Here are the most popular Math Photos from MrHonner.com for 2013. Click here to see more.
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| Urban Buckyball | Radial Normals | Dangling Isosceles |
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| Warning Sine | Sums of Squares and Rectangles | Carpet Tiling |
My latest piece for the New York Times Learning Network is a lesson about currency based on Bitcoin, the digital commodity that has captured the interest of speculators, bankers, and regulators worldwide.
The rise of Bitcoin creates an interesting opportunity to explore the fundamental properties of currency. Where does currency get its value? Why and when are currencies accepted in exchange for goods and services? Who guarantees the security and stability of a currency?
On top of the basic questions of currency, the mining of Bitcoins (the curious and complicated process for creating new money) is rooted in mathematics and raises its own interesting questions
Most currencies have the property that new money can simply be printed, but where do the new bitcoins come from? They are “mined,” which has become a competitive business opportunity for participants. Paul Krugman describes this process of mining as “a drastic retrogression” that is as fundamentally foolish as relying on gold and silver was a century ago.
You can find the entire lesson here.
I am excited to once again be participating in the TIME 2000 conference at Queens College.
This conference showcases the TIME 2000 program at Queen’s College, which supports undergraduate students in studying mathematics and math education. I will be running a workshop on the geometry of folding and cutting. James Tanton–mathematician, teacher, and creator of fantastic mathematical challenges–will be giving the keynote address.
The conference is Friday, November 22nd, and is open to high school students who are considering mathematics education as a possible career.
Through Math for America, I am part of an ongoing collaboration with the New York Times Learning Network. My latest contribution, a Test Yourself quiz-question, can be found here
Test Yourself Math — November 13, 2013
This question deals with the Common App, an online system that processes millions of college applications every year. What is the average number of applications processed per college?
We recently hosted artist and computer programmer Nathan Selikoff at our school, and he spoke to our students about art, mathematics, and technology.
Nathan Selikoff is an award-wining artist and an organizer of the Bridges Math and Art conference. In his talk, “Art, Chaos, and Computation”, Nathan provided an engaging overview of the history of computation in art while talking about his personal experiences conceiving and creating mathematical art.
The talk left quite an impression on our students, many of whom were not aware that mathematicians and computer scientists could also be artists. Students left the talk interested in experimenting with their own mathematical creations, and they were excited to play with the programs the artist generously provided.
A few student quotes nicely summarize the impact of the talk:
It made me want to learn more about the codes and the mathematical equations that make up the paradoxes of the chaotic art pieces.
This really makes me wonder about the extent of art that can be created. I’m curious to find out what I’ll be able to program.
The talk inspired me to create my own art with math equations.
Thanks to the artist for such a great visit! You can find out more about Nathan Selikoff here. And be sure to check out the Bridges Math and Art conference.