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Articles 1 - 9 of 9
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Could Raphael’S School Of Athens Contain Hidden Geometry?, Frode S. Larsen, Harald E. Moe
Could Raphael’S School Of Athens Contain Hidden Geometry?, Frode S. Larsen, Harald E. Moe
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
In this article we argue that Raphael has hidden a geometric shape called a vesica piscis in his fresco The School of Athens (1510-1511). The vesica piscis, and several findings which can be interpreted as suggesting the presence of a vesica piscis in the fresco, are presented. Several of these suggestions relate to the vesica piscis drawn in the construction of an equilateral triangle in the first proposition of Euclid’s Elements. Based on findings in the fresco, we suggest that the vesica piscis should be interpreted in light of a philosophical and theological controversy which took place in Italy …
From A Doodle To A Theorem: A Case Study In Mathematical Discovery, Juan FernáNdez GonzáLez, Dirk Schlimm
From A Doodle To A Theorem: A Case Study In Mathematical Discovery, Juan FernáNdez GonzáLez, Dirk Schlimm
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
We present some aspects of the genesis of a geometric construction, which can be carried out with compass and straightedge, from the original idea to the published version (Fernández González 2016). The Midpoint Path Construction makes it possible to multiply the length of a line segment by a rational number between 0 and 1 by constructing only midpoints and a straight line. In the form of an interview, we explore the context and narrative behind the discovery, with first-hand insights by its author. Finally, we discuss some general aspects of this case study in the context of philosophy of mathematical …
Crocheting Mathematics Through Covid-19, Beyza C. Aslan
Crocheting Mathematics Through Covid-19, Beyza C. Aslan
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
As it is often said, something good often comes out of most bad situations. The time I spent during COVID-19, at home and isolated with my two children, brought out one secret passion in me: crocheting. Not only did it help me pass the time in a sane and productive way, but also it gave me a new goal in life. It connected my math side with my artistic side. It gave me a new perspective to look at math, and helped me help others see math in a positive way.
Making Art In Math Class During The Pandemic, Larson Fairbairn, Kameelah Jackson, Ksenija Simic-Muller
Making Art In Math Class During The Pandemic, Larson Fairbairn, Kameelah Jackson, Ksenija Simic-Muller
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
For many of us, the pandemic has changed how we teach and how we support students. This manuscript highlights creativity as a way to support for student mathematical and emotional well-being. It describes the positive impact that creative assignments in a mathematics content course for preservice K-8 teachers had on students during the early days of the pandemic. The story is told by the instructor and two former students in the course.
One Straight Line Addresses Another Traveling In The Same Direction On An Infinite Plane, Daniel W. Galef
One Straight Line Addresses Another Traveling In The Same Direction On An Infinite Plane, Daniel W. Galef
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
No abstract provided.
Geometry Of Night, Jenny Patton
Geometry Of Night, Jenny Patton
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
No abstract provided.
Descartes Comes Out Of The Closet, Nora E. Culik
Descartes Comes Out Of The Closet, Nora E. Culik
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
While “Descartes Comes Out of the Closet” is ostensibly about a young woman’s journey to Paris, the descriptive detail borrows language and images from Cartesian coordinate geometry, dualistic philosophy, neuroanatomy (the pineal), and projections of three dimensions onto planes. This mathematical universe is counterpointed in the natural language of the suppressed love story that locates the real in the human. Thus, at the heart of the story is the tension between competing notions of mathematics, i.e., as either an independent realm apart from history or as a culturally produced and historical set of practices. Of course, the central character proves …
Paul's Dilemma: Is This A Polyhedron?, Bethany Noblitt, Shelly Harkness
Paul's Dilemma: Is This A Polyhedron?, Bethany Noblitt, Shelly Harkness
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Teachers play the believing game when they honor students’ mathematical thinking, even when it means they must suspend their own mathematical thinking momentarily. The study reported here tells the story of what happened in a university mathematics classroom when one student did not think that a particular figure satisfied the definition of a polyhedron and the instructor chose to play the believing game. The result was a very rich discussion, where both students and the authors grappled with their own mathematical understanding. One author served as the instructor of the course and the other author was an observer, taking field …
Patterns Formed By Coins, Andrey M. Mishchenko
Patterns Formed By Coins, Andrey M. Mishchenko
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
This article is a gentle introduction to the mathematical area known as circle packing, the study of the kinds of patterns that can be formed by configurations of non- overlapping circles. The first half of the article is an exposition of the two most important facts about circle packings, (1) that essentially whatever pattern we ask for, we may always arrange circles in that pattern, and (2) that under simple conditions on the pattern, there is an essentially unique arrangement of circles in that pattern. In the second half of the article, we consider related questions, but where we …