A Decade of the Berkeley Math Circle

A Decade of the Berkeley Math Circle
Author: Zvezdelina Stankova
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
Total Pages: 346
Release: 2008-11-26
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0821846833

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Many mathematicians have been drawn to mathematics through their experience with math circles: extracurricular programs exposing teenage students to advanced mathematical topics and a myriad of problem solving techniques and inspiring in them a lifelong love for mathematics. Founded in 1998, the Berkeley Math Circle (BMC) is a pioneering model of a U.S. math circle, aspiring to prepare our best young minds for their future roles as mathematics leaders. Over the last decade, 50 instructors--from university professors to high school teachers to business tycoons--have shared their passion for mathematics by delivering more than 320 BMC sessions full of mathematical challenges and wonders. Based on a dozen of these sessions, this book encompasses a wide variety of enticing mathematical topics: from inversion in the plane to circle geometry; from combinatorics to Rubik's cube and abstract algebra; from number theory to mass point theory; from complex numbers to game theory via invariants and monovariants. The treatments of these subjects encompass every significant method of proof and emphasize ways of thinking and reasoning via 100 problem solving techniques. Also featured are 300 problems, ranging from beginner to intermediate level, with occasional peaks of advanced problems and even some open questions. The book presents possible paths to studying mathematics and inevitably falling in love with it, via teaching two important skills: thinking creatively while still ``obeying the rules,'' and making connections between problems, ideas, and theories. The book encourages you to apply the newly acquired knowledge to problems and guides you along the way, but rarely gives you ready answers. ``Learning from our own mistakes'' often occurs through discussions of non-proofs and common problem solving pitfalls. The reader has to commit to mastering the new theories and techniques by ``getting your hands dirty'' with the problems, going back and reviewing necessary problem solving techniques and theory, and persistently moving forward in the book. The mathematical world is huge: you'll never know everything, but you'll learn where to find things, how to connect and use them. The rewards will be substantial. In the interest of fostering a greater awareness and appreciation of mathematics and its connections to other disciplines and everyday life, MSRI and the AMS are publishing books in the Mathematical Circles Library series as a service to young people, their parents and teachers, and the mathematics profession.

Making Mathematics Come to Life

Making Mathematics Come to Life
Author: Oleg A. Ivanov
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
Total Pages: 349
Release: 2009-12-16
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0821848089

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``It is difficult to define the genre of the book. It is not a problem book, nor a textbook, nor a `book for reading about mathematics'. It is most of all reminiscent of a good lecture course, from which a thoughtful student comes away with more than was actually spoken about in the lectures.'' --from the Preface by A. S. Merkurjev If you are acquainted with mathematics at least to the extent of a standard high school curriculum and like it enough to want to learn more, and if, in addition, you are prepared to do some serious work, then you should start studying this book. An understanding of the material of the book requires neither a developed ability to reason abstractly nor skill in using the refined techniques of mathematical analysis. In each chapter elementary problems are considered, accompanied by theoretical material directly related to them. There are over 300 problems in the book, most of which are intended to be solved by the reader. In those places in the book where it is natural to introduce concepts outside the high school syllabus, the corresponding definitions are given with examples. And in order to bring out the meaning of such concepts clearly, appropriate (but not too many) theorems are proved concerning them. Unfortunately, what is sometimes studied at school under the name ``mathematics'' resembles real mathematics not any closer than a plucked flower gathering dust in a herbarium or pressed between the pages of a book resembles that same flower in the meadow besprinkled with dewdrops sparkling in the light of the rising sun.

How Not to Be Wrong

How Not to Be Wrong
Author: Jordan Ellenberg
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 482
Release: 2015-05-26
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0143127535

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“Witty, compelling, and just plain fun to read . . ." —Evelyn Lamb, Scientific American The Freakonomics of math—a math-world superstar unveils the hidden beauty and logic of the world and puts its power in our hands The math we learn in school can seem like a dull set of rules, laid down by the ancients and not to be questioned. In How Not to Be Wrong, Jordan Ellenberg shows us how terribly limiting this view is: Math isn’t confined to abstract incidents that never occur in real life, but rather touches everything we do—the whole world is shot through with it. Math allows us to see the hidden structures underneath the messy and chaotic surface of our world. It’s a science of not being wrong, hammered out by centuries of hard work and argument. Armed with the tools of mathematics, we can see through to the true meaning of information we take for granted: How early should you get to the airport? What does “public opinion” really represent? Why do tall parents have shorter children? Who really won Florida in 2000? And how likely are you, really, to develop cancer? How Not to Be Wrong presents the surprising revelations behind all of these questions and many more, using the mathematician’s method of analyzing life and exposing the hard-won insights of the academic community to the layman—minus the jargon. Ellenberg chases mathematical threads through a vast range of time and space, from the everyday to the cosmic, encountering, among other things, baseball, Reaganomics, daring lottery schemes, Voltaire, the replicability crisis in psychology, Italian Renaissance painting, artificial languages, the development of non-Euclidean geometry, the coming obesity apocalypse, Antonin Scalia’s views on crime and punishment, the psychology of slime molds, what Facebook can and can’t figure out about you, and the existence of God. Ellenberg pulls from history as well as from the latest theoretical developments to provide those not trained in math with the knowledge they need. Math, as Ellenberg says, is “an atomic-powered prosthesis that you attach to your common sense, vastly multiplying its reach and strength.” With the tools of mathematics in hand, you can understand the world in a deeper, more meaningful way. How Not to Be Wrong will show you how.

Making Mathematics Come to Life

Making Mathematics Come to Life
Author: Oleg A. Ivanov
Publisher:
Total Pages: 337
Release: 2009
Genre: Electronic books
ISBN: 9781470412050

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"It is difficult to define the genre of the book. It is not a problem book, nor a textbook, nor a 'book for reading about mathematics'. It is most of all reminiscent of a good lecture course, from which a thoughtful student comes away with more than was actually spoken about in the lectures." -from the Preface by A. S. Merkurjev If you are acquainted with mathematics at least to the extent of a standard high school curriculum and like it enough to want to learn more, and if, in addition, you are prepared to do some serious work, then you should start studying this book. An understanding of the.

Making Mathematics with Needlework

Making Mathematics with Needlework
Author: sarah-marie belcastro
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 205
Release: 2007-12-12
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1439865132

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Mathematical craftwork has become extremely popular, and mathematicians and crafters alike are fascinated by the relationship between their crafts. The focus of this book, written for mathematicians, needleworkers, and teachers of mathematics, is on the relationship between mathematics and the fiber arts (including knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, and quilting). Each chapter starts with an overview of the mathematics and the needlework at a level understandable to both mathematicians and needleworkers, followed by more technical sections discussing the mathematics, how to introduce the mathematics in the classroom through needlework, and how to make the needlework project, including patterns and instructions.

Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships

Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships
Author: Jean Sangmin Lee
Publisher: National Council of Teachers of English
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2018
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9780873537704

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Introduces project-based learning (PBL), an exciting new teaching methodology. PBL units that were designed and implemented by high school mathematics teachers are showcased throughout the book, which concludes with tips from mathematics educators who have taught and researched in PBL settings.

A Mind for Mathematics

A Mind for Mathematics
Author: Nanci N. Smith
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2016-11-14
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9781943874002

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"In A Mind for Mathematics: Meaningful Teaching and Learning in Elementary Classrooms, Smith breaks down the complex components of teaching mathematics and divides them into practical strategies. She fuses mathematics research, useful classroom strategies, and examples from K-6 classrooms to help teachers influence students to work hard, grapple with challenging problems, and ultimately value mathematics." -- Back cover

Our Days Are Numbered

Our Days Are Numbered
Author: Jason Brown
Publisher: Emblem Editions
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2010-04-27
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0771016735

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A revealing and entertaining look at the world, as viewed through mathematical eyeglasses. From the moment our feet touch the floor in the morning until our head hits the pillow, numbers are everywhere. And yet most of us go through each day unaware of the mathematics that shapes our lives. In fact, many people go through life fearing and avoiding mathematics, making choices that keep it at arm’s length or further. Even basic math — like arithmetic — can seem baffling. In Our Days Are Numbered, Jason Brown leads the reader through a typical day, on a fascinating journey. He shows us the world through a mathematician's eyes and reveals the huge role that mathematics plays in our lives. It lies hidden within the electronics we use, the banking we do, and even the leisure activities we enjoy. Whether we’re putting a down payment on a new car, reading the financial pages, or listening to our favourite songs, math is behind it all. At once entertaining and informative, Our Days Are Numbered covers an array of mathematic concepts and explores the hidden links between mathematics and everyday life. Brown reveals that a basic understanding of math can make us more creative in the way we approach the world.

Making Mathematics Come to Life

Making Mathematics Come to Life
Author: Oleg A. Ivanov
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
Total Pages: 349
Release: 2009
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0821886290

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The Mathematics of Everyday Life

The Mathematics of Everyday Life
Author: Alfred S. Posamentier
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Total Pages: 309
Release: 2018-08-21
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1633883884

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Two experienced math educators help the average reader discover not only the everyday usefulness of math but the fun that comes from mastering the basics of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and more. If you think of mathematics as a series of pointless classroom exercises without much relevance to real life, this book will change your mind. As the authors show, math is deeply embedded in almost every aspect of daily life--from managing your personal finances, making consumer purchases, and sharpening your computational skills, to learning to apply mathematical concepts that will give you a better grasp of both ordinary and extraordinary events and help you better appreciate the world we live in. With some basic geometry under your belt, you'll discover that there is an optimal point on a soccer field from which to shoot a goal. And you'll be more clever with the gears of a bike. If you like to play cards or go to the casino, knowing something about probability will give you an edge. You'll also have an enhanced understanding of the "whispering effect" inside the Capitol rotunda, why a car's headlights are so bright, and even why sewer covers are round. After reading this entertaining and instructive book, you'll come away with a whole new awareness of how elegantly mathematics explains everyday experiences and observations--from present day items to classical art and architecture.