FRS 003 — Sec. 007 —
(1 unit) — CRN 26042 — W 10:00 - 11:50 am — 2016 Haring
Historical Roots of Elementary Mathematics
Instructor: Ali Dad-del, Department of Mathematics, College of Letters
and Science
Description: Development of mathematical concepts, in early civilizations,
and contribution of each of these civilizations, will be investigated. We will
explore the historical roots of elementary mathematics by studying Mathematics
of Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Moslems, Chinese, and more.
Format: The seminar will meet one hour each week. The time will
be divided between lectures presentations by instructor, discussion, and student
presentations. The Saga of Mathematics by Lewinter and Widulski will
be used as the textbook. Grading: Students will be required
to prepare two short papers on topics to be chosen in consultation with the instructor.
The course grade will be based on the quality of the papers (1/3), oral presentations
(1/3) and active participation in class (1/3).
About the Instructor: Dr. Dad-del is a lecturer in the Department
of Mathematics. His research interests include the covering and tiling, with emphasis
on tiling and covering with star shape objects. He currently teaches MAT 16C (Short
Calculus III), MAT 302C (Cruclium Development), and an on-line computer course
for linear algebra.