Other Mathematics Commons^™

Discovering Dune: Essays On Frank Herbert’S Epic Saga., Edited By Dominic J. Nardi And N. Trevor Brierly, G. Connor Salter

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

G. Connor Salter reviews Discovering Dune: Essays on Frank Herbert’s Epic Saga, edited by Dominic J. Nardi and N. Trevor Brierly, considering its new contributions to studies of Frank Herbert's work. Essays included fit into four categories (Politics and Power, History and Religion, Biology and Ecology, and Philosophy, Choice and Ethics) and range from Herbert's use of ecology in Dune to how game theory may help explain certain characters' apparent ability to see the future. Discovering Dune also includes an appendix which contains the only up-to-date bibliography of Herbert's work (primary and secondary sources).

The Merchant And The Mathematician: Commerce And Accounting, Graziano Gentili, Luisa Simonutti, Daniele C. Struppa

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this article we describe the invention of double-entry bookkeeping (or partita doppiaas it was called in Italian), as a fertile intersection between mathematics and early commerce. We focus our attention on this seemingly simple technique that requires only minimal mathematical expertise, but whose discovery is clearly the result of a mathematical way of thinking, in order to make a conceptual point about the role of mathematics as the humus from which disciplines as different as operations research, computer science, and data science have evolved.

The History Of The Enigma Machine, Jenna Siobhan Parkinson

History Publications

The history of the Enigma machine begins with the invention of the rotor-based cipher machine in 1915. Various models for rotor-based cipher machines were developed somewhat simultaneously in different parts of the world. However, the first documented rotor machine was developed by Dutch naval officers in 1915. Nonetheless, the Enigma machine was officially invented following the end of World War I by Arthur Scherbius in 1918 (Faint, 2016).

Analyzing Marriage Statistics As Recorded In The Journal Of The American Statistical Association From 1889 To 2012, Annalee Soohoo

CMC Senior Theses

The United States has been tracking American marriage statistics since its founding. According to the United States Census Bureau, “marital status and marital history data help federal agencies understand marriage trends, forecast future needs of programs that have spousal benefits, and measure the effects of policies and programs that focus on the well-being of families, including tax policies and financial assistance programs.”[1] With such a wide scope of applications, it is understandable why marriage statistics are so highly studied and well-documented.

This thesis will analyze American marriage patterns over the past 100 years as documented in the Journal of …

Quantitative Literacy And The Mathematical Association Of America In The 2000’S: Ql Subcommittee Of Cupm , Sigmaa Ql, And Maa Notes #70, Rick Gillman

Numeracy

This Roots and Seeds article is a partial history of the quantitative literacy movement in the Mathematical Association of America in the first decade of the 21st century. It focuses on the inclusion of QL in the MAA Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics’ CUPM Curriculum Guidelines (2004), the creation of the special interest group for MAA members (SIGMAA QL, 2004), and the work of that body in subsequent years, in particular, the MAA Notes #70, Current Practices in Quantitative Literacy (2006). I discuss some issues that were problematic in the QL movement in the MAA in those years …

The Calculus War: The Ultimate Clash Of Genius, Walker Briles Bussey-Spencer

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Some Thoughts On The Epicurean Critique Of Mathematics, Michael Aristidou

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In this paper, we give a comprehensive summary of the discussion on the Epicurean critique of mathematics and in particular of Euclid's geometry. We examine the methodological critique of the Epicureans on mathematics and we assess whether a 'mathematical atomism' was proposed, and its implications. Finally, we examine the Epicurean philosophical stance on mathematics and evaluate whether it was on target or not.

Some Comments On Multiple Discovery In Mathematics, Robin W. Whitty

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Among perhaps many things common to Kuratowski's Theorem in graph theory, Reidemeister's Theorem in topology, and Cook's Theorem in theoretical computer science is this: all belong to the phenomenon of simultaneous discovery in mathematics. We are interested to know whether this phenomenon, and its close cousin repeated discovery, give rise to meaningful questions regarding causes, trends, categories, etc. With this in view we unearth many more examples, find some tenuous connections and draw some tentative conclusions.

The Evolution Of Cryptology, Gwendolyn Rae Souza

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

We live in an age when our most private information is becoming exceedingly difficult to keep private. Cryptology allows for the creation of encryptive barriers that protect this information. Though the information is protected, it is not entirely inaccessible. A recipient may be able to access the information by decoding the message. This possible threat has encouraged cryptologists to evolve and complicate their encrypting methods so that future information can remain safe and become more difficult to decode. There are various methods of encryption that demonstrate how cryptology continues to evolve through time. These methods revolve around different areas of …

Pandey's Method Of Cube Root Extraction: Is It Better Than Aryabhata’S Method?, Deepak Basyal

Mathematics and Statistics

We compare two methods of cube root extraction: one proposed by the Nepali mathematician Gopal Pandey in the 19th century, which uses proportionality, and another one provided by the Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata.

The Symbolic And Mathematical Influence Of Diophantus's Arithmetica, Cyrus Hettle

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Though it was written in Greek in a center of ancient Greek learning, Diophantus's Arithmetica is a curious synthesis of Greek, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian mathematics. It was not only one of the first purely number-theoretic and algebraic texts, but the first to use the blend of rhetorical and symbolic exposition known as syncopated mathematics. The text was influential in the development of Arabic algebra and European number theory and notation, and its development of the theory of indeterminate, or Diophantine, equations inspired modern work in both abstract algebra and computer science. We present, in this article, a selection of problems …

The Discipline Of History And The “Modern Consensus In The Historiography Of Mathematics”, Michael N. Fried

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Teachers and students of mathematics often view history of mathematics as just mathematics as they know it, but in another form. This view is based on a misunderstanding of the nature of history of mathematics and the kind of knowledge it attempts to acquire. Unfortunately, it can also lead to a deep sense of disappointment with the history of mathematics itself, and, ultimately, a misunderstanding of the historical nature of mathematics. This kind of misunderstanding and the disappointment following from it--both raised to the level of resentment--run through the paper "A Critique of the Modern Consensus in the Historiography of …

A Critique Of The Modern Consensus In The Historiography Of Mathematics, Viktor Blåsjö

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The history of mathematics is nowadays practiced primarily by professional historians rather than mathematicians, as was the norm a few decades ago. There is a strong consensus among these historians that the old-fashioned style of history is “obsolete,” and that “the gains in historical understanding are incomparably greater” in the more “historically sensitive” works of today. I maintain that this self-congratulatory attitude is ill-founded, and that the alleged superiority of modern historiographical standards ultimately rests on a dubious redefinition of the purpose of history rather than intrinsic merit.

Benjamin Banneker's Original Handwritten Document: Observations And Study Of The Cicada, Janet E. Barber, Asamoah Nkwanta

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Benjamin Banneker, farmer, mathematician, astronomer, and scientist, is known for his mathematical puzzles, ephemeris calculations, almanacs, his wooden clock, land surveying work, and famous letter on human rights. However, as a naturalist, his scientific and systematic observations of the cicadas are less known. In this paper we publicize Banneker’s naturalistic study of the seventeen-year periodic cycle of the cicada and make available the original handwritten document of his observations. We also introduce the audience of this journal to an intriguing natural problem involving prime numbers.

Curd, Spencer, 1788-1832 (Sc 966), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text (click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 966. Ciphering book (94 p.), focusing chiefly on surveying and navigating rules for solving problems as well as giving specific problems, of Spencer Curd, Logan County, Kentucky, with accompanying genealogical data.

The Origins Of Mathematical Societies And Journals, Eric S. Savage

Masters Theses

We investigate the origins of mathematical societies and journals. We argue that the origins of today’s professional societies and journals have their roots in the informal gatherings of mathematicians in 17th century Italy, France, and England. The small gatherings in these nations began as academies and after gaining government recognition and support, they became the ancestors of the professional societies that exist today. We provide a brief background on the influences of the Renaissance and Reformation before discussing the formation of mathematical academies in each country.

Mathematicians And Royalty: A Historical Survey, Loren W. Pixley

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.