Mathematics and Culture Homework

Unless otherwise stated, homework is due at the beginning of class on the day listed as the due date and should be typed (mathematical symbols can be added by hand where needed).

Here are a few suggestions for books to read.

Homework

• Send me an e-mail (by September 5)telling me that you have surfed the course web site and have read and understood the syllabus and class policies. Also tell me why you are taking this course.
• (Due Sept.1) Mathematical Autobiography: Write a brief (no more than three pages) essay outlining your mathematical history, how you feel and what you think about mathematics and your answer to the question: "what is mathematics?"
• Read section 1.1 by Thursday 9/1. And the rest of the chapter by Tuesday 9/6. Choose one of the mindscapes in section 1.4 to concentrate on, go through the problem solving process thoroughly with that example and record your thoughts, actions and progress in essay form. Turn in your essay on 9/6.
• Read Section 2.1 by Tuesday 9/6 We will discuss Mindscapes III in class.
• (Due Tuesday 9/6 with the essay from section 1.1) Write an essay about mathematics for an audience who has not taken Math 200 or seen The Mathematical Mystery Tour. Acknowledge the film and any discussions which informed your essay. Basically you should be explaining what view of mathematics was given by the film.
• For Thursday 9/8 Read section 2.1 carefully then work through as many of the "Mindscapes I and II" as you can. You do not need to hand in anything on these, but come to class on Thursday prepared to discuss them.
• Due Tuesday 9/13 Choose one of the questions from the "Mindscapes III or IV" section at the end of section 2.2 of the text. Write a response. Also respond to question 41 from Mindsacpes V.
• Log into WebCT when you are ready to declare a topic choice. You must do this by September 29.
• Due Tuesday 9/20: Using both the Chinese Remainder Theorem algorithm (either your group's or mine) and the magic trick described at the bottom of page 93 (in IV, 40.) amaze people (friends, relatives, people you run into, whomever you choose) with your magic and mind reading abilities. Afterwards, write a reflective and descriptive essay on the experience. In other words, tell me what you did and what you think about it. Then respond to question 41 on page 94.
• By Thursday 9/15: Read Chapter 2 up through section 2.5. And begin to browse the article on the web at: this link or this link
• By Tuesday 9/20: Read the rest of chapter 2. Come to class on Tuesday with questions about anything you did not understand.
• Read section 3.1 thoroughly before class on Thursday. Then:
• Due Tuesday 9/27: Read section 3.2 and Write responses to Mindscapes 3, 15, 20 from 3.1 and 5, 13, 16, 17 and 18 from 3.2
• Due Tuesday 10/11: From section 3.4, write responses to mindscapes 8, 12, 19 and 20 respond correctly to 21 for extra credit.
• Read sections 4.1-4.3 come to class with questions on 10-11
• Due Tuesday 10/11 From 4.1 Respond to mindscapes 23 and write an additional essay describing your group work on 4.1. Did you find anything surprising?
• Read Section 4.4.
• Due Tuesday 10/18 Having read section 4.4 and completed the in class exercise on symmetry groups, write an essay about the group exercise on groups, did you find anything surprising? How does our exploration of symmetry groups relate to the text's discussion of symmetry?
• Also Due Tuesday 10/18 Complete Mindscape 23 from sections 4.2 and 4.3.
• Due Tuesday 10/25 choose one of the mindscapes 23, 25 and 26 from 4.5 and respond.
• Also Due Tuesday 10/25 Read 4.6, respond to mindscape 30 and one of mindscapes 41, 43 or 44 and, finally, discuss the in class exercise with the spheres.
• Due Tuesday 11/1 Write a letter to a "friend" about the film N is a Number and Paul Erdos. Include in your letter reference to the party problem. An additional reference (please don't read before seeing the film) is provided here.
• Remember Rough drafts are due Hard copy to me and electronic copy to Turn-it-in by November 11.
• Due Tuesday 11/15 First, Discuss (ie write an essay about) the puzzles we worked on in class and the story we read. Then complete mindscapes 19, and either 23, 25 or 26 from section 4.7.
• Look at these puzzles.
• Due Tuesday 11/22 Respond to: 1. What is an isopmorhism? Why are they so important in mathematics? 2. Read sections 5.1 and 5.2 respond to mindscape 41 from one of these two sections.
• Read sections 6.1 and 6.2 this (along with Tuesday's lecture) represents the end of the material for which you are responsible on the second midterm test.
• 1. Due 12/6 Play with either the Game of Life or the Chaos Spreadsheet, experiment with it, attempt to answer the questions provided in weither the spreadsheet or questions.txt and write an essay discussing what you found. 2. Experiment with the compound interest spreadsheet. Approximately what would your payments be if you borrowed $100,000 at 5% interest compounded continuously?
• Due 12/6 Read Sections 7.1 and 7.2 complete mindscapes 11, 38 and 41 from section 7.2. And review the lecture.

Extra Credit/Make-up assignment:

• Watch two (or more) of the movies (or a movie and the set of Num3ers) in the list below and write an essay about them in which you discuss the following: What is the role of mathematics in them? What do they say about mathematics? Do they help or hurt the public image of mathematics? How? Why or why not? This is due October 28.

  Film List:

  1. Jurassic Park
  2. IQ
  3. Sneakers
  4. Stand and Deliver
  5. Apollo 13
  6. A Beautiful Mind
  7. Good Will Hunting
  8. Proof
  9. 3 or more episodes of the TV program Num3ers on CBS
  10. Mercury Rising
  11. Enigma (the 2001 film with Kate Winslet)

• (Due December 6)Find an article in a Newspaper or news or popular magazine published within the last three years the subject of which is mathematics or mathematics education. Provide me with a copy of the article and write a critique summarizing the main points of the article, indicating whether you think it wold be good to use for class discussion, and indicating what your personal response to the article was.

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