Exploring Intriguing Mathematical Nuggets

A minicourse, featuring Ingrid Daubechies

Spring 2024 (March and May)
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

(in person)

Led by MoMath’s Distinguished Visiting Professor Ingrid Daubechies over the course of four standalone units (two classes in the same week for each unit), this minicourse will explore several mathematical concepts that intrigue and surprise many people, breaking down each concept to make it more intuitive.  The course will consist of four self-contained units; each unit will be covered over two sessions, held within the same week.  The last unit will take place after the installation of Mathemalchemy, a mixed-media art exhibition coming to MoMath in May!

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Unit 1: “The Beauty of the Complex Plane”

Tuesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 28
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
(in person)

Register
Even (or maybe especially) if you don’t feel comfortable manipulating complex numbers, come discover how beautiful and useful they are.

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Unit 2: “What do the Fractal Koch Snowflake and Pixar Movies Have in Common?”

Monday, May 6 and Friday, May 10
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
(in person)

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What do the fractal Koch Snowflake and Pixar movies have in common?  Both use subdivision methods to define curves or surfaces.  In this unit, we explore this very different way of defining curves in the plane.

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Unit 3: “Probability Conundrums”

Tuesday, May 14 and Friday, May 17
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
(in person)

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Learn about a number of classic and less classic questions that involve probability, and take them apart to better understand what is going on.

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Unit 4: “The Cryptography Quilt in Mathemalchemy

Thursday, May 23 and Friday, May 24
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
(in person)

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While examining the Mathemalchemy exhibit, we will discuss how the Cryptography Quilt of Mathemalchemy illustrates many different ways of encoding information and we will learn more about the underlying mathematics.

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