Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Stemendously Fun Time Stem Club, Sarah Altman, Rhiannon Carlile

Honors Expanded Learning Clubs

After school club for middle school students which focuses on bolstering scientific knowledge though experimentation and exploration of the scientific method.

The Beauty Of Bézier Curves, Qing Chen, Ariane Masuda

Publications and Research

It is very difficult for ordinary people to become excellent painters like Picasso. In contemporary society, everyone has a computer, but no one associates painting with computers. This project aims to show that one can use computer tools to connect mathematics with art. We use Krita, which is a professional free, and open-source painting program made by artists to create digital art. We demonstrate how the Bezier curve pen tool in Krita can help anyone to ́ draw paintings such as Picasso’s cubist oil paintings on a computer in a relatively short time.

Quasipositive Braids And Ribbon Surfaces, Rachel Snyder

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Meant to serve as an accessible exploration of knot theory for undergraduates and those without much experience in topology, this paper will start by exploring the basics of knot theory and will work through investigating the relationships between knots and surfaces, ending with an analysis of the relationship between quasipositive braids and surfaces in 4-space. We will begin by defining a knot and introducing the ways in which we are able to manipulate them. Following that, we will explore the basics of surfaces, building up to a proof that all surfaces are homeomorphic to a series of disks and bands …

Bézier Curves, Qing Chen, Ariane Masuda

Publications and Research

Drawing on a computer using a mouse is quite different than drawing by hand. It can be challenging to use a mouse to even simply trace a line. If the drawing involves several lines and curves, the task becomes more complicated. The goal of this project is to show how to design beautiful artworks using Bézier curves. A Bézier curve is a smooth parametric curve produced by the coordinates of certain points. To draw a specific curve, one needs to select multiple control points positioned in strategic places. By changing these positions, one can draw different curves to produce the …

Regression Analysis: Graduation Rate In Kentucky Public High Schools, Rebecca Price

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Kentucky’s Public High School graduation rates vary widely across the rural and urban regions in the state. In addition to their graduation rates, each of these schools have their own unique demographics, funding, teacher-student ratio, etc. that define said school’s identity. This research aims to analyze the aforementioned variables, as well as other variables listed on each school state report card, in order to create a model to predict any school’s graduation rate.

In order to create this model, data was taken on all public high schools in Kentucky from the Kentucky Department of Education’s School Report Card. Data were …