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Mathematics

Honors Theses

Theses/Dissertations

Topology

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Category Theory And Universal Property, Niuniu Zhang Jun 2019

Category Theory And Universal Property, Niuniu Zhang

Honors Theses

Category theory unifies and formalizes the mathematical structure and concepts in a way that various areas of interest can be connected. For example, many have learned about the sets and its functions, the vector spaces and its linear transformation, and the group theories and its group homomorphism. Not to mention the similarity of structure in topological spaces, as the continuous function is its mapping. In sum, category theory represents the abstractions of other mathematical concepts. Hence, one could use category theory as a new language to define and simplify the existing mathematical concepts as the universal properties. The goal of …


Introduction To Computational Topology Using Simplicial Persistent Homology, Jason Turner, Brenda Johnson, Ellen Gasparovic Mar 2018

Introduction To Computational Topology Using Simplicial Persistent Homology, Jason Turner, Brenda Johnson, Ellen Gasparovic

Honors Theses

The human mind has a natural talent for finding patterns and shapes in nature where there are none, such as constellations among the stars. Persistent homology serves as a mathematical tool for accomplishing the same task in a more formal setting, taking in a cloud of individual points and assembling them into a coherent continuous image. We present an introduction to computational topology as well as persistent homology, and use them to analyze configurations of BuckyBalls®, small magnetic balls commonly used as desk toys.


Tying The Knot: Applications Of Topology To Chemistry, Tarini S. Hardikar Jan 2017

Tying The Knot: Applications Of Topology To Chemistry, Tarini S. Hardikar

Honors Theses

Chirality (or handedness) is the property that a structure is “different” from its mirror image. Topology can be used to provide a rigorous framework for the notion of chirality. This project examines various types of chirality and discusses tools to detect chirality in graphs and knots. Notable theorems that are discussed in this work include ones that identify chirality using properties of link polynomials (HOMFLY polynomials), rigid vertex graphs, and knot linking numbers. Various other issues of chirality are explored, and some specially unique structures are discussed. This paper is borne out of reading Dr. Erica Flapan’s book, When Topology …


Normal Surfaces And 3-Manifold Algorithms, Josh D. Hews Jan 2017

Normal Surfaces And 3-Manifold Algorithms, Josh D. Hews

Honors Theses

This survey will develop the theory of normal surfaces as they apply to the S3 recognition algorithm. Sections 2 and 3 provide necessary background on manifold theory. Section 4 presents the theory of normal surfaces in triangulations of 3-manifolds. Section 6 discusses issues related to implementing algorithms based on normal surfaces, as well as an overview of the Regina, a program that implements many 3-manifold algorithms. Finally section 7 presents the proof of the 3-sphere recognition algorithm and discusses how Regina implements the algorithm.


A Brief Study Of Topology, Mary Beth Mangrum Jan 1970

A Brief Study Of Topology, Mary Beth Mangrum

Honors Theses

Topology is the study of topological properties of figures -- those properties which do not change under "elastic" motion. It is generally divided into two branches: set topology and algebraic topology. Set topology discusses the nature of a topological space, the properties of sets of points, the definitions of limits and continuity, the special properties of metric spaces, and questions concerning separation and connectedness. Algebraic topology deals with groups which are defined on a space, their structure and invariants.