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Articles 1 - 30 of 42
Full-Text Articles in Other Mathematics
The Frankensteinian Nature Of Mathematics, Ali Barahmand
The Frankensteinian Nature Of Mathematics, Ali Barahmand
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Frankenstein is a story about a scientist who creates a sapient creature that gets out of control and horrifies its creator by its unexpected behavior. In this note, we show that this type of undesirable behavior can reflect a part of the nature of mathematics, and that its origin is related to the ontological question of whether mathematics is invented or discovered. Based on a review of the relationship be- tween discovery and invention, we demonstrate that mathematics has similarities and differences with both discovery and invention. In the natural sciences, new instruments have to be invented to discover new …
Math And Democracy, Kimberly A. Roth, Erika L. Ward
Math And Democracy, Kimberly A. Roth, Erika L. Ward
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Math and Democracy is a math class containing topics such as voting theory, weighted voting, apportionment, and gerrymandering. It was first designed by Erika Ward for math master’s students, mostly educators, but then adapted separately by both Erika Ward and Kim Roth for a general audience of undergraduates. The course contains materials that can be explored in mathematics classes from those for non-majors through graduate students. As such, it serves students from all majors and allows for discussion of fairness, racial justice, and politics while exploring mathematics that non-major students might not otherwise encounter. This article serves as a guide …
The Babelogic Of Mathematics, Vijay Fafat
The Babelogic Of Mathematics, Vijay Fafat
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
How would the Bible written about a Mathematical God start, describing the Creation of Mathematics and Logic? How would Rigveda's "Nasadiya sukta" read if it were describing the Void before mathematics was "born"? Here is an attempt at a partial answer, one which takes the original Genesis chapter and the Nasadiya sukta and makes suitable changes to create a fairly consistent, if somewhat anachronistic narrative (with the slight mixing up of Bertrand Russell and Lobachevsky / Bolyai attributable to "Babelogic"), along with a new ending to the Beginning...
Academic Hats And Ice Cream: Two Optimization Problems, Valery F. Ochkov, Yulia V. Chudova
Academic Hats And Ice Cream: Two Optimization Problems, Valery F. Ochkov, Yulia V. Chudova
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
This article describes the use of computer software to optimize the design of an academic hat and an ice cream cone!
Teiresias, Proportions, And Sexual Pleasure, Spyros Missiakoulis
Teiresias, Proportions, And Sexual Pleasure, Spyros Missiakoulis
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
In this short article, I claim that Teiresias, the blind prophet of Apollo, in order to answer the question of whether “in sexual intercourse the woman had a larger share of pleasure than the man did”, measured the abstract concept of sexual pleasure and acted as a present-day scholar. With the help of numerical, not geometrical, proportions, he ended up with the conclusion “a man enjoyed one-tenth of the pleasure and a woman nine-tenths”.
Once Upon A Party - An Anecdotal Investigation, Vijay Fafat
Once Upon A Party - An Anecdotal Investigation, Vijay Fafat
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Mathematicians and Physicists attending let-your-hair-down parties behave exactly like their own theories. They live by their theorems, they jive by their theorems. Life imitates their craft, and we must simply observe the deep truths hiding in their party-going behavior...
Verba Volant, Scripta Manent, Tom Ward
Verba Volant, Scripta Manent, Tom Ward
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
``Most people think typography is about fonts. Most designers think typography is about fonts. Typography is more than that, it's expressing language through type. Placement, composition, typechoice.'' (Mark Boulton)
The Healing Powers Of Mathematics In The Age Of #Metoo, Veronica G. Sine
The Healing Powers Of Mathematics In The Age Of #Metoo, Veronica G. Sine
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
The ideas of mathematics can provide metaphors to help people handle traumatic situations, or to better understand life experiences. In this short note, the author describes three ways in which the study of mathematics has given her ways to cope with her own difficult experiences.
Mathematics Versus Statistics, Mindy B. Capaldi
Mathematics Versus Statistics, Mindy B. Capaldi
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Mathematics and statistics are both important and useful subjects, but the former has maintained prominence in the American education system. On the other hand, statistics is more prevalent in daily life and is an increasingly marketable subject to know. This article gives a personal history of one mathematician’s bumpy road to learning and teaching statistics. Additionally, arguments for how and why to include statistics in the K-12 and college curricula are provided.
Don't Ask The Baby To Do Calculus: Thoughts From An Early-Career Math Mama, Caitlin Krul
Don't Ask The Baby To Do Calculus: Thoughts From An Early-Career Math Mama, Caitlin Krul
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
I very recently became a math mama. In my desperate search for patterns and structure in those first few weeks, my husband told me, "She's only three weeks old; we can't expect her to be doing calculus homework." I suppose he was right. I am working towards tenure and finding a new balance between teaching and family, all while trying to not lose sight of who I am. My personal challenges range from the logistics of being a nursing mother in a shared office to feelings of being seen as less adequate in my job if I present myself as …
Inquiry Based Learning: A Teaching And Parenting Opportunity, Aliza Steurer
Inquiry Based Learning: A Teaching And Parenting Opportunity, Aliza Steurer
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
In this paper, I discuss what appears to be a new perspective on inquiry based learning (IBL) by describing its parallels with parenting. IBL is a student-centered learning method involving collaborative work on carefully sequenced exercises, oral and written communication of solutions, and peer review. Students create their own knowledge and present their ideas, and the instructor acts as a facilitator. The parallels between IBL and parenting include a growth mindset, emphasizing process over outcome, learning from mistakes, learning how to get unstuck, and deconstructing tasks. IBL and parenting also involve similar social interactions, such as responding to difficult questions …
Gradual Homicide, Jack Ritter
Gradual Homicide, Jack Ritter
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
A mathematical poem about asymptotic treachery.
Disciple, Jessica K. Sklar
Disciple, Jessica K. Sklar
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
This is a love poem for mathematics.
Discrete And Continuous: A Fundamental Dichotomy In Mathematics, James Franklin
Discrete And Continuous: A Fundamental Dichotomy In Mathematics, James Franklin
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
The distinction between the discrete and the continuous lies at the heart of mathematics. Discrete mathematics (arithmetic, algebra, combinatorics, graph theory, cryptography, logic) has a set of concepts, techniques, and application areas largely distinct from continuous mathematics (traditional geometry, calculus, most of functional analysis, differential equations, topology). The interaction between the two – for example in computer models of continuous systems such as fluid flow – is a central issue in the applicable mathematics of the last hundred years. This article explains the distinction and why it has proved to be one of the great organizing themes of mathematics.
Some Thoughts On The Epicurean Critique Of Mathematics, Michael Aristidou
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
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 Greatest Integer Function, Alanna Rae
The Greatest Integer Function, Alanna Rae
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
No abstract provided.
What If?: Mathematics, Creative Writing, And Play, Emily Clader
What If?: Mathematics, Creative Writing, And Play, Emily Clader
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Mathematics can inform creative writing by suggesting structures for it to follow, as well as by providing the imaginative impetus for common rules to be broken. In a workshop co-taught by the author, a class of sixth-grade students explored this interplay as they produced fractal-inspired poetry and geometry-inspired fiction. This article describes the form and results of the workshop in the context of a broader discussion of the influence of mathematics upon literature.
The Importance Of Surprise In Mathematical Beauty, V. Rani Satyam
The Importance Of Surprise In Mathematical Beauty, V. Rani Satyam
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Mathematicians, mathematics education researchers, and philosophers have written about mathematical beauty and many of the qualities commonly associated with it, such as simplicity, brevity, enlightenment, etc. One key theme that underlies many of these qualities is surprise or the unexpected. In this article, I discuss the integral role surprise plays in mathematical beauty. Through examples, I argue that simplicity alone is oftentimes not enough for a piece of mathematics to be considered beautiful, but rather it is unexpected simplicity that we seek. I propose, moreover, that surprise is necessary for enlightenment. The paper also reports results from an activity designed …
The Role Of Sequence In The Experience Of Mathematical Beauty, Leslie Dietiker
The Role Of Sequence In The Experience Of Mathematical Beauty, Leslie Dietiker
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
In this article, I analyze the aesthetic dimensions of a sequence of mathematical events found in an unusual first grade lesson in order to demonstrate how sequencing may affect an individual’s experience of mathematical beauty. By approaching aesthetic as a sense or felt quality of an experience in context (Sinclair, 2001, 2011), this analysis explains how sequence can affect the way mathematical objects or actions are experienced by an individual. Thus, rather than questioning whether or in what ways a set of mathematical objects are beautiful or not, this paper addresses under what conditions is the mathematics in play beautiful. …
Kaleidoscopes, Chessboards, And Symmetry, Tricia M. Brown
Kaleidoscopes, Chessboards, And Symmetry, Tricia M. Brown
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
This paper describes the n-queens problem on an n by n chessboard. We discuss the possible symmetries of n-queens solutions and show how solutions to this classical chess question can be used to create examples of colorful artwork.
Mathematical Double Dactyls, Tristan Miller
Mathematical Double Dactyls, Tristan Miller
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
No abstract provided.
On Mathematicians' Eccentricity, Robert Haas
On Mathematicians' Eccentricity, Robert Haas
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
Eccentricity, though not inevitable, happens. Lightheartedly classifying examples, the author traces it back to factors, like creativity and absorption, essential to mathematical success, and recommends an attitude of amused tolerance towards others as well as to ourselves.
My Finite Field, Matthew Schroeder
My Finite Field, Matthew Schroeder
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
A love poem written in the language of mathematics.
Prisoner's Dilemma, Raymond N. Greenwell
Prisoner's Dilemma, Raymond N. Greenwell
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
No abstract provided.
The Symbolic And Mathematical Influence Of Diophantus's Arithmetica, Cyrus Hettle
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 …
Love Games: A Game-Theory Approach To Compatibility, Kerstin Bever, Julie Rowlett
Love Games: A Game-Theory Approach To Compatibility, Kerstin Bever, Julie Rowlett
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
In this note, we present a compatibility test with a rigorous mathematical foundation in game theory. The test must be taken separately by both partners, making it difficult for either partner alone to control the outcome. To introduce basic notions of game theory we investigate a scene from the film "A Beautiful Mind" based on John Nash's life and Nobel-prize-winning theorem. We recall this result and reveal the mathematics behind our test. Readers may customize and modify the test for more accurate results or to evaluate interpersonal relationships in other settings, not only romantic. Finally, we apply Dyson's and Press's …
On The Persistence And Attrition Of Women In Mathematics, Katrina Piatek-Jimenez
On The Persistence And Attrition Of Women In Mathematics, Katrina Piatek-Jimenez
Journal of Humanistic Mathematics
The purpose of this study was to investigate what motivates women to choose mathematics as an undergraduate major and to further explore what shapes their future career goals, paying particular attention to their undergraduate experiences and their perceptions of the role of gender in these decisions. A series of semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted with twelve undergraduate women mathematics majors who were attending either a large public university or a small liberal arts college. This study found that strong mathematical identities and enjoyment of mathematics heavily influenced their decisions to major in mathematics. At the career selection stage, these women …
The Discipline Of History And The “Modern Consensus In The Historiography Of Mathematics”, Michael N. Fried
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
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.