguments
2. Probability
- Sample Spaces and Events
- Probability by Counting
- Mutually Exclusive Events and the Addition Rule
- Independence and the Multiplication Rule
- Conditional Probability
- Binomial Experiments
3. Statistics
- Populations and Samples
- Qualitative and Quantitative Variables
- Descriptive Statistics
- Frequency Histograms
- Experimental Probability
- Relative-Frequency Histograms
- Measures of Center
- Measures of Spread
- Normal Distributions
- Z-Scores and Z-Tables
The full week-by-week calendar is on the Schedule page.