Math News!

Please view the following website:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1641012.html

=)

Glowing Water

Do you want to make a glowing water. This is how to do it. Get a highlighter, cut it open and you will see the colored rod made of cotton. get a glass of water and stir it using the rod and the color will be transferred to the water. Close all the lights and open a blacklight, also called UV light. You will see the water actually glowing.

You can watch this for further info:) in this videos, tonic water was used but hey, its just he same.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0aULZKQcd4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKhBXsbASPg

This is happening because of fluorescence. There are some materials that decreases the frequency of EM waves and they are called fluorescent objects. Because of the highlighter acting as a flourescent, the UV light's frequency is decreased making it visible to the eye.:)

Math in Nature

Mathematics might seem an ugly and irrelevant subject at school, but it's ultimately the study of truth - and truth is beauty! You might be surprised to find that maths is in everything in nature from rabbits to seashells.

Infinity

Is one infinity bigger than another infinity? The size of all natural numbers, 1,2,3..., etc., is infinite. The set of all numbers between one and zero is also infinite - is one infinite set larger than the other? The deep questions of maths can leave you feeling very small in a vast universe.


Uniqueness, proofs

Proofs are the tools used to find the rules that define maths. One such proof is by counter example - find one duplicated snowflake, like Nancy Knight of the US National Center for Atmospheric Research did while studying cloud climatology, and the theory of snowflake uniqueness disappears into the clouds. The theory may have originated from Wilson Bentley's extraordinary feat photographing over 5000 snowflakes in the 1930s. He found no two alike.

Geometric sequence

Bacteria such as Shewanella oneidensis multiply by doubling their population in size after as little as 40 minutes. A geometric sequence such as this, where each number is double the previous number [or f(n+1) = 2 f(n)] produces a rapid increase in the population in a very short time.

Golden ratio (phi)

The ratio of consecutive numbers in the Fibonacci sequence approaches a number known as the golden ratio, or phi (=1.618033989...). The aesthetically appealing ratio is found in much human architecture and plant life. A Golden Spiral formed in a manner similar to the Fibonacci spiral can be found by tracing the seeds of a sunflower from the centre outwards.

Fibonacci spiral

If you construct a series of squares with lengths equal to the Fibonacci numbers (1,1,2,3,5, etc) and trace a line through the diagonals of each square, it forms a Fibonacci spiral. Many examples of the Fibonacci spiral can be seen in nature, including in the chambers of a nautilus shell.

Fibonacci sequence

Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits. Leonardo Fibonacci was a well-travelled Italian who introduced the concept of zero and the Hindu-Arabic numeral system to Europe in 1200AD. He also described the Fibonacci sequence of numbers using an idealised breeding population of rabbits. Each rabbit pair produces another pair every month, taking one month first to mature, and giving the sequence 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,... Each number in the sequence is the sum of the previous two.

Zero - Placeholder and Number

Zero is one of the most important mathematical concepts. The idea of zero as a placeholder, eg to distinguish 303 from 33, developed in both Indian and Babylonian cultures. Three Indian mathematicians, Brahmagupta (about 628 AD), Mahavira (about 850 AD) and Bháskara (1114- about 1185 AD), are credited with defining zero as a number, and defining the rules for subtracting, adding, multiplying and dividing by zero.

Fractals

Many natural objects, such as frost on the branches of a tree, show the relationship where similarity holds at smaller and smaller scales. This fractal nature mimics mathematical fractal shapes where form is repeated at every scale. Fractals, such as the famous Mandelbrot set, cannot be represented by classical geometry.

Pi

Any circle, even the disc of the Sun as viewed from Cappadoccia, central Turkey during the 2006 total eclipse, holds that perfect relationship where the circumference divided by the diameter equals pi. First devised (inaccurately) by the Egyptians and Babylonians, the infinite decimal places of pi (approximately 3.1415926...) have been calculated to billions of decimal places.

Geometry - Human induced

People impose their own geometry on the land, dividing a random environment into squares, rectangles and bisected rhomboids, and impinging on the natural diversity of the environment.

Parallel lines

In mathematics, parallel lines stretch to infinity, neither converging nor diverging. These parallel dunes in the Australian desert aren't perfect - the physical world rarely is.

Shapes - Cones

Volcanoes form cones, the steepness and height of which depends on the runniness (viscosity) of the lava. Fast, runny lava forms flatter cones; thick, viscous lava forms steep-sided cones. Cones are 3-dimensional solids whose volume can be calculated by 1/3 x area of base x height.

Shapes - Polyhedra

For a beehive, close packing is important to maximise the use of space. Hexagons fit most closely together without any gaps; so hexagonal wax cells are what bees create to store their eggs and larvae. Hexagons are six-sided polygons, closed, 2-dimensional, many-sided figures with straight edges.

Shapes - Perfect

Earth is the perfect shape for minimising the pull of gravity on its outer edges - a sphere (although centrifugal force from its spin actually makes it an oblate spheroid, flattened at top and bottom). Geometry is the branch of maths that describes such shapes.

Symmetry

Five axes of symmetry are traced on the petals of this flower, from each dark purple line on the petal to an imaginary line bisecting the angle between the opposing purple lines. The lines also trace the shape of a star.

HOPE THIS WILL HELP YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE IS BEAUTY IN MATHEMATICS..:)

Pictures of the Outer Space and Beyond

We, my group mates and I, have always found pictures about the outer space (and the universe, in general) to be very interesting.

Pictures like these are very fascinating because it shows how beautiful everything is...

Some may argue that all of these happened because of mere chance, while the others may say that in order to create something as beautiful as these, there must be some very powerful and very intelligent Higher Being, which most of us prefer to call GOD, who made all these things possible.

We, my group mates and I, chose to believe the latter assumption.

But no matter what beliefs we might hold, we believe that people cannot deny the beauty in these photos.


Crab Nebula

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crab_Nebula.jpgMilky Way

from http://www.astronomy.com/asy/objects/images/MilkyWay_1000_pod072409.jpg

Eagle Nebula (M16)
from http://www.astronomy.com/asy/objects/images/MilkyWay_1000_pod072409.jpg

Rho-Ophiuchi
from http://www.astronomy.com/asy/objects/images/Rho-Ophiuchi_1000_pod070109.jpg
Eye Nebula (NASA)
from http://www.free-background-wallpaper.com/images/Wallpapers1280/outer-space/eye-nebula.jpg




The Sun (NASA)
from http://www.free-background-wallpaper.com/images/Wallpapers1280/outer-space/the-sun-blue.jpg

Also, here are some sites that contain fascinating photos like these.

1. http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx

2. http://www.free-background-wallpaper.com/background-wallpaper-space.php

3. http://www.nasa.gov/


Do you agree with what we think?
If yes, can you comment (and also contribute other sites that have pictures of the outer space like these)?
If not, can you at least tell us why?

Math Games

Mathematics is one of the major subjects in school that most students rarely like. These students often fear Math because they think it is hard. Some people belonging to an older generation probably inculcated this fear of Math (or fear of numbers or anything that has to do with numbers) in them, whether consciously or unconsciously.

As future educators and Math teachers, this will be a challenge. How can we make students start to like Math and be interested in it? How can we help them appreciate Math lessons and not be too overwhelmed with it?



Well, there are now many cool Math Games and activities that we, as future educators, could incorporate in some of our class lessons. A lecture type class will be very boring for students because our students have different learning styles. Incorporating activities such as these would surely help students overcome their fear of Math and make them feel that Math is not as hard as they thought it was.

Here are some sites we have found that has a lot of cool math games and activities:

1. http://www.coolmath-games.com/

2. http://www.funbrain.com/

3. http://www.mathplayground.com/games.html

4. http://www.math.com/students/puzzles/puzzleapps.html

5. http://www.primarygames.com/math.htm


As future educators, what other ways could you think of that could help students appreciate a certain subject that they initially think is very hard like Math, other physical Sciences or even Social Sciences?


(image above is from http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/cragin/Cool%20Sites/bd05092_.gif)

Personality Tests

Have you ever taken a personality test? It doesn't matter whether the test you took was administered by a professional (a psychologist, a guidance counselor, etc.) or it is just a simple test you took online when you had spare time.
If yes, how did you feel about it?
If not, would you like to take one?

We know that our personality is our distinct characteristics that makes us unique. The aim of a personality test is "describe the aspects of a person's character that remain stable throughout that person's lifetime, the individual's character pattern of behavior, thoughts, and feelings."

Knowing your personality is useful in many ways.
As an example, it can "reveal more information about your abilities and interests" and can also "identify your interpersonal traits that may be needed for certain jobs" in the future.

There are many available personality tests online and for free. Please take some of them and kindly inform us if you agree or disagree with the results of the tests. 4.

1. MBTI
http://kisa.ca/personality/

2. Jung's Personality Test
http://similarminds.com/jung.html

3. The Big Five Personality Test
http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/

4. IPIP-NEO
http://www.personal.psu.edu/~j5j/IPIP/ipipneo300.htm

Which of these tests provided the most accurate description of your personality?

Mathematics in Art and Architecture

Mathematics is a science and we all know that but come to think of it, have you ever tried telling anyone that Math is an art? It's quite weird isn't it? And it's pretty hard to prove at first, (probably most people will laugh at you also) but as mathematicians and math enthusiasts often tell us, Math is everywhere and we just have to look and study something carefully (perhaps look at it from another perspective) and see if "Math is an art" does makes sense.

These are some of the most famous Math related works of art, can you recognize some of them?

Pyramids of Egypt
http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/bb_site_intro/specialPlaces/special_places_st2/africa/pyramid3.jpg

Möbius Strip II
by M.C. Escher
from http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/escher/big.asp?IMAGE=mobius_strip



Snakes by M.C. Escher
from http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/escher/big.asp?IMAGE=snakes

Waterfalls by M.C. Escher
from http://brainden.com/images/waterfalls.jpg
Elephants and Mouse by Dominique Ribault
from http://www.sciencenews.org/view/access/id/31187Math Art Digital Art by Cathy Blake
from http://fineartamerica.com/featured/math-art-cathy-blake.html


Eternal Scream by Josh Sommers
from http://math-art.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/drosteeffect-josh-sommers.jpgSculpture 06 by Kern S.
from http://math-art.net/2008/06/30/sculpture-06/from http://farm1.static.flickr.com/79/249564796_06b54ea508.jpg?v=0


Also, here are some websites that I found that could somehow prove or try to prove that "Math is an art". After viewing these websites, can you comment on what you've seen? Does it convince you? Do you now believe that Math could be an art as well? =)

Well... Enjoy!

1. http://www.math.nus.edu.sg/aslaksen/teaching/math-art-arch.html
2. http://plus.maths.org/issue37/features/farsi/index.html

3. http://classes.design.ucla.edu/Winter09/9-1/blog/a/?p=511
4. http://girltears.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/math-art-both-sides-of-the-brain-joined-happily-as-one/