Banquet Speaker
Kenneth S. Williams, Carleton University
Joseph Liouville and Number Theory
Abstract: The French mathematician
Joseph Liouville, in a series of eighteen papers published between 1858
and 1865, announced without proof a number of amazing elementary
arithmetic formulae, from which many results in elementary number
theory can be deduced. Even today these results are not well known
(even to number theorists), nor well understood. What motivated
Liouville to look for formulae of this type? How did Liouville find
these results? Why didn't he prove them? Are they relevant today?
These and other questions will be discussed against the background of
Liouville's life and times and his place in mathematical history.
Biography: Dr. Williams was an
undergraduate in mathematics at the University of Birmingham, England,
graduating in 1962. From there he went on a Commonwealth Scholarship
to the University of Toronto finishing his Ph.D. under the supervision
of J. H. H. Chalk in 1965. After a year as a Lecturer at the
University of Manchester, England, he immigrated to Canada and joined
the Department of Mathematics at Carleton University in Ottawa, where
he became a full professor in 1975. He received the D.Sc. degree from
the University of Birmingham in 1979. At Carleton he served as chair
(1980-1984, 1997-1998) and when the department became the School of
Mathematics and Statistics in 1998, he became its first director
serving until 2000. In 2002 he retired as Professor Emeritus and
Distinguished Research Professor. He is the recipient of a number of
teaching awards from Carleton University.
Dr. Williams has published many research papers,
mostly in number theory, and is the coauthor or coeditor of eight books
including "The Collected Papers of Sarvadaman Chowla" in three volumes
(with James G. Huard of Canisius College), and most recently
"Introductory Algebraic Number Theory" (with Saban Alaca of Carleton
University). He continues to supervise the theses of graduate students
and is in the early stages of writing a book on Liouville's work in
number theory.
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Saturday Morning Invited Presentations
Bill Ralph, Brock University
Encouraging Creativity - Brock's New Mathematics Program
Abstract: The Brock mathematics
department recently developed a brand new program that we call MICA
(Mathematics Integrated with Computers and Applications). As part of
this program, students are taught how to create interactive computer
programs to both explore and teach mathematics. One of the great
benefits of this program is that we have seen a remarkable increase in
the level of involvement of our students. In this talk, I will talk
about the philosophy of our program and show you several of our first
year student's projects.
Biography: Bill Ralph grew up in
North Bay, Ontario where it is very cold, and has always been
interested in mathematics, music and art. He spent three years in
Toronto studying piano and composition before switching to mathematics
at the University of Waterloo where he obtained a Ph.D. in Algebraic
Topology. Several years ago, he was commissioned to design a piece of
multimedia software to teach calculus and moved to San Francisco to
create the CD that is now called "Journey Through Calculus". This CD
won the Ontario OPAS award for the development of educational
technology at universities. During that time, Professor Ralph became
interested in using the mathematics of dynamical systems to create
visual art. His art was shown at the New York Art Exposition and will
been shown this year in Canadian and American galleries. He is
currently on the mathematics faculty of Brock University in St.
Catharines, Ontario where he enjoys teaching courses like the history
of mathematics to many excellent students.
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Steve Gonek, University of Rochester
The Zeta Function, Prime Numbers, and the Zeros
Abstract: Although most
mathematicians are aware that the prime numbers, the Riemann zeta
function, and the zeros of the zeta function are intimately connected,
very few know why. In this lecture I will outline the basic properties
of the zeta function, sketch a proof of the prime number theorem, and
show how the location of the zeros of the zeta function directly
influences the distribution of the primes. I will then explain why the
Riemann Hypothesis (RH) is important and the evidence for it.
Biography: Prof. Gonek received his
B.A. in 1973, M.A. in 1976, and Ph.D. in 1979, all in Mathematics and
all from he University of Michigan. After a two-year position at Temple
University from 1978 to 1980, he joined the University of Rochester as
an Assistant Professor of Mathematics in 1980 and was eventually
promoted to Full Professor. He spent the 1984-85 academic year at
Oklahoma State University, part of Fall 1991 at Macquarie University in
Sidney, Australia, part of Fall 1999 at the American Institute of
Mathematics in Palo Alto, California, and the Spring of 2004 at the
Isaac Newton Institute in Cambridge, England.
Prof. Gonek's main research interests are in the
field of analytic number theory, particularly multiplicative number
theory, the theory of the Riemann zeta-function, L-functions, and the
distribution of prime numbers. His recent work has focused on high
moments of the Riemann zeta-function, the maximal order of the zeta
function, and the development and application of random matrix models
for the zeta-function. The goals of this work are to better understand
the behavior of the zeta and L-functions and to determine connections
between these behaviors and various arithmetical problems. Prof. Gonek
has also worked on questions relating to the distribution of
multiplicative inverses and primitive roots in residue classes modulo a
prime.
Prof. Gonek has been involved with many aspects of
teaching at Rochester. In the early nineties he designed and ran a
mathematics camp for bright mathematics majors from various colleges,
he introduced the workshop idea into mathematics courses at Rochester,
he led a committee to examine and reform the undergraduate curriculum,
and he helped design a number of the College's "Quest" courses. He
recently developed and taught an interdisciplinary Quest course with a
colleague from the department of Religion and Classics called "The
Infinite". In 1998 Prof. Gonek won a Goergen Award for Distinguished
Achievement and Artistry in Undergraduate Teaching.
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John F. Randolph Lecture: Eric Robinson, Ithaca College
High School Mathematics Education: Gaining Perspectives on a Fragmented System
Abstract: Research suggests that
efforts to foster authentic improvements in education often fail due to
systemic factors that reinforce the status quo. This is particularly
true with regard to high school mathematics. Based on considerable
work with high schools nationwide, the speaker will argue that part of
the problem has to do with many levels of fragmentation within the
educational system (including higher education). Some of these
fragmentations have been by design; others are due to the nature of the
enterprise. Some can be repaired; others can be balanced with other
strategies. Several suggestions for what we can do as mathematicians
will be offered.
Biography: Eric Robinson received
his Ph.D. in mathematics from Binghamton University. His published
articles in mathematical research are in the field of topology. He has
also published work relating to 9-14 mathematics education.
Eric began his teaching career at Bates College.
Since 1979 he has been a faculty member in the Department of
Mathematics and Computer Science at Ithaca College where he chaired the
department for nearly a decade. He also has served as Interim
Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences at the College.
With an interest in pre-college as well as
post-secondary education, Eric has frequently taught graduate content
courses designed for pre-service and in-service teachers at Binghamton
University. While on leave from Ithaca College, he served as a Program
Officer at the National Science Foundation in the Division of
Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Science Education. He also is a
co-author of a “calculus reform” textbook together with four colleagues
at Ithaca.
Since 1997, Eric has been the Project Director for
COMPASS, a national implementation project funded by the National
Science Foundation. This project focuses on improving secondary school
mathematics education that includes comprehensive curricular and
pedagogical change in the classroom and involves working closely with
school districts and teachers nationwide. In addition to published
articles related to improving K-12 education, Eric has presented
numerous sessions and workshops at national and regional conferences
sponsored by such organizations as the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM), the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
(AMTE), the National Association of Secondary School Principals
(NASSP), Mathematicians and Education Reform (MER), MAA, and the
Education Trust. He also makes presentations related to the
improvement of high school mathematics education at COMPASS-sponsored
regional and national events.
Recently, Eric has served on a National Research
Council Committee charged with exploring the possibility of a program
to attract science, mathematics, and engineering Ph.D.’s into careers
in K-12 education. He also has been a member of the Educational
Policies Committee for the Seaway Section.
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"Preparing Future Faculty" Panel
Abstract:
While the audience enjoys its lunch, Nancy Boynton, Joseph Straight,
and Julia Wilson from SUNY Fredonia will entertain by conducting a
half-hour “mock interview,” simulating the type of interview that often
takes place at the joint winter meetings of the AMS and MAA. This will
be followed by a panel discussion analyzing the mock interview and
providing valuable tips for anyone facing a job search this academic
year or in the near future. top of page
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday Afternoon Contributed Talks
(organized alphabetically by presenter)
Carol Bell, SUNY Cortland, Discussion Leader
From Associates to Bachelors: Changing Expectations
[Panel Discussion]
Abstract: Students who transfer
from 2-year to 4-year colleges often comment how much easier it was to
keep up in their mathematics classes at their 2-year college. What are
the differences in expectations in course work in mathematics at these
two types of college? And are there ways to increase collaboration in
such a way that transfer students have a smoother ride? Panelists will
include representatives from both two and four year colleges.
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Marcia Birken and Ann C. Coon, Rochester Institute of Technology
Fractal Patterns in Mathematics & Poetry
Abstract: Patterns are at the core
of both poetry and mathematics. The authors have spent the last four
years researching how mathematical ideas about fractals have influenced
poetry. The effect of a major scientific advance on aesthetic media --
from the visual arts, to music, to poetry -- is often profound. For
example, the invention of the telescope resulted in a new understanding
of the planets, stars, and infinity that influenced how poets perceived
and described their universe. Today poets apply the ideas of fractal
geometry to both the reading and writing of poetry and, in turn, are
helping to shape our understanding of fractal geometry. Fractal
concepts appear in both the subject and form of poetry, as well as in
new types of literary analysis. The authors will present a brief
history of the development of fractal ideas in both disciplines, as
well as examples of fractal concepts in poems and poetic analysis.
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Daniel Birmajer, Nazareth College
Mathematical Explorations Using Functional Programming
Abstract:
In this talk we present some topics where functional programming can be
used as a pedagogical tool to help students discover, test and
conjecture mathematical results. The examples are implemented in the
Scheme programming language. No previous knowledge of the functional
programming paradigm is assumed for the talk.
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Joaquin Carbonara and Dave Ettestad, Buffalo State College
Statistical Mechanics, Matrices, Sierpinski's Gasket, Finite Automata and Enumerative Combinatorics
Abstract:
Consider k cups (labeled 1,..., k) arranged in a circle, each
containing one stone, and cup 1 considered special (this arrangement of
cups is called the initial configuration). Given a configuration of
stones and cups, redistribute the stones by picking up the s stones
from the special cup and placing them one at a time on the next s cups.
The last cup to get a stone becomes the special cup. This process
produces a sequence of configurations, which eventually go back to the
original one. We represent each configuration by a row in a matrix M_k
(or just M if k is determined from the context), where M(i,j) is the
number of stones in cup j after i-1 redistributions of stones. For
example, if k=3, the initial configuration is ([1],1,1), and the
following configurations are (0,[2],1), ([1],0,2), (0,[1],2), and
(0,0,[3]). After (0,0,[3]) the configurations repeat. Let S(k) be the
number of different configurations produced, i.e. the number of rows in
the matrix M_k. For example, S(3)=5. In 1998 Carbonara and Green found
a recursive formula for S(k) (Advances in Applied Math,21 405-423). In
our current work, we show a block decomposition of M_k, and a closed
formula for S(k).
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Allen Emerson and Kris Green, St. John Fisher College
A "CRAFTY" Mathematics Course for Business and Management
Abstract:
At St. John Fisher College, we have had the opportunity to design a
completely new service course for the business and management students.
By building on the recommendations of the MAA's CRAFTY project, we now
have a successful, multi-section course that takes students through
basic quantitative reasoning skills, up to regression and modeling,
into calculus, in a writing intensive, computer intensive format. We
would like to share our work with the public and get feedback on this
approach or interest in piloting this material locally.
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Richard H. Escobales, Jr., Canisius College
A Cohomology (p+1) Form Canonically Associated with
Certain Codimension-q Foliations on a Riemannian Manifold
Abstract: Let (M^n, g) be a closed,
connected, oriented, infinitely differentiable, Riemannian n-manifold
with a transversely oriented foliation F of leaf dimension p and
codimension-q. We show if {X,Y} are basic vector fields for the
foliation F, then the leaf component of [X,Y], V[X,Y], has vanishing
leaf divergence with respect to the induced Riemannian metric,
whenever kappa wedge chi_{F} is a closed (possibly zero) de Rham
cohomology (p+1) form. Here kappa is the mean curvature one-form of F
and chi_{F} is its characteristic form. In the condimension-2 case,
kappa wedge chi_{F} is closed if and only if kappa itself is
horizontally closed. In certain restricted cases, we give necessary and
sufficient conditions for kappa wedge chi_{F} to be harmonic. What is
surprising here is that the form $kappa wedge chi_{F}$ that arises in
the case of Riemannian foliations (foliations which admit a
bundle-like metric) has this lovely geometric property for foliations
on a general Riemannian manifold.
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B. Esham, A. Kedzierawski, D. Kopycka-Kedzierawski* and K. Rommel-Esham, SUNY Geneseo, *University of Rochester
Impediments to the Use of Computer Algebra Systems in the Mathematics Curriculum
Abstract: Computer Algebra Systems
are an important tool for the modern working mathematician. Systems
such as Maple, Mathematica and Macsyma, allow for rapid exact symbolic
computation, which has greatly impacted computation technology in the
mathematical sciences. This capability has also influenced the
undergraduate mathematics curriculum with a resulting realignment of
the stress that various topics receive. However incorporating CAS
effectively in the mathematics curriculum is not a straightforward
matter. Based on detailed surveys of faculty and students at SUNY
Geneseo, we have identified several barriers to efficient
implementation. The most important barriers are: the time needed to
prepare well-designed assignments for the software packages; the
availability of computer labs for classroom use and for out-of-class
assignments; the reallocation of class-time to accommodate the computer
work; the start-up time for faculty and students to become familiar
with the programming language and/or the computer interface; the sense
that increased computer usage may diminish more traditional skills
focused on the ability to calculate by hand, etc. We propose to design
short modules and publish them on the Web so that students and faculty
can quickly learn basic computer skills and use the modules to solve
computer exercises that are already part of textbook. Our approach can
be generalized to different sciences courses.
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Rigoberto Florez, SUNY at Binghamton
What is a Matroid and what is it for?
Abstract: A matroid is a
generalization of the independence structure of a finite set of
vectors. There are no linear relations, only dependent and independent
sets. In this talk, we discuss how this structure is present in
different subjects of mathematics. For example in matrices, vectors,
graphs and transcendental extensions of fields. Finally, we will give a
brief introduction to geometric representation of matroids.
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Carrie Konesk and Gabriel Prajitura, SUNY-Brockport
Determinants and Recursive Sequences
Abstract:
We will discuss several connections between determinants and recursive
(numerical) sequences. Some recursive sequences of determinants will
show up in the process.
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Fanhui Kong, SUNY Binghamton
Buffon needle problem and its application
Abstract: When a needle is tossed
at random onto the plane ruled with a series of parallel lines, what is
the probability that the needle will intersect one of the lines? This
is the famous Buffon needle problem proposed by Buffon (1777). Several
ways of the solution to this problem have been given. At this talk, a
simple way to obtain the answer is shown. One major aspect of its
appeal is that its solution has been tied to the value of Pi which can
be estimated by the simulation.
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Harris Kwong, SUNY Fredonia
Fibonacci Polynomials
Abstract: The Fibonacci
Polynomial F_n(x) is defined by the recurrence relation F_n(x) = x
F_{n-1}(x) + F_{n-2}(x) for n>=2, with F_0(x) = 0 and F_1(x) =
1. When x = 1, it becomes the Fibonacci number F_n. Naturally,
F_n(x) and F_n share many common or similar properties. We explore
some of them in this talk. We also discuss the generalizations of
F_n(x) and their relationship to other well-known polynomials.
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Trish Lanz & Mary Beth Orrange, Erie Community College; George Hurlburt,
Corning Community College; Ken Mead, Genesee Community College
Teaching Mathematics in an On-Line Environment
Abstract:
The presenters will share their experiences teaching mathematics online
using a variety of different platforms including Blackboard, WebCT, and
ANGEL. Successes, failures, challenges and technology tips will be
discussed. Participants will be encouraged to share their experiences
as well; everyone who attends will learn something!
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Chris Leary and Melissa Sutherland, SUNY Geneseo, Discussion Leaders
Academic Integrity and the Undergraduate Classroom—A Discussion
Abstract: Questions of academic
integrity have become more complex in the past few years. As we have
broadened the type of work that we evaluate we have entered an arena
where what constitutes academic dishonesty becomes, perhaps, less
clear. At the same time, student attitudes toward cheating have become
more forgiving. How should we, as a profession, react to these changes
in order to maintain flexibility in our evaluation and assessment
practices while upholding ethical standards that will serve society
well?
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Carl Lutzer, Rochester Institute of Technology
Eigenvalues and Hammer Juggling
Abstract: Get a hammer. Seriously,
get a hammer. As an experiment, hold the hammer in front of you with
its head pointing up. Toss it upward (CAREFULLY!), end-over-end, and
catch it after one revolution. As a second experiment, hold the hammer
in front of you with its head pointing sideways, to the right. Toss
the hammer upward, end-over-end, and catch it after one revolution.
The orientation of the hammer will be the same when you catch it as
when you toss in experiment #1 but the orientation changes in
experiment #2. Why? In this talk, which will be appropriate for
upper-division undergraduate students, the connection between the
stability of rotation and eigenvalues will be explored.
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James Marengo, Rochester Institute of Technology
The Kolmogorov Three Series Theorem
Abstract: The Kolmogorov Three
Series Theorem gives a complete answer to the question of convergence
of a series of independent random variables. This famous result and its
connection to the well-known zero-one laws will be discussed in the
context of some examples.
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Kimberley Martello, Monroe Community College (Former NYSMATYC Curriculum Chair, 2003-2004)
New York State Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges (NYSMATYC) 2003-2004 Survey Results on Comprehensive Assessment
Abstract: The results of the
NYSMATYC 2003-2004 survey on Comprehensive Assessment will be
presented. The survey studied, “How to two-year college mathematics
departments implement a comprehensive assessment of student learning
outcomes for various types of mathematics courses?” The survey
responses include the type/format of the assessment instrument, who
creates or grades the assessment, how scores are used, the minimum
weight of the assessment in a student’s course grade, and the frequency
of modifying the assessment instrument.
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Peter R. Mercer, Buffalo State College
Error estimates for numerical integration rules
Abstract: We present some alternate
types of error estimates for the Midpoint, Trapezoid, Simpson, and
Corrected Trapezoid Rules. These are more elementary than standard
error estimates, which require polynomial interpolation and/or Taylor’s
theorem. And, they require less regularity of the function being used.
This work will appear in an upcoming issue of the College Mathematics
Journal.
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Joshua B Palmatier, SUNY--Binghamton
"Do You Want Fries With That Order?"
Abstract:
We order almost everything in our lives, from words in the dictionary
to our friends and relationships. In this talk, we will discuss the
different types of orders, from total orders--where everything is
comparable to everything else--to partial orders, where some things
aren't related to others at all. We will end the discussion with a
particular type of ordering called a lattice ordering. Numerous
examples will be provided, both mathematical and mundane. The talk is
intended to be an introduction to the concept of order, which could be
introduced at the freshman or high school level with ease.
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Thomas J. Pfaff, Ithaca College
Statistics Class Projects Using Institutional Data
Abstract: If we let all students at
Ithaca College be our population, then institutional research can
provide us with various parameters about this population. For example,
we can obtain parameters regarding SAT scores, birth month, and GPA.
Each student samples from the population and we compare their results
to the parameters. This allows us to better illustrate the meaning of
confidence intervals, p-values, and the power of a test. This talk will
provide examples of what was done in class using the data the students
collected.
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Melanie Pivarski, Cornell University
Bounds and Boundaries: Relationships between Sobolev and Isoperimetric Inequalities
Abstract: Sobolev inequalities are
used to bound "nice" functions by their derivatives. Isoperimetric
inequalities compare the volume of a set with the volume of its
boundary. We will discuss what these inequalities are in a little more
detail, talk about where they do and do not hold, and show how they are
related to one another. This should be accessible to junior/senior
level undergraduates.
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Olga Salazar, SUNY at Binghamton
Trees and associativity
Abstract: We know that (ab)c=a(bc)
implies any other associativity law. If we don't have "=" but just "~",
where ~ defines an equivalence relation, then (ab)c~a(bc) does not
necessarily imply other associativity laws. We will show, using binary
trees, that general associativity laws can be derived from (ab)c~a(bc)
and a((bc)d)~a(b(cd)).
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Paul Seeburger, Monroe Community College
A Visual Tour of Several Algorithms for Creating Implicit Plots and Contour Plots
Abstract: Implicit Plot/Contouring
algorithms are by nature nontrivial and interesting. Most of us have
simply relied on software packages like Mathematica, Maple, or MathCad
to create these graphs. Here the presenter will discuss the basic
theory behind several of these algorithms and visually illustrate their
relative effectiveness and speed by using them on a computer to graph a
variety of implicitly defined functions and some contour plots of 3D
surfaces. A handout will be provided.
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Hossein Shahmohamad, Rochester Institute of Technology
Using Polya's Enumeration Formula to count the amallamorphs of a graph
Abstract: Polya's Enumeration
Formula is a powerful tool in counting distinct colorings of unoriented
figures. We show examples of how PEF can be used to count amallamorphs
of some graphs. This rose while discovering infinite families of
flow-equivalent graphs.
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Margaret Sherman, Buffalo State College
The game Lights Out and Generalizations
Abstract: The game Lights Out is a
hand-held computer game by Tiger Toys consisting of a 5 by 5 array of
square lights. Pressing a light turns it, as well as the neighboring
lights, on or off. The object of the game is to light up all 25
lights. There have been a number of mathematical papers and websites
about Lights Out, one of which (by K. Sutner) proves that a solution
always exists for any m by n array of lights. In this paper the array
of lights is identified with a simple graph G where the set of
vertices V(G) is the set of lights and xy is an edge of G if and only
if pressing the light x changes the state of light y where x,y are
distinct. A solution to the problem would then be to find a subset X
of V(G) such that every vertex of G is adjacent to an odd number of
vertices of X. The problem can be generalized by allowing some pairs
of lights x,y where pressing x changes the state of y but pressing y
does not change the state of x. A solution does not always exist in
this case. Attention is given to this generalization which can be
represented with a digraph.
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Steven L. Siegel, Niagara University
Snapshots of a rotating water source
Abstract: Physics teaches us that
the trajectory of a water stream is parabolic if we neglect air
resistance and large changes in altitude. Yet, when I observe my lawn
sprinkler, which rotates around a horizontal axis, the stream does not
seem to be parabolic. The reason is that the stream is composed of many
drops, each on its own parabolic path. In this talk we will explore
the parametric equations for the path of the stream, and we will see
the stream in both still photos and in motion. We find that there is a
distinction between the streams produced by slowly and rapidly rotating
sources. We will also observe the effect of air resistance.
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Denise Yull, SUNY at Binghamton
Autocommutators and the autocommutator subgroup
Abstract: The set of commutators is
not necessarily equal to the commutator subgroup. Likewise, the set of
autocommutators is not equal to the autocommutator subgroup. The
question arises what is the smallest order for which there exists a
group in which the set of autocommutators is not equal to the
autocommutator subgroup. Our goal is to determine this order with the
help of GAP. For the commutator case it can be shown that there are two
minimal counterexamples of order 96. However it can be shown that for
these groups every group element is an autocommutator.
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Student Talks
David Covert, Canisius College
A Brief Introduction to Operator Spaces
Abstract:
Recently Dr David Blecher (University of Houston), a leading researcher
in and pioneer of operator space theory, gave a one-week course at
Canisius College on the subject. In this talk we will expound on some
of the basic ideas of operator space theory a la David Blecher.
Operator spaces are very interesting objects that generalize
C*-algebras on one hand and Banach spaces on the other. In particular,
operator spaces are inherently non-commutative leading to a theory of
"non-commutative Banach spaces". Sound good? We'll explain more in the
talk ...
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Ryan Grover, SUNY Geneseo
Reflection on an Arbitrary Pool Table
Abstract: We will demonstrate the
symmetry and reflection of points with respect to an assortment of
curves. By using the generalized reflection method and the shortest
trajectory method we will find analytic and numerical solutions of our
problem. We illustrate more abstract ideas through several numerical
examples using Maple and Matlab programs.
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Jenelle Kostran, Canisius College
An Introduction to Line Graphs
Abstract: A graph is a set of
vertices connected by edges. From any graph, a new one can be
produced, called its line graph. Line graphs have some interesting
characteristics and uses in graph theory. One such application is
helping to prove that certain graphs are non-Hamiltonian by using
eigenvalues.
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Diane Lunman, Nazareth College
A Closed Formula for Some Recursive Sequences
Abstract: In this talk we will use
formal power series and their implementation in MIT Scheme to
conjecture a closed formula for some recursively defined sequences. In
particular, we will derive Binet's formula for the Fibonacci numbers.
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Scott Meckler, SUNY Geneseo
Using a Mirror to Determine Attenuation Coefficients in Two Dimensions
Abstract: If light with a given
intensity passes through a material, the material will absorb some of
the light. The percentage of the intensity of the light that a
material absorbs per unit distance the light travels through the
material is called the material's attenuation coefficient. The purpose
of this work is to pass rays of light through an object and allow a
mirror to reflect the rays back through the object, where we can
measure the change in intensity. Using these measurements, the goal is
to determine the attenuation coefficient within the object in order to
conjecture its make-up.
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Chester Millisock, Houghton College
The Most Pleasing Rectangle?
Abstract: Recent experiments have
attempted to determine which rectangle is the most aesthetically
pleasing. It has been suggested that the ratio of length to width of
this aesthetically pleasing rectangle is the golden ratio. These
experiments typically involve the selection of one (among several)
rectangles displayed on a page. This approach, we argue, may lead to
biased results. Our study, by contrast, allows the subject to
dynamically create a rectangle using computer software. During the
presentation, we will present the results of this research.
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Jillian Veschusio, Canisius College
An Ethnography of Mathematics and Sex
Abstract: This talk deals with
matters both mathematical and sociological. But how? Recently Dr. Clio
Cresswell (University of New South Wales, Australia) gave a one-week
"Mathematics and Sex" course at Canisius College. We will present some
of the mathematical high points of Dr Cresswell's course - but more
intriguingly - we will focus on the sociology of Dr. Cresswell's
classroom.
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