Mathematics Commons^™

Numerical Study Of Body Shape And Wing Flexibility In Fluid Structure Interaction, Peter Nolan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

We discuss the equilibrium configurations of fibers clamped to an ellipsoidal body and immersed in a flow ranging between 0-50 cm/s. Experimental and numerical results are presented and the effects of flow speed, body shape, and orientation of the fibers upon the equilibrium configuration are investigated. Our investigations reveal that the orientation of the fibers, the length of the length fibers, as well as, the shape of the body has a significant impact upon the bending and drag experienced by the ellipsoid-fiber system. We note that (i) less eccentric bodies experience greater drag forces and increased bending of the attached …

Manipulating The Mass Distribution Of A Golf Putter, Paul J. Hessler Jr.

Senior Honors Projects

Putting may appear to be the easiest but is actually the most technically challenging part of the game of golf. The ideal putting stroke will remain parallel to its desired trajectory both in the reverse and forward direction when the putter head is within six inches of the ball. Deviation from this concept will cause a cut or sidespin on the ball that will affect the path the ball will travel.

Club design plays a large part in how well a player will be able to achieve a straight back and straight through club head path near impact; specifically the …

Teaching Algebra: A Comparison Of Scottish And American Perspectives, Brittany Munro

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A variety of factors influence what teaching strategies an educator uses. I analyze survey responses from algebra teachers in Scotland and Appalachia America to discover how a teacher's perception of these factors, particularly their view of mathematics itself, determines the pedagogical strategies employed in the classroom.

Knörrer Periodicity And Bott Periodicity, Michael K. Brown

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The main goal of this dissertation is to explain a precise sense in which Knörrer periodicity in commutative algebra is a manifestation of Bott periodicity in topological K-theory. In Chapter 2, we motivate this project with a proof of the existence of an 8-periodic version of Knörrer periodicity for hypersurfaces defined over the real numbers. The 2- and 8-periodic versions of Knörrer periodicity for complex and real hypersurfaces, respectively, mirror the 2- and 8-periodic versions of Bott periodicity in KU- and KO-theory. In Chapter 3, we introduce the main tool we need to demonstrate the compatibility between Knörrer …

Extremal Results For The Number Of Matchings And Independent Sets, Lauren Keough

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation answers several questions in extremal graph theory, each concerning the maximum or minimum number of certain substructures a graph can have, given that it must satisfy certain properties. In recent years there has been increased interest in such problems, which are extremal problems for "counting" parameters of graphs. The results in this dissertation focus on graphs that have n vertices and e edges and 3-uniform hypergraphs that have n vertices and e edges.

We first observe in the preliminaries chapter that for graphs with a fixed number of vertices and edges there is a threshold graph attaining the …

2-Domination And Annihilation Numbers, Sean C. Patterson

Honors Theses

Using information provided by Ryan Pepper and Ermelinda DeLaVina in their paper On the 2-Domination number and Annihilation Number, I developed a new bound on the 2- domination number of trees. An original bound, γ₂(G) ≤ (n+n₁)/ 2 , had been shown by many other authors. Our goal was to generate a tighter bound in some cases and work towards generating a more general bound on the 2-domination number for all graphs. Throughout the span of this project I generated and proved the bound γ₂(T ) ≤ …

Modeling The Diffusion Of Heat Energy Within Composites Of Homogeneous Materials Using The Uncertainty Principle, Elyse M. Garon

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to model the diffusion of heat energy in one space dimension, such as within a rod, in the case where the heat flow is through a medium consisting of two or more homogeneous materials. The challenge of creating such a mathematical model is that the diffusivity will be represented using a piecewise constant function, because the diffusivity changes based on the material. The resulting model cannot be solved using analytical methods, and is impractical to solve using existing numerical methods, thus necessitating a novel approach.

The approach presented in this thesis is to represent …

Phantom Maps, Decomposability, And Spaces Meeting Particular Finiteness Conditions, James Schwass

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to extend principles for detecting the existence of essential phantom maps into spaces meeting particular finiteness conditions. Zabrodsky shows that a space Y having the homotopy type of a finite CW complex is the target of essential phantom maps if and only if Y has a nontrivial rational homology group. We show this observation holds on the collection of finite generalized CW complexes. Similarly, Iriye shows a finite-type, simply connected suspension space is the target of essential phantom maps if and only if it has a nontrivial rational homology group. We show this observation …

The Relationship Between Elementary Teachers' Self-Efficacy For Teaching Mathematics And Their Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching, Meagan Mckinney

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between elementary teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) and their self-efficacy for teaching mathematics. Self-efficacy and MKT are of high importance with implications in regards to quality of instruction and the Common Core State Standards for mathematics. Using the Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics (CKT-M) instrument, data for this study were collected from thirty-five elementary school teachers participating in the Improving Teachers’ Monitoring of Learning Grant at the time. The data were concerned with these teachers’ self-efficacy with the pedagogy and content of mathematics using the Self-Efficacy for Teaching Mathematics Instrument (SETMI). Qualitative data were …

On Color Fixing Groups Associated With Colored Symmetrical Tilings, April Lynne D. Say-Awen, Ma. Louise Antonette N. De Las Peñas, Teofina A. Rapanut

Mathematics Faculty Publications

In this paper, we contribute to the study of colored symmetrical tilings by giving formulas for their associated color fixing groups. In the second part of the paper we provide an application of the results in describing symmetry groups of nanostructures.

Schwarzschild Spacetime And Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker Cosmology, Zachary Cohen

Honors Scholar Theses

The advent of General Relativity via Einstein's field equations revolutionized our understanding of gravity in our solar system and universe. The idea of General Relativity posits that gravity is entirely due to the geometry of the universe -- that is, the mass distribution throughout the universe results in the "curving" of spacetime, which gives us the physics we see on a large scale. In the framework of General Relativity, we find that the universe behaves differently than was predicted in the model of gravitation developed by Newton. We will derive the general relativistic model for a simple system near a …

A Hierarchical Graph For Nucleotide Binding Domain 2, Samuel Kakraba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the most prevalent inherited diseases is cystic fibrosis. This disease is caused by a mutation in a membrane protein, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). CFTR is known to function as a chloride channel that regulates the viscosity of mucus that lines the ducts of a number of organs. Generally, most of the prevalent mutations of CFTR are located in one of two nucleotide binding domains, namely, the nucleotide binding domain 1 (NBD1). However, some mutations in nucleotide binding domain 2 (NBD2) can equally cause cystic fibrosis. In this work, a hierarchical graph is built for NBD2. …

The Apprentices' Tower Of Hanoi, Cory Bh Ball

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Apprentices' Tower of Hanoi is introduced in this thesis. Several bounds are found in regards to optimal algorithms which solve the puzzle. Graph theoretic properties of the associated state graphs are explored. A brief summary of other Tower of Hanoi variants is also presented.

Distance-2 Domatic Numbers Of Graphs, Derek Kiser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The distance d(u, v) between two vertices u and v in a graph G equals the length of a shortest path from u to v. A set S of vertices is called a distance-2 dominating set if every vertex in V \S is within distance-2 of at least one vertex in S. The distance-2 domatic number is the maximum number of sets in a partition of the vertices of G into distance-2 dominating sets. We give bounds on the distance-2 domatic number of a graph and determine the distance-2 domatic number of selected classes of graphs.

Tropical Arithmetics And Dot Product Representations Of Graphs, Nicole Turner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In tropical algebras we substitute min or max for the typical addition and then substitute addition for multiplication. A dot product representation of a graph assigns each vertex of the graph a vector such that two edges are adjacent if and only if the dot product of their vectors is greater than some chosen threshold. The resultS of creating dot product representations of graphs using tropical algebras are examined. In particular we examine the tropical dot product dimensions of graphs and establish connections to threshold graphs and the threshold dimension of a graph.

Classification Of Five-Dimensional Lie Algebras With One-Dimensional Subalgebras Acting As Subalgebras Of The Lorentz Algebra, Jordan Rozum

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Motivated by A. Z. Petrov's classification of four-dimensional Lorentzian metrics, we provide an algebraic classification of the isometry-isotropy pairs of four-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian metrics admitting local slices with five-dimensional isometries contained in the Lorentz algebra. A purely Lie algebraic approach is applied with emphasis on the use of Lie theoretic invariants to distinguish invariant algebra-subalgebra pairs. This method yields an algorithm for identifying isometry-isotropy pairs subject to the aforementioned constraints.

Modeling Seed Dispersal And Population Migration Given A Distribution Of Seed Handling Times And Variable Dispersal Motility: Case Study For Pinyon And Juniper In Utah, Ram C. Neupane

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The spread of fruiting tree species is strongly determined by the behavior and range of fruit-eating animals, particularly birds. Birds either consume and digest seeds or carry and cache them at some distance from the source tree. These carried and settled seeds provide some form of distribution which generates tree spread to the new location. Firstly, we modal seed dispersal by birds and introduce it in a dispersal model to estimate seed distribution. Using this distribution, we create a population model to estimate the speed at which juniper and pinyon forest boundaries move.

Secondly, we introduce a fact that bird …

Explicit Construction Of First Integrals For The Toda Flow On A Classical Simple Lie Algebra, Patrick Seegmiller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Toda flow is a generalization of a dynamical system describing the interaction of particles in a one-dimensional crystal. The concepts and energy and conservation are prominent in the study of dynamical systems, and quantities which remain the same over the evolution of a system provide valuable insights into the system’s behavior. In the realm of mathematics these quantities are called first integrals, or integrals of motion. This paper provides a background for study of the Toda flow, a verification of its integrability, and programming code for finding these quantities which remain unchanged over the evolution of the system.

Factors Related To Successful Completion Of Developmental Mathematics Courses, Jason Bagley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The goal of this research was to identify factors that contribute to students’ achievement in developmental math courses. This research collected information on several factors which have been suggested to have an effect on student achievement, particularly in developmental math courses at Utah State University, and analyzed their effects on student achievement. The literature review identified several factors that appeared related to student achievement, but many of these studies only analyzed a few factors. Very few studies have tried to analyze multiple variables together to try and identify which factors contribute most to student achievement and which observations can be …

Statistical Dependence In Imputed High-Dimensional Data For A Colorectal Cancer Study, Anvar Suyundikov

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The research objective of this dissertation was to provide novel statistical methods to fill potential gaps in the analyses of micro-ribonucleic acid (miRNA) data, and consequently to identify the miRNAs that contribute to cancer development. Mainly, this dissertation addressed the statistical issues raised by the statistical dependence of imputed (i.e., the missing data were replaced with substituted values) miRNA data in the colorectal cancer study. This dissertation presented a modified imputation method, the weighted KNN imputation accounting for dependence, that predicted the expression levels of missing normal samples with greater imputation accuracy than other imputation methods, and had moderate power …

Bohr Density Of Simple Linear Group Orbits, Roger Howe, Francois Ziegler

Mathematical Sciences: Faculty Publications

We show that any non-zero orbit under a non-compact, simple, irreducible linear group is dense in the Bohr compactification of the ambient space.

Pricing European Option Under A Modified Cev Model, Wafaa Ibrahim Abuzarqa

Theses

A financial derivative is an instrument whose payoff is derived from the behavior of another underlying asset. One of the most commonly used derivatives is the option which gives the right to buy or to sell an underlying asset at a pre-specified price at (European) or at and before (American) an expiration date. Finding a fair price of the option is called the option pricing problem and it depends on the underlying asset prices during the period from the initial time to expiration date. Thus, a “good” model for the underlying asset price trajectory is needed. In this work, we …

The Pricing Of Asian Options In High Volatile Markets: A Pde Approach, Nabil Kamal Riziq Al Farra

Theses

Financial derivatives are very important tools in risk management since they decrease uncertainty. Moreover, if used effectively, they can grow the income and save the cost. There are many types of financial derivatives, for instance: futures/forwards, options, and swaps. The present thesis deals with the pricing problem for Asian options. The main aim of the thesis is to generalize the Asian option pricing Partial Differential Equation (PDE) in order to handle post-crash markets where the volatility is high. In other words, we seek to extend the work on the Asian option pricing PDE under the well-known Black-Scholes model to a …

On The Geometry Of Fuchsian Groups, Hala Alaqad

Theses

In this Master thesis we consider the discrete groups with emphasis on the geometry of discrete groups, which lie at the intersection between Hyperbolic Geometry, Topology, Abstract Algebra, and Complex Analysis. Fuchsian groups are discrete subgroups of the group PSL(2,ℝ) of linear fractional transformations of one complex variable, which is isomorphic to a quotient topological group: PSL(2,ℝ)≅SL(2,ℝ)/{±I}. Here SL (2,ℝ) is special linear group and I is the identity. We study discrete groups, in particular, Fuchsian groups. We present the geometric properties of Fuchsian groups such as fundamental domains, compactness, and Dilichlet tessellations. In addition, we also present some algebraic …

Mathematical Modeling Of Communicable Imported Diseases Screening In The United Arab Emirates, Lahbib Ben Ahmadi

Theses

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), as one of the countries with high numbers of expatriates in the world, is expected to face public health challenges. The reason for this situation is that the majority of those expatriates belong to regions where health issues are usually left behind. This may create the possibility of having imported communicable diseases. However, screening policy should be tested and adapted to protect the population from any imported communicable disease. This study aims at identifying an approach and method to deal with these imported diseases via a set of differential equations. The spread of a communicable …

Quaternary Affine-Invariant Codes, Badria H Omar Salih

Theses

This thesis concerned with extended cyclic codes. The objective of this thesis is to give a full description of binary and quaternary affine-invariant codes of small dimensions. Extended cyclic codes are studied using group ring methods. Affine-invariant codes are described by their defining sets. Results are presented by enumeration of defining sets. Full description of affine-invariant codes is given for small dimensions

Families Of Weighted Sum Formulas For Multiple Zeta Values, Li Guo, Peng Lei, Jianqiang Zhao

Mathematical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Euler's sum formula and its multi-variable and weighted generalizations form a large class of the identities of multiple zeta values. In this paper, we prove a family of identities involving Bernoulli numbers and apply them to obtain infinitely many weighted sum formulas for double zeta values and triple zeta values where the weight coefficients are given by symmetric polynomials. We give a general conjecture in arbitrary depth at the end of the paper.

Time Integration Methods Of Fundamental Solutions And Approximate Fundamental Solutions For Nonlinear Elliptic Partial Differential Equations, Corey Leon Jones

Dissertations

A time-dependent method is coupled with the Method of Approximate Particular Solutions (MAPS) of Delta-shaped basis functions, the Method of Fundamental Solutions (MFS), and the Method of Approximate Fundamental Solutions (MAFS) to solve a second order nonlinear elliptic partial differential equation (PDE) on regular and irregular shaped domains. The nonlinear PDE boundary value problem is first transformed into a time-dependent quasilinear problem by introducing a fictitious time. Forward Euler integration is then used to ultimately convert the problem into a sequence of time-dependent linear nonhomogeneous modified Helmholtz boundary value problems on which the superposition principle is applied to split the …

Efficient Estimation Of Cluster Population, Sanjeev K C

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Partitioning a given set of points into clusters is a well known problem in pattern recognition, data mining, and knowledge discovery. One of the well known methods for identifying clusters in Euclidean space is the K-mean algorithm. In using the K-mean clustering algorithm it is necessary to know the value of k (the number of clusters) in advance. We propose to develop algorithms for good estimation of k for points distributed in two dimensions. The techniques we pursue include a bucketing method, g-hop neighbors, and Voronoi diagrams. We also present experimental results for examining the performances of the bucketing method …

Modeling Studies And Numerical Analyses Of Coupled Pdes System In Electrohydrodynamics, Yuzhou Sun

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) is the term used for the hydrodynamics coupled with electrostatics, whose governing equations consist of the electrostatic potential (Poisson) equation, the ionic concentration (Nernst-Planck) equations, and Navier-Stokes equations for an incompressible, viscous dielectric liquid. In this dissertation, we focus on a specic application of EHD - fuel cell dynamics - in the eld of renewable and clean energy, study its traditional model and attempt to develop a new fuel cell model based on the traditional EHD model. Meanwhile, we develop a series of ecient and robust numerical methods for these models, and carry out their numerical analyses on …