Initial Publication Date: December 3, 2012

IDSC 100: Measured Thinking

Reasoning with Numbers about World Events, Health, Science, and Social Issues

Instructor: Neil Lutsky
Fall 2011

Viz Imagining Numbers Webpage

Course Description
This interdisciplinary course addresses one of the signal features of contemporary academic, professional, public, and personal life: a reliance on information and arguments involving numbers. We will examine how numbers are used and misused in verbal, statistical, and graphical form in discussions of world events, health, science, and social issues. Students will also apply quantitative reasoning skills to assist community organizations.






Course Materials

Students in Neil Lutsky's A&I seminar IDSC 100: Measured Thinking: Reasoning with Numbers about World Events, Health, Science, and Social Issues, collaborated with Northfield Middle School students in John Bade's art class to create graphic designs inspired by numbers. These graphic designs were showcased in the exhibition, Imagining Numbers.

Course Syllabus










Imagining Numbers Assignment










Northfield Middle School Project Pre-Test










Worksheet: Working with Computer Files and Images










Creating Imagining Numbers Images










Northfield Middle School Post-Test