Historical Roots of Elementary Mathematics
Instructor: Ali Dad-del, Department of Mathematics, College of Letters and Science
Description: Development of mathematical concepts, in early civilizations, and contribution of each of these civilizations, will be investigated. We will explore the historical roots of elementary mathematics by studying Mathematics of Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Moslems, Chinese, and more.
Format: The seminar will meet two hours each week. The time will be divided between lectures presentations by instructor, discussion, and student presentations. The Saga of Mathematics by Lewinter and Widulski will be used as the textbook. Grading: Students will be required to prepare two short papers on topics to be chosen in consultation with the instructor. The course grade will be based on the quality of the papers (1/3), oral presentations (1/3) and active participation in class (1/3).
About the Instructor: Dr. Dad-del is a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics. His research interests include the covering and tiling, with emphasis on tiling and covering with star shape objects. He currently teaches MAT 16C (Short Calculus III), MAT 302C (Cruclium Development), and an on-line computer course for linear algebra.