Assignments for Mathematical Sciences Seminar

1. Visit the Final Project page from mat194 group of Spring, 2011.
   • Find one project that you admire, and
   • Find one project that you think needs work.
   • Type up (to hand in next time) a one page description of
     1. what made the preferred project better, and
     2. what made the lesser project worse.
     That's one page for both descriptions. Cover anything and everything you think worth noting: appearance, style, mathematics, etc.

2. Using the two source documents and whatever mathematics you know, decide
   1. Whether to take the insurance on the MacBook Air or not, and
   2. Which photograph package represents "the best value" in a sense that you are to determine:
      • LifeTouch, page left
      • LifeTouch, page right
      You need at least 1 8x10, and 8 2x3s, and will consider the others if they're "cheap enough" given the need to buy the first two. You must choose one package, and can buy the sheets to complement your package.
   3. Can you think of other "back to school" opportunities to exercise your math?

Homework for next time (due Wed, 9/3):

• Visit Ivars Peterson's page of "Math Treks" or Steven Strogatz's site on the Elements of Math, and then

• Type up a well-written one-page summary of a topic of your choice. Describe how one might turn this into a final project.

• Visit Steven Strogatz's site on the Elements of Math, and then

• Type up a well-written one-page summary of a topic of your choice. Describe how one might turn this into a final project.

Type up your answers to the following for homework:

• Look up
  • non-Euclidean geometry
  • Godel's "Incompleteness" Theorem
  and write a few sentences about each, as though you're explaining to someone with a non-technical background. Put it in your own words!

• What specific work is credited with providing mathematics with its credibility and importance for so long?
• Find one mathematician whose name you did not know, and give a short bio.
• Find one philosopher/poet/humanist whose name you did not know, and give a short bio.
• Find five words with which you were unfamiliar, and give definitions.

Steve Wilkinson will join us to talk about some work that he and his daughter are carrying out regarding infinity.

Write up answers to the following (you don't need to type them):

1. What is a one-to-one correspondence? Describe an explicit one-to-one correspondence for the figure on page 5 of the reading.
2. Compute the derivative of another function (say ) using the method on page 7.
3. Attempt to use Euler's formulas (bottom of page 8) when and . What happens? Are these formulas any good? Any idea why?

I'd like for you to provide some justification or background information on why it would make a good topic.

• revise and refine your proposal, and resubmit (typed, three pages).
• Include at least one reference.
• If you didn't submit a proposal last time, your job is to write one, then get it peer-edited by two peers.

  An email has been sent, with details.

• Jen Quammen is a professional (a vet), and Regan Murray works in government (the EPA). Have you considered a career in either of the professional world or government?
• What would you think of spending 5-7 years in graduate school to attain one of these professions? What concerns would you have?
• Is graduate school a realistic option for you? Why or why not?

Visuals, visuals, visuals! Manipulatives, manipulatives, manipulatives!

How will you incorporate elements into your poster that will attract folks like bees to honey, and help to convey your message (whatever that is?).

Map out your poster (note: you may be considering a presentation of some sort, rather than a poster. If so, please let me know). Take a sheet of blank white paper, and put titles, images, text, etc. strategically on this poster to create a design which you feel will appeal.

Furthermore, think about how the design will facilitate the takeaway message that you want your poster to have.

The message that you want to leave the visitor with is your typed page. Summarize (give the elevator speech) for your project. If you only had a couple of minutes, what would you want the listener to hear?

You need to prepare a four (or more) page project report. The report should be a summary of your presentation/poster, but should be self-contained and "free-standing" (i.e. it could be read and understood in the absence of your poster or presentation).

This report will include references, some visuals (graphs, diagrams, photos, etc.), and a focus on the mathematics that you have highlighted. In addition it should include something about your personal interest in the subject. It will be type-written and double-spaced.

For next class (12/3): you should have a rough draft to share with your classmates. The final report will be due at the time of our poster presentations on 12/10.