Mathematics Commons^™

Braille Band: A Refreshable Braille Wristwatch, Rachel Crum, Duane Skaggs

Celebration of Student Scholarship Poster Sessions Archive

No abstract provided.

Colorectal Cancer Screenings In The United States, Charles Buhrman

Honors Capstones

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States behind lung cancer, so research is needed about this particular cancer (American Cancer Society, 2016). With medical advancements over the past decade, doctors are able to detect cancer symptoms earlier and treat cancers more readily. By compiling the medical record data for the Midwest and the Northeast, a picture can be painted that shows the prevalence of screenings in each region, and the mortality rates of those regions based on the amount of screenings done. The aim of this study is to examine the current colorectal cancer (CRC) …

The Math Behind "Who Is Number One?", Gabriel Mcilrath

Celebration of Student Scholarship Poster Sessions Archive

No abstract provided.

Maxwell's Equations, Gauge Fields, And Yang-Mills Theory, Nicholas Alexander Gabriel

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Starting from Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism in a Minkowski spacetime, we generalize to arbitrary spacetimes and gauge groups. The gauge groups U(1) and SU(3) and their associated Yang-Mills theories are discussed in detail.

Student-Created Test Sheets, Samuel Laderach

Honors Projects

Assessment plays a necessary role in the high school mathematics classroom, and testing is a major part of assessment. Students often struggle with mathematics tests and examinations due to math and test anxiety, a lack of student learning, and insufficient and inefficient student preparation. Practice tests, teacher-created review sheets, and student-created test sheets are ways in which teachers can help increase student performance, while ridding these detrimental factors. Student-created test sheets appear to be the most efficient strategy, and this research study examines the effects of their use in a high school mathematics classroom.

Algorithms To Approximate Solutions Of Poisson's Equation In Two And Three Dimensions, Rachelle Serena Dambrose

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The focus of this research was to develop numerical algorithms to approximate solutions to Poisson's equation in two and three dimensions. Numerical analysis of partial differential equations is vital to understanding and modeling these complex problems. A finite difference approximation of Poisson's equation can be used to form a system of linear equations of solutions through a region. A computer program was developed to solve this system with inputs such as boundary conditions and a nonhomogenous source function. Approximate solutions were compared with exact solutions to prove their accuracy. The program was tested with an increasing number of subintervals to …

Relation Algebras, Idempotent Semirings And Generalized Bunched Implication Algebras, Peter Jipsen

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This paper investigates connections between algebraic structures that are common in theoretical computer science and algebraic logic. Idempotent semirings are the basis of Kleene algebras, relation algebras, residuated lattices and bunched implication algebras. Extending a result of Chajda and Länger, we show that involutive residuated lattices are determined by a pair of dually isomorphic idempotent semirings on the same set, and this result also applies to relation algebras. Generalized bunched implication algebras (GBI-algebras for short) are residuated lattices expanded with a Heyting implication. We construct bounded cyclic involutive GBI-algebras from so-called weakening relations, and prove that the class of weakening …

Exploring Tetration In The Complex Plane, Samuel Patrick Cowgill

Student Theses and Dissertations

We will look at the tetration problem for when the bases satisfy b > e^{1/e}. We will prove that Knesser’s solution is the unique true solution to the tetration equation F(x+1)=g(F(x)), where g(x) = b^x. After proving this uniqueness, a new iteration method is developed and will give way to the development of the arctetration function. We will use the complex Fourier series coefficients and the Cauchy-Integral formula aided with Gaussian quadrature with only 180 nodes, to numerically evaluate this solution, which improves the number of calculation iterations from previous methods. This thesis will also look at the next level which …

The Regularity Lemma And Its Applications, Elizabeth Sprangel

Honors Theses

The regularity lemma (also known as Szemerédi's Regularity Lemma) is one of the most powerful tools used in extremal graph theory. In general, the lemma states that every graph has some structure. That is, every graph can be partitioned into a finite number of classes in a way such that the number of edges between any two parts is “regular." This thesis is an introduction to the regularity lemma through its proof and applications. We demonstrate its applications to extremal graph theory, Ramsey theory, and number theory.

Sum-Defined Colorings In Graphs, James Hallas

Honors Theses

There have been numerous studies using a variety of methods for the purpose of uniquely distinguishing every two adjacent vertices of a graph. Many of these methods have involved graph colorings. The most studied colorings are proper colorings. A proper coloring of a graph G is an assignment of colors to the vertices of G such that adjacent vertices are assigned distinct colors. The minimum number of colors required in a proper coloring of G is the chromatic number of G. In our work, we introduce a new coloring that induces a (nearly) proper coloring. Two vertices u and …

2017 Petersheim Academic Exposition Schedule Of Events, Seton Hall University

Petersheim Academic Exposition

2017 Petersheim Academic Exposition

Optimal Experimental Design To Characterize A Wave Source Using Dosimeter Measurements, Renee L. Gooding

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

When modeling physical phenomena we want to solve the inverse problem by estimating the parameters that characterize the source model that we are interested in. In this thesis, we focus on the optimal placement of a finite number of individual sensors, called dosimeters, in two and three dimensions with a time dependent Gaussian wave source. Using a computational model along with experimental data, we design an iterative process to determine the optimal placement of an additional sensor such that the noise in the measurements has a minimal effect on the parameter estimation. First, we estimate the parameters that characterize the …

Immersed Boundary Smooth Extension (Ibse): A High-Order Method For Solving Incompressible Flows In Arbitrary Smooth Domains, David B. Stein, Robert D. Guy, Becca Thomases

Mathematics Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Immersed Boundary method is a simple, efficient, and robust numerical scheme for solving PDE in general domains, yet for fluid problems it only achieves first-order spatial accuracy near embedded boundaries for the velocity field and fails to converge pointwise for elements of the stress tensor. In a previous work we introduced the Immersed Boundary Smooth Extension (IBSE) method, a variation of the IB method that achieves high-order accuracy for elliptic PDE by smoothly extending the unknown solution of the PDE from a given smooth domain to a larger computational domain, enabling the use of simple Cartesian-grid discretizations. In this …

Deterministic And Probabilistic Methods For Seismic Source Inversion, Juan Pablo Madrigal Cianci

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

The national Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) reports an occurrence of about 13,000 earthquakes every year, spanning different values on the Richter scale from very mild (2) to "giant earthquakes'' (8 and above). Being able to study these earthquakes provides useful information for a wide range of applications in geophysics. In the present work we study the characteristics of an earthquake by performing seismic source inversion; a mathematical problem that, given some recorded data, produces a set of parameters that when used as input in a mathematical model for the earthquake generates synthetic data that closely resembles the measured data. There …

Cancer Modeling: From Optimal Cell Renewal To Immunotherapy, Cesar L. Alvarado

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Cancer is a disease caused by mutations in normal cells. According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2016, an estimated 1.6 million people were diagnosed and approximately 0.5 million people died from the disease in the United States. There are many factors that shape cancer at the cellular and organismal level, including genetic, immunological, and environmental components. In this thesis, we show how mathematical modeling can be used to provide insight into some of the key mechanisms underlying cancer dynamics. First, we use mathematical modeling to investigate optimal homeostatic cell renewal in tissues such as the small intestine with an …

"Returning To The Root" Of The Problem: Improving The Social Condition Of African Americans Through Science And Mathematics Education, Vanessa R. Pitts Bannister, Julius Davis, Jomo Mutegi, Latasha Thompson, Deborah Lewis

Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum

The underachievement and underrepresentation of African Americans in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines have been well documented. Efforts to improve the STEM education of African Americans continue to focus on relationships between teaching and learning and factors such as culture, race, power, class, learning preferences, cultural styles and language. Although this body of literature is deemed valuable, it fails to help STEM teacher educators and teachers critically assess other important factors such as pedagogy and curriculum. In this article, the authors argue that both pedagogy and curriculum should be centered on the social condition of African Americans – …

On The Reality Of Mathematics, Brendan Ortmann

Selected Student Publications

Mathematics is an integral cornerstone of science and society at large, and its implications and derivations should be considered. That mathematics is frequently abstracted from reality is a notion not countered, but one must also think upon its physical basis as well. By segmenting mathematics into its different, abstract philosophies and real-world applications, this paper seeks to peer into the space that mathematics seems to fill; that is, to understand how and why it works. Under mathematical theory, Platonism, Nominalism, and Fictionalism are analyzed for their validity and their shortcomings, in addition to the evaluation of infinities and infinitesimals, to …

Modeling Trait Evolutionary Processes With More Than One Gene, Huan Jiang

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Phylogenetic comparative methods have been used to test evolutionary signals through trait evolutionary processes. Traditionally, biologists use one phylogenetic tree as a tool to handle dependent data for the traits of interest and hence utilize one gene only. However, it is more informative if the evolutionary processes of a trait are presented by phylogenetic trees reconstructed by the DNA alignments from more than one gene. In this work, we explain and develop two methods involving modeling the trait evolutionary processes: (a) two gene trees via the Brownian motion (BM) model; and (b) two gene trees via the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) model. …

An Adaptive Threshold Determination Method Of Feature Screening For Genomic Selection, Matthew D. Meng, Gang Wang, Aaron R. Brough

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Background
Although the dimension of the entire genome can be extremely large, only a parsimonious set of influential SNPs are correlated with a particular complex trait and are important to the prediction of the trait. Efficiently and accurately selecting these influential SNPs from millions of candidates is in high demand, but poses challenges. We propose a backward elimination iterative distance correlation (BE-IDC) procedure to select the smallest subset of SNPs that guarantees sufficient prediction accuracy, while also solving the unclear threshold issue for traditional feature screening approaches.

Results
Verified through six simulations, the adaptive threshold estimated by the BE-IDC performed …

The Effects Of Different Teaching Methods On Student Attitude And Achievement In Calculus Recitations, Jocelyn Noelle Rios

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Many universities offer recitation sections in their calculus sequences; however, little research has been conducted on TA best practices in the recitations.This study first aimed to observe the different teaching methods that TAs employed in their recitations and then measure their efficacy in improving student course attitudes and achievement, focusing on student-centered and concept-based instruction. In addition, this study aimed to assess the quality of professional development offered to recitation leaders. Using a quantitative-dominant mixed methods design, 12 TAs were observed throughout the semester and TAs and calculus students were surveyed. This study found that student-centered instruction was positively correlated …

Exploring Multigraph Pairs Of Ikn, William O'Conner, Daniel Roberts, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Tabulation Of Strong Pseudoprimes, Tony Liu, Andrew Shallue, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Permanents Of Tridiagonal And Hessenberg Matrices Representing Recursive Number And Polynomial Sequences, Ximing Dong, Tian-Xiao He, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Periodic Traveling Interfacial Hydroelastic Waves With Or Without Mass, Benjamin F. Akers, David M. Ambrose, David W. Sulon

Faculty Publications

We study the motion of an interface between two irrotational, incompressible fluids, with elastic bending forces present; this is the hydroelastic wave problem. We prove a global bifurcation theorem for the existence of families of spatially periodic traveling waves on infinite depth. Our traveling wave formulation uses a parameterized curve, in which the waves are able to have multi-valued height. This formulation and the presence of the elastic bending terms allows for the application of an abstract global bifurcation theorem of "identity plus compact" type. We furthermore perform numerical computations of these families of traveling waves, finding that, depending on …

Six Septembers: Mathematics For The Humanist, Patrick Juola, Stephen Ramsay

Zea E-Books Collection

Scholars of all stripes are turning their attention to materials that represent enormous opportunities for the future of humanistic inquiry. The purpose of this book is to impart the concepts that underlie the mathematics they are likely to encounter and to unfold the notation in a way that removes that particular barrier completely. This book is a primer for developing the skills to enable humanist scholars to address complicated technical material with confidence. This book, to put it plainly, is concerned with the things that the author of a technical article knows, but isn’t saying. Like any field, mathematics operates …

Harnack Inequalities: From Poincare Conjecture To Matrix Determinant, Fuzhen (Frank) Zhang

Mathematics Colloquium Series

With a brief survey on the Harnack inequalities in various forms in Functional Analysis, in Partial Differential Equations, and in Perelman’s solution of the Poincare Conjecture, we discuss the Harnack inequality in Linear Algebra and Matrix Analysis. We present an extension of Tung’s inequality of Harnack type and study the equality case.

A Game Of Monovariants On A Checkerboard, Linwood Reynolds

Student Scholar Showcase

Abstract: Assume there is a game that takes place on a 20x20 checkerboard in which each of the 400 squares are filled with either a penny, nickel, dime, or quarter. The coins are placed randomly onto the squares, and there are to be 100 of each of the coins on the board. To begin the game, 59 coins are removed at random. The goal of the game is to remove each remaining coin from the board according to the following rules: 1. A penny can only be removed if all 4 adjacent squares are empty. That is, a penny cannot …

War Gaming Applications For Achieving Optimum Acquisition Of Future Space, Karel Marshall

Honors Theses

In 2014, the federal government spent nearly half a trillion dollars on contractor projects. The Department of Defense wants to develop an algorithm to optimize the acquisition of new technologies. This project makes us of game theory, probability and statistics, non-linear programming and mathematical models to model negotiations between governmental agencies and private contractors. If focuses on generating the optimum solution and its corresponding acquisition strategy for different contract types. This project culminates in a collection of MATLAB (MathWorks) programs and the newly developed strategy shows strong convergence to Nash equilibrium values and successful selection of optimum solutions.

Information Literacy In Class Room, Asitha Kodippili

Chesnutt Fellows Information Literacy Projects

No abstract provided.

Information Literacy And Precalculus Mathematics I, Wu Jing

Chesnutt Fellows Information Literacy Projects

No abstract provided.