Revealing the mysteries of mathematics
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings." - Cassius, a Roman nobleman, talking with his friend Brutus in William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar. The line “The fault, dear Brutus” begins a longer speech that defines one’s to control their own fate and the influence that ordinary men, like Cesar, should or shouldn’t have in... Continue Reading →
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There - Lewis Carroll (Charles L. Dodgson) Most people know Lewis Carroll (Charles L. Dodgson) as the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871). What many do not realize is that Charles Dodgson was primarily a mathematical lecturer at Oxford... Continue Reading →
I would like you, the reader of this article, to reflect on the achievements of women in mathematics. We read about men such as Euler and Gauss, but not as much about the women and their contributions to mathematics. In the near future, we may not hear of any one mathematician and their achievements as... Continue Reading →
The purpose of this explication (I just love to use sesquipedalian words.) is to alert you to the classroom problems I experience as a substitute teacher. I would hope that these issues may motivate some teachers to make changes in the way they teach, or parents to take action to help your student or school... Continue Reading →
Compose yourself, Müller, and answer me distinctly. Do I understand that he asked for more, after he had thoroughly read The Areas of Mathematics Explained? Oliver Asks for More by Harold Copping Slowly and fearfully Oliver Twist gets up from his seat and moves toward the object of his fear. He is driven forward by... Continue Reading →
“The problem is that the people with the most ridiculous ideas are always the people who are most certain of them." Bill Maher - The Decider, July 21, 2007 Bagley Cartoon: Rithmatic X + Y - Z = Mediocrity Pick a Number School Board Grading Policy Our Education System My... Continue Reading →
With apologies to Dr. Seuss. This is an excerpt from the reference article listed below by Hortensia Soto. Math in everyday life Many topics you learn in elementary school – like fractions, percentages and measurements – are useful in everyday life. For example, if you want to build a fence around your house, paint your walls... Continue Reading →
"Change is the only constant in life." ~ Heraclitus, 535 BC I just realized that it has been 50 years (1973 - 2023) since I graduated from high school and there have been many changes over the years. What follows are my experiences relearning mathematics after retirement, tutoring and substitute teaching, and limiting my discussion... Continue Reading →
Applied Mathematics Applied Mathematics is a language that allows us to model our world from atoms to galaxies, airplanes in flight and spacecraft in space, biological and geological activity, weather forecasting, social science and natural science. Mathematics allows engineers to design buildings, automobiles, computers, machines used in production and assembly, farm equipment, roads, tunnels and... Continue Reading →
FOOK: Oh Deep Thought, your task is this. We want you to tell us -- the Answer.Long pause. Deep Thought bleeps and bloops.DEEP THOUGHT: The Answer…to what?LUNKWILL: You know. The answer. To Life…the Universe…Everything.FOOK: We'd really like an answer. Something simple. Can you do it? The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy The above conversation reminds... Continue Reading →
Mathematical Mysteries 