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2014-2015 Academic Year Activities
2014-2015 Academic Year Activities
April 25, 2015
April 25, 2015
Matthew Barry – Turk’s Head Knots
Title: Turk’s Head Knots
Speaker: Matthew Barry (with help from Philip Yasskin and Michael Sprintson) (Texas Engineering Extension Station, TAMU Class of 2014)
Abstract: The Turk’s head knot, flat mat, and pineapple knot all belong to a family of interwoven decorative knots favored by many people for many centuries, notably the Celtics. In its final form, the turks head knot is a symmetric prime knot that can be classified by the number of intersections the rope makes with itself. In the knot-tying community, Turk’s head knots are classified by counting leads and bights: the lead count is the number of times the rope goes around the knot, and the bight count is the number of loops at each end. For example a 3×5 Turk’s head knot has three leads and five bights. Here we explore the math theory behind these knots and use it to plan and tie Turk’s head knots of any size.
March 7, 2015
March 7, 2015
Beginner / Intermediate
Speaker Ms. Kaitlyn Phillipson
Department of Mathematics
Texas A&M University,
Title: Guarding an Art Gallery
Abstract: We will discuss the “Art Gallery Problem,” a well-studied problem in mathematics.
Advanced
Speaker: Dr. Nicholas Long
Department of Mathematics
Stephen F. Austin State University
Title: “Pressing Buttons on a Calculator.”
Abstract: One of the first things kids do when they start playing with a calculator is explore what happens to the screen when you keep hitting the same button over and over. We can figure out pretty quickly what happens when we keep pressing the addition or multiplication buttons. What happens if we had some buttons on a calculator that used multiplication and addition together? What would the result be if we keep pressing a button like that?
February 28, 2015
February 28, 2015
Beginner / Intermediate
Speaker: Dr. Altha Rodin
Department of Mathematics
University of Texas
Title: The Next Move: Some Theory and Practice with Impartial Games
We will discuss combinatorial impartial games defined as follow.
Combinatorial games are two-player games with the following characteristics:
* Two players alternate moves.
* Play continues until there are no legal moves remaining.
* No element of chance is involved (i.e. dice, spinners, etc.).
* Each player has full knowledge of the game position at all times.
In normal play, the last player to make a legal move wins. In misère play, the last player to make a legal move loses. A combinatorial game is called impartial if both players have the same set of allowable moves at each position of the game. A game in which the allowable moves depends on the player is called a partisan game.
Advanced
Speaker: Dr. Lucas Macri
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Texas A&M University
Title: The Mathematics of Astronomy (part I)
In this class, we will talk about the math used by ancient astronomers to learn about the Universe even before the telescope was invented. How did they determine the size of Earth, the distance to the Moon and the Sun? We will also talk about how we can measure the distances to other stars and figure out how much light they produce.
February 21, 2015
February 21, 2015
Beginner
Speaker: Dr. Lucas Macri
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Texas A&M University
Title: The Mathematics of Astronomy (part I)
In this class, we will talk about the math used by ancient astronomers to learn about the Universe even before the telescope was invented. How did they determine the size of Earth, the distance to the Moon and the Sun? We will also talk about how we can measure the distances to other stars and figure out how much light they produce.
Intermediate
Speaker Mr. Trevor Olsen
Department of Mathematics
Texas A&M University
Title: Kinetic Origami (Curlicue)
Abstract: Are you ready to make amazing shape changing origami? Well I sure am! We will be making Curlicues that go from being flat paper to different 3D shapes. We will understand how these structures work and learn what other types of Curlicues we can make.
Advanced
Speaker Dr. Igor Zelenko
Department of Mathematics
Texas A&M University
Title Sums of k’th powers and other interesting sums
Abstract: The formula for the sum of first n positive integers is taught in school. What is the sum of their squares, cubes etc? We will learn how to derive formulas for these sums and other interesting sums and give applications for calculating areas.
February 14, 2015
February 14, 2015
Beginner
Speaker: Dr. Phil Yasskin
Department of Mathematics
Texas A&M University
Title: GCD, LCM, Prime Factorization, and the Division and Euclidean Algorithms
Abstract:
I will present a series of problems whose solutions involve the Greatest Common Divisor, the Least Common Multiple, the Unique Prime Factorization Theorem, the Division Algorithm and/or the Euclidean Algorithm. For example:
Problem 1: You have an unmarked 5 liter bucket and an unmarked 9 liter bucket and an unlimited amount of water. Can you measure out exactly 2 liters of water? How?
Problem 2: How many 12 cent and 27 cent postage stamps should you buy to put exactly 83 cents worth of postage on an envelope?
Problem 3: You have a 3 foot by 5 foot pool table. The cue ball is located at a point which is 1 foot from the 5 foot side and 2 feet from the 3 foot side. You hit the ball at 45 degrees. Every time the ball hits a side it bounces back at 45 degrees with no loss of velocity. Will the ball eventually hit the corner of the pool table?
Intermediate
Speaker: Dr. Phil Yasskin
Department of Mathematics
Texas A&M University
Title: GCD, LCM, Prime Factorization, and the Division and Euclidean Algorithms
Abstract:
I will present a series of problems whose solutions involve the Greatest Common Divisor, the Least Common Multiple, the Unique Prime Factorization Theorem, the Division Algorithm and/or the Euclidean Algorithm. For example:
Problem 1: You have an unmarked 5 liter bucket and an unmarked 9 liter bucket and an unlimited amount of water. Can you measure out exactly 2 liters of water? How?
Problem 2: How many 12 cent and 27 cent postage stamps should you buy to put exactly 83 cents worth of postage on an envelope?
Problem 3: You have a 3 foot by 5 foot pool table. The cue ball is located at a point which is 1 foot from the 5 foot side and 2 feet from the 3 foot side. You hit the ball at 45 degrees. Every time the ball hits a side it bounces back at 45 degrees with no loss of velocity. Will the ball eventually hit the corner of the pool table?
Advanced
Speaker Ms. Kaitlyn Phillipson
Department of Mathematics
Texas A&M University,
Title: Guarding an Art Gallery
Abstract: We will discuss the “Art Gallery Problem,” a well-studied problem in mathematics.
January 24, 2015
January 24, 2015
Beginner / Intermediate
Speaker: Dr. Jane Long
Department of Mathematics
Stephen F. Austin State University
Title: The Mathematics of Sona, Sand Drawings from Africa
Abstract: Many cultures around the world tell stories with the help of drawings made in sand. This activity will investigate interesting mathematics involved in some traditional sand drawings from Angola.
Advanced
Speaker: Dr. David Manuel
Department of Mathematics
Texas A&M University,
Title: The Algebra of Rubik’s Cubes, part 3
Abstract: Many of us have learned how to solve the (3×3) Rubik’s Cube from solutions presented in a book or online. But how does one come up with their own solution? In this final session, we will apply what we have learned about groups, permutations, and partial commutativity to the movements of the Rubik’s Cube to develop our own strategies to solve the Cube. Bring your cubes, and, if possible, movements which exchange 2 cubes or rotate 1 cube in one row (regardless of what the other rows look like).
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