newsletter-FA14 - Providence College
Transcription
newsletter-FA14 - Providence College
Issue : Fall 2014 STUDENT NEWSLETTER Department of Mathematics & Computer Science, Providence College What’s in this issue? • p 1 - Greeting from the Chair • p 2 - Announcements • p 3 - Independent Study, MAT Courses for Spring 2015 & Department Colloquium • p 4 - 5 - In the Beginning, There was a Die… by Abigail Alegi • p 6 - 7 - Meet a Professor: Dr. Emmanouli Drymonis interviewed by Tommy Upton • p 8 - My Summer 2014 PURE Math Experience, by Meghan Malachi • p 9 - Math Puzzles ! Welcome to the Fall 2014 Mathematics & Computer Science Department Newsletter. This newsletter is put together under the direction of faculty members Su-Jeong Kang and Cayla McBee. The student editors are Thomas Upton and Lilienne Lawson. This semester we welcome Dr. Leila Setayeshgar as our newest assistant professor of mathematics. Leila has a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Brown University and will be teaching courses in probability and statistics. We also welcome Dr. David Ferrone, adjunct assistant professor of mathematics. David has a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut and will be teaching some of the “service” courses required by business and science students. Programs of Study: Mathematics & Computer Science • Bachelor of Arts: ✴ Mathematics ✴ Mathematics/Secondary Ed. • Bachelor of Science: ✴ Computer Science • Minors: ✴ Mathematics ✴ Computer Science: Business Programming ✴ Computer Science I want to let mathematics and computer science students know that we have re-purposed room 217 in Howley Hall. This room is now a lounge for mathematics and computer science students and faculty. So If you want a place in the department to sit and work or talk, you are welcome to use Howley 217. A bulletin board in this room will have information on graduate schools, undergraduate research opportunities, and other information that might be of interest to mathematics and computer science students. Our department sponsors a colloquium series, a student seminar, a T-shirt designing contest, the Putnam Exam and Problem of the Week. For other department activities and information, check out this newsletter! Jeffrey Hoag, Chair, Mathematics & Computer Science Department Department of Mathematics & Computer Science Howley Hall 218, Phone (401) 865 - 2334 , Fax (401) 865 - 1356 1 Issue : Fall 2014 Announcements • The Putnam Competition is an annual mathematics competition for undergraduate students in the United States and Canada. The exam has been offered annually since 1938 and is administered by the MAA. This year’s exam will be held at Providence College on Saturday, December 6, 2014. For more information contact Dr. Boos. (Howley Hall 202) • The MAA Fall Section Meeting will be held at Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT on Friday, November 21st! If you are interested in either of the events below please contact Dr. Boos: (All travel costs and meals are paid for!!) ✓ ✓ Collegiate Mathematics Competition Presentation in the Undergraduate Poster session • The Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) is a contest where teams of undergraduates use mathematical modeling to solve real world problems. MCM and ICM, a part of MCM, will take place February 5 - 9, 2015. If you are interested in these contests, contact Dr. Joseph Shomberg or Dr. Cayla McBee. For more information, visit http://www.comap.com/undergraduate/contests/mcm • An REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) provides an opportunity to participate in mathematical research at a school other than Providence College. Students participating in an REU work during the summer with a group of other math-loving undergraduates from around the country while under the guidance of a faculty member. In addition to days spent working on exciting research projects, most REUs also provide social activities and entertainment during evenings and weekends. Housing and food are provided, and on top of all this, you even get paid a stipend! To see a list of REUs currently available go to: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.jsp?unitid=5044 or: http://www.ams.org/programs/students/undergrad/emp-reu To read more about the different types of REUs go to: http://www.maa.org/programs/students/undergraduate-research/research-experiences-for-undergraduates/ is-an-reu-for-you If you are interested in applying to an REU, you can talk to your advisor or contact Dr. Boos at lboos@providence.edu. • Designs for this year’s PC Math & Computer Science T-shirts have been submitted. Look for an upcoming email to vote on a design and order your T-shirt! • Game Night: Come to Board Game Night, Thursday, October 23 starting at 7pm in Howley 217! Snacks and drinks will be provided. Bring your own game or play one of ours. Everyone is welcome! • Get Ready for Spring 2015! Registration starts at 7:30 am ✓ Class of 2015 & 2015 Dec. graduates - Nov. 14 ✓ Class of 2016 & 2016 Dec. graduates - Nov. 17 ✓ Class of 2017 & 2017 Dec. graduates - Nov. 19 ✓ Class of 2018 - Nov. 21 Math/CS Department Help Sessions ! Mathematics Mon 5 - 7 pm at Howley 321 Tue 6 - 8 pm at Howley 321 Wed 4 - 9 pm at Howley 321 Thurs 4 - 9 pm at Howley 217 ! Computer Science Mon 7 - 10 pm at Howley 321 Tue 7 - 10 pm at Howley 321 Wed 7 - 10 pm at Howley 321 Thurs 7 - 10 pm at Koffler 118 2 Issue : Fall 2014 Independent Study for Spring 2015 Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics (MAT) courses for Spring 2015 ! Students interested in taking an independent study course should speak with their advisor and the professor offering the course. Stochastic Processes, Dr. Setayeshgar In probability theory, a stochastic (or random) process is the probabilistic counterpart to a deterministic process. Unlike a deterministic process which can evolve in one way, in a stochastic process there are several (often infinitely many) directions that the process may evolve. Some familiar examples are stock market, and medical data such as a patient's EKG. In this course we will learn about some of the most important stochastic processes, including markov chains, martingales, and the famous Brownian motion. Prerequisites: MTH 325 ! Differential Geometry, Dr. Kang Differential Geometry is an area solving problems in geometry techniques of differential & integral as linear algebra and multilinear include arc lengths, curvatures surfaces, geodesics, vector fields, forms. Prerequisite: MTH 215, 223 in Mathematics by using the calculus, as well algebra. Topics of curves and and differential MTH 500 Foundations of Mathematics, Dr. Ishizuka Online - A course in the foundations of mathematics designed to help prepare students for the study of graduate-level mathematics. Topics in set theory, class theory, the philosophy of mathematics, and formal systems will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on the rigorous deductive process characteristic of the study of mathematics. ! MTH 502 Algebraic Structures II, Dr. Kang - Thursday 4:00 - 6:30 pm - This course is a continuation of Math 501. Topics include vector spaces and linear transformations including the eigenvalue problem and canonical forms. ! MTH 512 Mathematical Analysis II, Dr. Ishizuka Tuesday 4:00 - 6:30 pm - This course is a continuation of Math 511. Topics in sequences of functions, Riemann Integration and measure theory will be discussed. ! MTH 523 Probability and Statistics, Dr. A. Shomberg - Thursday 4:00 - 6:30 pm - Classical versus subjective probability, probability models, limit theorems, statistical inference and data analysis, categorical data analysis and regression, correlation and prediction will be discussed. Department Colloquium (Fall 2014) Organizers: Dr. Joanna Su & Dr. James Tattersall ✓ Sept. 17 - Meghan Malachi & Tucker Kibbee (Providence College) ✓ Sept. 24 - Kai Bartlette & Ben Wright (Providence College) ✓ Oct. 8 - Dr. Catherine Roberts (College of the Holy Cross) ✓ Oct. 22 - Dr. Lynette Boos (Providence College) ✓ Nov. 19 - Dr. Fred Rickey (United States Military Academy) ! For additional information regarding talks and abstracts, visit http://www.providence.edu/MCS/Pages/Colluquium.aspx 3 Issue : Fall 2014 In the Beginning There was a Die… by Abigail Alegi (Mathematics ’14) Mathematicians often find it difficult to pinpoint exactly when the study of probability began. Originating as an empirical study, it later became a mathematical study believed to have originated when Blaise Pascal and Pierre Fermat began corresponding about the game of chance. However, some argue its origin may have been developed by Gerolamo Cardano and Galileo-Galilee. The game of chance is crucial in the development of probability study and theory. Historically, it has been around for thousands of years and began with the use of animal bones as game pieces. The bones, specifically the astragulus and quoit bones from animals, metals and stone were made to have different, distinct sides. These game pieces were the very primitive predecessor of what would become the present day die. Images in Ancient Egyptian tombs show the early use of these game pieces. The pieces were used for gambling and games of chance. The earliest known die date back to the third millennium and were found in two separate areas, Northern Iraq and Mohenjo-Daro, or Ancient India. Both of which were made out of pottery. 16th Century — Gerolamo Cardano and GalileoGalilei made early publications on gambling and the game of chance, specifically the probability of the outcome of tossing a die. Cardano was a physician, philosopher, mathematician, astrologer and gambler. He published Liber de Ludo Aleae, which translates to A Book on Games of Chance. His writings were not discovered until after his death; he concludes that a fair or honest die can be given equal weight to all sides and therefore the probability of rolling a particular side can be determined. He expanded further to determine the probability of tossing two and three dice as well. Cardano’s calculations regarding tossing honest die were correct but his predictions beyond that were not. Although not all his writings were determined to be accurate, he is credited as the first person to put any type of probability theory down on paper. Galileo-Galilei was an astronomer & mathematician. His writing, like Cardano’s, focused on the probability of tossing three dice. He noted that certain sums resulting from rolling three dice are more likely than others. For example, 3 and 18 are only possible one way. He shows that the more combinations there are of getting a certain number for the total sum, the higher probability of rolling that sum. 17th Century — Blaise Pascal and Pierre de Fermat are believed by most to be the originators of probability theory. Although the works of Cardano and Galilei deserve recognition, Pascal and Fermat had the most success in their early probability theories. Pascal began his studies when presented with a question from Chevalier de Mere, a noblemen of the time and an avid gambler. This began their correspondence and thus the beginning of their study of probability theory. The probability method developed by Pascal and Fermat is known as the Classical Approach today. In their method, 4 Issue : Fall 2014 they determine that a dice game of chance has a total number of equally likely outcomes, and a certain number of outcomes that provide a winning roll. They determined that the chances of winning are: the number of rolls that result in a winning roll/total number of equally likely outcomes. The other method, the frequency method, was used by Pascal and Fermat to test their method. This method is simply testing the situation multiple times. Their theory is correct but it is based solely on situations with equally likely outcomes, which in probability theory as it is known today is not always true. Building off of the developments of Fermat and Pascal, Christian Huygens continued developing probability further when he published De Ratiociniis in Ludo Aleae. His writings focused on the applications of calculus in probability. 18th Century — Following Huygens, Jacob Bernoulli and Abraham de Moivre become essential contributors to probability theory. Bernoulli, a Swiss mathematician born to a family of Swiss scientists, published Ars Conjectandi. In his work, he established that both methods up to that point in history, the classical and frequency method, were consistent. De Moivre was a French mathematician that made significant contributions to the modern approach of probability which can be found in The Doctrine of Chance: A method of calculating the probabilities of events in play. In this work he develops his idea of statistical independence: the outcome of one event does not make the outcome of another event any more likely or less likely to happen. He also established the “The Central Limit Theorem” as we know it today, the idea of standard deviation and the normal integral, all important aspects of probability as it is known today. It was during this century that probability began to move away from testing games of chance to testing the chances of scientific outcomes such as the probability of the sex of a child. 19th & 20th Centuries — Pierre-Simon marquis de Laplace was considered by many to be one of the greatest scientists of all time. He published Théorie Analytique des Probabilités which is considered to be the first fundamental probability book. This book studies generating functions, Laplace’s d e fi n i t i o n of probability, Bayes rules, mathematical expectation, and p r o b a b i l i t y approximations. All very well-known and commonly used probability concepts today. Pierre-Simon marquis de Andrey Kolmogorov developed the second fundamental book of probability Grundbegriffe der Wahrscheinlichkeitsrechnun in 1933. In this work he defines conditional expectation. This definition was crucial for defining Brownian motion, stochastic integration and Mathematics of Finance. Kolmogorov later published Analytical Methods in Probability Theory which establishes the basis for Markov processes. Today, probability theory has many branches, mathematical statistics being one of its most important. Research continues to take place today and the ideas of probability are further being developed. We use probability today, whether we want to or not, to calculate the outcomes of many different scenarios. From calculating the chances of developing a rare, genetically transmitted disease to calculating the chances of filling out a perfect March Madness bracket the uses are endless. Citations Brief History of Probability. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://www.teacherlink.org/content/math/ interactive/probability/history/ Probability. A very (brief) history. Florescu, I. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://jpkc.fudan.edu.cn /picture/article/ A Short History of Probability. Polansky, A. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2014, from http://staff.ustc.edu.cn/ ~zwp/teach/Prob-Stat/ Studies in the history of statistics and probability: a series of papers, Pearson, E. S., & Kendall, M. G. (1970).;. London: Griffin. 5 Issue : Fall 2014 Meet a Faculty Member Dr. Emmanouil Drymonis interviewed by Tommy Upton (Mathematics, ‘16) Dr. Emmanouil Drymonis is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Mathematics here at Providence College. Dr. Drymonis is originally from Greece, where he grew up and his family still lives. He came to the United States to pursue degrees in Mathematics, and in December of 2012 he received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Rhode Island. He does research in difference equations, and he is also interested in differential equations and statistics. Q: When did you decide you wanted to study mathematics? A: I realized that around 15 or 16 years old, because the teachers that I had in school at that time in Greece fascinated me. I am from Greece, as you know. I had 4 teachers, one was in mathematics, one in chemistry, another taught physics, and the last taught writing. These teachers really got me excited about the sciences in general, especially my mathematics and physics teachers. They really inspired me, and made me interested in discovering truth and how things work in certain theorems. So I decided to become a mathematician, even though it was difficult for me to start thinking in a mathematical way at the beginning. Q: Was it your experience with these teachers that ultimately made you want to teach? Q: Tell me a little bit about your research? A: I do research in difference equations, which is a field of mathematics that began as a discrete analog of differential equations; later on it evolved in its own way and is interesting in its own right. The area that I focus on is rational difference equations, which is an area my advisor, Dr. Gerasimos Ladas, started almost 30 years ago. So it is a relatively new area, where we try to develop new theorems: because there is little known there. We are among the first ones to search and develop this fertile and fascinating field of mathematics, which is amazing. A professor at Harvard also said recently that difference equations can, at times, be better than differential equations for modeling natural phenomena, so there is an application to it as well. But mathematics is not only applied mathematics it is pure mathematics. A discovery that will move mathematics forward is an important discovery, even if it does not have an application right now. Q: What was it like deciding to come to the USA from Greece? A: Many people ask me why I would leave such a beautiful country like Greece. But I think that it has to do with exploring, going to new places, and meeting new people. Also, in my opinion, the US is the best place to get a Ph.D. Q: What are some of your interests outside of the classroom? A: Well on the school website I say that I like sports and traveling, but I forgot to mention the arts. My A: Yes. Besides getting me excited about teaching, they also got me very excited in doing research in mathematics. In my opinion they both go hand in hand. A good researcher is a good teacher, and a good teacher is a good researcher. Things balance out between them. Q: What is your favorite class to teach? A: Next semester will be the first time I teach differential equations here, and it is my favorite class to teach so far. When I was a lecturer at URI, I really enjoyed teaching it and by the way, I got my best evaluations ever. 6 Issue : Fall 2014 mother and sister are artists. My mother is a painter of byzantine iconography, and my sister is a painter of modern art. They also do ceramic work, and my sister graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Athens. My whole family has a good background in the arts. So I really enjoy going to exhibitions and concerts. Q: Do you have any advice for any current math majors or anyone considering a degree in mathematics? A: Well, there are two main options. You can be a math major and go into industry, or you can go into academics and get a Ph.D. You can decide to get a Ph.D. and work at a college and do research, you will have a quality life where you are very happy and do what you love to do. You also get the benefit of free time. Or you can go into industry. You major in mathematics and maybe you go and get a Masters in economics and then you can work at a big company, maybe on Wall Street, and make a lot of money. Actually, if you have a degree in mathematics, you can do many different things with some further, specific training. So I would definitely recommend a degree in mathematics because it opens many doors. Q: Is there anything you want to say about your time here at Providence College? A: I have really enjoyed the time I’ve spent here at Providence College. It is a great community, and I really like the students as well as my colleagues. We are looking for student volunteers to contribute articles and to help us put this newsletter together. If you are interested in getting involved, contact Dr. Kang or Dr. McBee From Mathematics & CS Department Happy Halloween Everybody! The Actuarial Profession A Most Satisfying Career Path for Math and Finance Majors ! When: October 15 at 6:00 p.m. Where: Howley Hall 321 Alumni from the Mathematics/Computer Science program will speak on the Actuarial profession and how to prepare for this profession. They are eager to help current student enter the field. The speakers are: ! • Garret Hepburn (class of 2011) ✓ ✓ ! Describe the program (study time, rotations, 3-strikes, raises, etc) Exams (Life vs. Cas, topics, etc) • Mike Mazzona (class of 2010) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Day in the life of an actuary – outside of work Sacrifices and Commitments Life Balance Studying/Groups • Shannon Droge (class of 2013) ✓ How you can prepare now: ✓ What course do you take? ✓ Internships ✓ Online Research ✓ Day in the life – at work – Team ✓ What happens at work? ✓ Projects with example • Steve Basson (class of 1979) ✓ ✓ ! ✓ How to Sell Yourself for THIS profession What companies are looking for (and it is more than exams) How to interview This presentation is sponsored by the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science. If you are interested in actuarial science, or financial mathematics, please contact Dr. Asta Shomberg 7 Issue : Fall 2014 My Summer 2014 PURE Math Experience by Meghan Malachi (Mathematics, ’16) This past summer I spent five weeks as a Pacific Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE) Math intern at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo. I remember when Doctor Brian Loft, the primary coordinator of the PURE Math program, called me only two weeks after applying to the program and told me that I was invited to spend several weeks doing research on the subject I love on the island of Hilo. I remember feeling extremely embarrassed as I cried over the phone in complete disbelief that I was one of twelve students chosen out of more than two hundred applicants to participate in this highly competitive program. As soon as I learned that my flights, boarding, and meals would be covered by the program and that I would receive a generous stipend at the conclusion of the internship, I just knew that there was nothing holding me back from going; I felt blessed that I had received this once in a lifetime chance to delve into true mathematical research and visit the beautiful “Aloha state”. The next day I e-mailed Doctor Loft an assured and confident acceptance of his offer. ! When I arrived at Hilo International Airport, Lisa Waters, our PURE Math assistant coordinator, greeted me with a heartwarming sense of enthusiasm and welcomed me to the island with a traditional Hawaiian lei. From that moment on, I knew that while I had a lot of math to look forward to, I would nonetheless have the opportunity to truly experience the culture of the island as well. Throughout the internship, we were taken to various sites on the island. We hiked up to the summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano whose apex lies nearly 9,000 feet above sea level. We gazed at the beautiful colors of the active volcano Mauna Loa. We hiked through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where we gazed at the steam vents, plant life, and the craters throughout the trail. We swam with honu, massive Hawaiian sea turtles, at black sand beaches, and we spent entirely too much money on hair flowers, homemade jewelry, and fresh coconut water at the Hilo Farmer’s Market. During the first three weeks of the internship I learned about the wonders of numerical monoids and their factorization theory as well as python-based languages and computer programming; during the last two weeks, however, I was able to partake in hands-on research of such monoids and their invariants. The PURE Math faculty divided the twelve interns into three groups of four interns and assigned each of us the duty of further researching one of the invariants of numerical monoids that we had touched upon during lecture. At the end of the research portion of the program, each research group proudly uncovered something about numerical monoids that no one else knows about or no one else was able to prove. Each group presented its findings at a symposium at the University at the conclusion of the program. We were all awarded certificates of completion and personalized gifts at our farewell banquet. If I could do PURE Math all over again, I unhesitatingly would. I left JFK International Airport with a somewhat weak mathematical background and a non-existing history of formal research; however, I returned five weeks later with the ability to take a more logical approach to solving problems, a sense of how to perform research in an intuitive manner, and the ability to confidently present mathematical research at formal symposiums and conferences. I left Hilo. If you are interested in REU program and would like to get more information, please contact Dr. Boos 8 d Issue : Fall 2014 MATH PUZZLES In the illustration four flat cube-like shapes are shown. Their patterns are drawn with bold black lines. Which of them can you draw without taking your pencil off the paper or going along the same line twice?PiWhich of them can't be drawn in this way? 9/12/14, 1 Author: Peter Grabarchuk This Puzzle © 2008 Peter Grabarchuk. All Rights Reserved. Pi The Mathmatician 9/12/14, 11:09 AM Test your knowledge about the most mystifying number known to humans--pi. Crossword Puzzle Daily SuDoku http://www.armoredpenguin.com/ 1 2 crossword/Data/best Daily Sudoku: Fri 12-Sep-2014 [instructions] Classic Monster Kids 3 Do You Have The BBB 4 Seal? Squiggly bbb.org/BBB-Accredi… 5 With Accreditation Comes Trust With Trust Comes Customers. 6 7 Th T t r n l d b n nt h 9 n p. 8 P th t t th t 2 10 n tf n n b r 11 4 Printable page: Size: Copies: Show page Help: Classic! SUDOKU Show solution Play online 6 medium 1 8 12 9/12/14, 11:12 AM k 0 http://www.dailysudoku.com/sudoku Daily Monster SuDoku Daily Sudoku Ltd 2005-2007. All rights reserved. 13 Comments, questions, problems? 2 14 Daily Monster Sudoku: Fri 12-Sep-2014 [instructions] 15 2 Do You Have The BBB Seal? r b th bbb.org/BBB-Accredi… 4 D n h t n th r n f r p nDown Across n d nt rf p t r h l r n t th n b r h tn b r n t n th f r t 2. About how many digits of pi are known name for pi in d v d d(round b . to the th rt 1. n What d t is f panother ( rt t th 6 P the D .number)? n b r Germany? nearest whole number and write out 8 h t t f nd th f r t n n 4 h v th r l tt r f r p t v l fp rr nt th t ld fnt n 5. Pi is circumference 3. rWhat notDN in the first thirty-o 0 divided t p t nby 6 ____. th r r xnn n P pp n th number t n fisr th r . h t th p nt ll d h p . of pi (write out the number)? digits 6. What is the date of2 PihDay. t d d th r b lf rp h t b bl v r r f r n p d n t Page n 1nof 1 nt r ( rt t P nb p ( rt t th 4. b rknown value of pi? n b r .Who gave the Greek letter for pi its 8. What society found ththenfirst h t th fr t n nl d P h tt p fn b r current mathmatical definition? t are ppr six x nines t p in a row. What is this 10. At position 763 there 4 h tb b rl n l d 5. Pi appears in the equation for the DNA th t p h ld fr th point called? r t r f th nv r _____ ____ shape. h th for p pi denote r h p 12. What did the Greek symbol in nancient om/sudoku/today.shtml Printable page: Size: Copies: Show page medium 1 Help: Accreditation n n (r From nd t th Better b Business n r nd r t Bureau Brings P r f r n Trust. h tSign Up th Now! d t f Show solution http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/bin/crossword.cgi 9 Pag