Applied Mathematics Commons^™

Are Mathematical Entities Real?, Phillip E. Lestmann

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

This talk will introduce ontological questions related to mathematics. After surveying the views of Plato and Artistotle, other possible philosophical perspectives will be considered including realism, nominalism, conceptualism, and empiricism with their relative strengths and weaknesses. The discussion will conclude with a possible biblical foundation for mathematical ontology.

A Career Preparation Course For Students In Mathematics And Computer Science, Donna Pierce, Peter A. Tucker

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

As professors, we all want our students to succeed, and to be motivated to study. We all get questions from students that can be boiled down to, "What can I do with X degree?" Certainly, a quick answer is to point students to career websites, or to send them to the career services department on campus. However, we want to do better than that. We want students to learn how to investigate these future directions, and to have them think about their future more holistically--not just an effort to find a job. To that end, we have developed a course …

History Of Mathematics In The Service Of School Mathematics Education, Calvin Jongsma

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

This slide presentation outlines the author's use of history of mathematics in teaching a mathematics-content course to prospective middle school mathematics teachers. A pedagogical rationale for using history of mathematics is given, along with a case study illustrating its use for teaching the topic of ratio and proportion drawing upon the numerical and geometrical theories of such found in Euclid's Elements.

Galileo's Solution To Dante's Riddle, Andrew Simoson

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

In Dante’s Inferno, several riddles are posed regarding the relative sizes of ordinary men versus giants versus Lucifer—all of which Galileo solves in his first public lecture—which we review herein.

Sage: Math In Your Dorm Room, From Calculus To Research, Karl-Dieter Crisman

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

As computers have revolutionized math research in disciplines as disparate as number theory and bioinformatics, it is natural for us to introduce our students to technology in ways beyond mere homework-checking. However, most familiar programs are either not comprehensive enough to encompass all the math in our curriculum, or are very expensive and accessible only in a lab or with a student license. The open source software package Sage addresses all of these issues.

Sage is suitable for discovery and computation in introductory courses such as calculus or linear algebra, while also being ideal for use in upper-level courses or …

Can Critical Thinking Be Redeemed?, Jeremy Case

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

We often claim that mathematics develops critical thinking skills. Critical thinking has many different definitions, but problem solving, deduction, analyzing arguments, and identifying assumptions are all certainly a part of critical thinking. As the trend in higher education moves away from focusing exclusively on content towards assessment and learning outcomes, we can justify our endeavors since mathematics and critical thinking align themselves well.

However, when examining the ultimate purpose of critical thinking in higher education, we must take care. If there is no agreed upon content knowledge in our postmodern age, the focus of education falls elsewhere. How one thinks …

Exploring The Limits Of Computing Through Exhaustive Search, Jeffrey L. Lehman

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

Many computing problems can be solved by identifying all possible moves or combinations of events and then picking the best solution. Problems in this domain provide fertile ground for exploring problem representation, storage requirements, and computational complexity. The problems and solution approaches are easy to understand, yet quickly push the memory and storage limits of a personal computer. This paper describes insights from a preliminary investigating of two exhaustive search problems, the 15-puzzle and Rubik’s cube. The insights gained by looking at exhaustive search problems can be integrated into classroom discussions and projects.

Monoids For Math Majors, Brian D. Beasley

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

Inspired by an MAA PREP workshop on “The Art of Factorization in Multiplicative Structures”, this paper will treat the basics of congruence monoids and arithmetical congruence monoids with their potential for a Modern Algebra or capstone course.

Supplemental Vocabulary Acquisition In The Desymbol Logic Translator, Darren F. Provine, Nancy Lynn Tinkham

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

DeSymbol is a program that translates first-order predicate logic expressions into English. It is designed to help students practice when learning or reviewing symbolic logic: students begin by translating English sentences into symbolic logic notation, and then they can use DeSymbol to translate the logic back into English to check their work.

The newest version of DeSymbol adds the ability for the user to expand the system’s vocabulary, using a web interface. The user can enter new nouns, verbs, or adjectives, specifying each word’s part of speech, its singular and plural forms, and (for verbs) whether the verb takes an …

Professor Peacock's Symbolical Algebra: Glimpses Into The Life And Work Of A Mathematical Reformer, Richard Stout

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

In his 1859 obituary of George Peacock (Royal Society of London, 1859),the nineteenth century mathematician and Dean of Ely Cathedral, his friend and long-time colleague J. F. W. Herschel not only lists Peacock's accomplishments as an educator, a churchman, and a mathematician, but also describes a man who embodies warmth and wisdom, the kind of person you would enjoy knowing and having as a colleague. Writing about Peacock in the Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society, Augustus DeMorgan echoes these sentiments when he says that "Whenever a man of safe judgment was wanted, who united kindness and courtesy to a …

The Development Of Mathematical And Spiritual Maturity In The Undergraduate Mathematics Curriculum, Angela Hare

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

Colleges and universities that teach mathematics have a responsibility to develop in students an appreciation of the powerful tools they are studying in the mathematics curriculum. Beyond this fundamental responsibility, the Christian college or university has the richer task of equipping mathematics graduates to use their mathematical knowledge and skills to sharpen their spiritual insight, to serve others, and to promote justice and freedom in society. The growth in mathematical maturity that occurs during the undergraduate years is an asset that enables Christian students of mathematics to participate in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ through their discipline of study. …

Approximating Sums Of Infinite Series, Kara Garrison, Thomas E. Price

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

The Euler-Maclaurin summation formula is frequently used to efficiently estimate sums of infinite series of the form $\sum_{j=1}^{\infty}f(j)$. The purpose of this article is to describe a modification of this numerical technique designed to simplify and reduce the computational effort required to obtain an acceptable estimate of the sum. The modified formula is obtained by replacing $f\left( x\right) $ with an easily constructed polynomial like interpolating function $a\left( x\right) $ designed to simplify the calculation of the integral and derivatives associated with Euler-Maclaurin. This approach provides a more tractable algorithm which can be written as a matrix equation. Examples are …

Integrating Dynamic Software Into Geometry Courses At Middle School, High School, And College Levels: Ten Lesson Plan And Instruction Material Units Incorporating Geometer's Sketchpad Version 4.07, Jamie Blauw, Lauren Zylstra, Dave Klanderman

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

This paper explores the use of dynamic geometry software (Geometer's Sketchpad) in the teaching and learning of Geometry at the high school and college level. As part of an honors project, two of the authors created a series of lesson activities to address specific geometric concepts. Each lesson implements Geometer's Sketchpad to create an engaging student-centered learning environment.

A Vision For Acms, James Bradley

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

This paper applies McGrath's and Heller's approach to the consideration of mathematics. It assumes that mathematics is not self-interpreting, but that, looked at from a framework informed by the Christian scriptures, it can be seen as having significant meaning and value and a transcendent purpose. In particular, it presents a classical interpretation of mathematics broadly conceived, presents two approaches to providing warrant for such an interpretation, and explores some implications. It argues, by means of the example of the classical interpretation, that the relationship between mathematics and theology is a viable area of scholarly inquiry encompassing profound and fascinating questions. …

Arithmetic Sequences, Diophantine Equations And The Number Of The Beast, Bryan Dawson

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

Revelation 13:18 invites anyone with "understanding" to "calculate the number of the beast". This session reviews historical attempts using arithmetic sequences and gives conditions by which a name is "beastable" by those methods. Do these approaches make it reasonable to identify the beast based on such calculation alone?

A Quick Way To Find The Arc Length Between Between Two Points Of The Logarithmic Spiral, Peter Rothmaler

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

No abstract provided.

Algebra Investigator, Al Hibbard

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

No abstract provided.

About Furuta's Inequality And Aluthge Transform On Pseudo-Hilbert Spaces, Loredana Ciudariu

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

No abstract provided.

Paper Abstracts (2009), Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

Seventeenth Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences

Introduction (2009), Terry Perciante

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

Seventeenth Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences

The Heavens And The Scriptures In The Eyes Of Johannes Kepler, Dale L. Mcintyre

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

The heavens declare the glory of God… Ps. 19:1 Acclaimed as one of the most accomplished and influential scientists of his time, the subject of this paper was also a passionate defender of the Christian faith who believed he had been called by God to glorify Him in the study of His Creation. We see a man who was so immersed in both the Scriptures and his exploration of the heavens that his scholarly writings often burst forth with biblical quotations and songs of praise for God the Creator. Though always magnanimous and tolerant of others, he suffered persecution from …

Table Of Contents (2009), Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

Seventeenth Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences

Schedule (2009), Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2009

Seventeenth Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences

Tight Lower Bound For The Sparse Travelling Salesman Problem, Fredrick Mtenzi

Conference papers

The Sparse Travelling Salesman Problem (Sparse TSP) which is a variant of the classical Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) is the problem of finding the shortest route of the salesman when visiting cities in a region making sure that each city is visited at least once and returning home at the end. In the Sparse TSP, the distance between cities may not obey the triangle inequality; this makes the use of algorithms and formulations designed for the TSP to require modifications in order to produce near-optimal results. A lower bound for optmisation problems gives us the quality guarantee of the near-optimal …

Rules And Insights: Connecting The Mathematical And Linguistic Abilities Of C.S. Lewis, Kim Regnier Jongerius

ACMS Journal 2008-2009

While most biographical works on C.S. Lewis give passing reference to Lewis' problems with elementary mathematics, few have made an attempt at diagnosing the difficulty or exploring its impact on his writing. A careful study of family correspondence, however, makes it clear that his learning difficulties were not with mathematics alone and suggests connections between attitudes toward and abilities in both mathematics and language. This paper will make these connections clear and will illustrate their ties to Lewis' effective mathematical references.

Computing Prime Harmonic Sums, Eric Bach, Dominic Klyve, Jonathan P. Sorenson

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

We discuss a method for computing Σ �≤� 1/�, using time about �2/3 and space about �1/3. It is based on the Meissel-Lehmer algorithm for computing the prime-counting function �(�), which was adapted and improved by Lagarias, Miller, and Odlyzko. We used this algorithm to determine the first point at which the prime harmonic sum first crosses.

A Two-Population Insurgency In Colombia: Quasi-Predator-Prey Models - A Trend Towards Simplicity, John A. Adam, John A. Sokolowski, Catherine M. Banks

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

A sequence of analytic mathematical models has been developed in the context of the "low-level insurgency" in Colombia, from 1993 to the present. They are based on generalizations of the two-population "predator-prey" model commonly applied in ecological modeling, and interestingly, the less sophisticated models yield more insight into the problem than the more complicated ones, but the formalism is available to adapt the model "upwards" in the event that more data becomes available, or as the situation increases in complexity. Specifically, so-called "forcing terms" were included initially in the coupled differential equations to represent the effects of government policies towards …

A Covert Encryption Method For Applications In Electronic Data Interchange, Jonathan Blackledge, Dmitry Dubovitskiy

Articles

A principal weakness of all encryption systems is that the output data can be ‘seen’ to be encrypted. In other words, encrypted data provides a ‘flag’ on the potential value of the information that has been encrypted. In this paper, we provide a new approach to ‘hiding’ encrypted data in a digital image.

In conventional (symmetric) encryption, the plaintext is usually represented as a binary stream and encrypted using an XOR type operation with a binary cipher. The algorithm used is ideally designed to: (i) generate a maximum entropy cipher so that there is no bias with regard to any …

On A-Ary Subdivision For Curve Design Ii. 3-Point And 5-Point Interpolatory Schemes, Jian-Ao Lian

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

The a-ary 3-point and 5-point interpolatery subdivision schemes for curve design are introduced for arbitrary odd integer a greater than or equal to 3. These new schemes further extend the family of the classical 4- and 6-point interpolatory schemes.

Uniform Uncertainty Principle And Signal Recovery Via Regularized Orthogonal Matching Pursuit, Deanna Needell, Roman Vershynin

CMC Faculty Publications and Research

This paper seeks to bridge the two major algorithmic approaches to sparse signal recovery from an incomplete set of linear measurements—L1-minimization methods and iterative methods (Matching Pursuits). We find a simple regularized version of Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (ROMP) which has advantages of both approaches: the speed and transparency of OMP and the strong uniform guarantees of L1-minimization. Our algorithm, ROMP, reconstructs a sparse signal in a number of iterations linear in the sparsity, and the reconstruction is exact provided the linear measurements satisfy the uniform uncertainty principle.