Linguistics 726: Mathematical Linguistics

[under construction, see links to individual homeworks below the lectures on the main page]

General notes about homework for Ling 726

The correspondence chart for the homeworks from 2001, 2004, and 2006 is here.

Links to homework solutions are now found on the main 726 page with the schedule and the handouts.

In the first two-thirds of the semester there will be frequent written homework, with “first try” and “redo” to give you a chance to build your mathematical muscles. No written homework in December. Homeworks are probably the most important part of the course: you can only learn math by doing it.

Strategy: When there are choices of problems to do, pick some that are neither too easy for you nor impossible. Try some, then check your answers, then redo some if necessary, and try some more. Show us explicitly that you have checked your answers. If you have questions or disagreements with the answers in the book or on the website, write them down. When you find that you’ve made a mistake, don’t erase it, rather add comments that show us that you understand the mistake, and redo the problem if necessary.

There are answers to many of the PtMW questions in the back of the book, and there are many student solutions from previous years on the website. If the answers in the back of the book or on the website aren’t enough, feel free to send us e-mail.

It’s fine to work in teams. In that case, let us know it, and each of you should still write out the answers in your own words.

It’s better to hand in an incomplete homework on time than a complete one late. You are free to hand in part of a homework on time and then more of it later. But it’s important both for you and for us for you to hand in homeworks on time: it helps you keep up; it helps us know where more attention to certain topics may be needed; and it’s much easier for us to grade homeworks all in one batch.

If you’re feeling very stuck on something, you can hand in a very incomplete homework that is mostly filled with questions, or that somehow lets us know as much as you can articulate about the source of your trouble; then we can figure out how best to help. We’re happy to make individual appointments, and we can schedule extra group sessions if there’s demand.

Note about late homework:

Last day for turning in homework (late homework or special projects) is Friday December 15, but since no homework will be assigned after mid-November, we really hope to have all homeworks in hand by December 5.