Off on a Tangent
A Fortnightly Electronic Newsletter from the Hope College Department of Mathematics
   October 8, 2009 Vol. 8, No. 3 
http://www.math.hope.edu/newsletter.html


Fibonacci numbers is the topic of next week's colloquium

Title:
 Some Really Interesting Fibonacci Numbers
Speaker:
 Prof. Mark Bollman, Albion College
Time:
 Thursday, October 15 at 4:00 p.m.
Place:
 VWF 104

Abstract:  The Fibonacci sequence {0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,...}, where each term past the first two is determined by adding the previous two terms together, has been a source of mathematical interest since 1202.  In this talk, we will look at the search for Fibonacci numbers with other interesting mathematical properties--squares, cubes, primes, factorials, perfect numbers, and so forth.  Some of these problems have been solved through early and recent efforts in experimental mathematics; some remain open.


Integration contest coming in two weeks

What:
 Integration Confrontation
When:
 Thursday, October 22 at 4:00 p.m.
Where:
 VWF 104

The Integration Confrontation will be Thursday, October 22.  Teams of 1-3 students will compete solving challenging integrals.  Fabulous prizes for the winners.  Please sign up by Wednesday, October 21, on Prof. Cinzori's door.  You may sign up as a team or we will place individuals on teams if they desire.


Math Club News


To all interested in joining math club:

Next Tuesday, October 13th from 6-7:30 in VDWF 238 we will be having our first social event of the semester! This event will include board games and pizza and socializing with fellow math friends. We will also be discussing upcoming events and t-shirt designs. Hope to see everyone there! We have also made a moodle group for math club, and if you are interesting in joining this group, please email kimberly.klask@hope.edu, and she will add you.



Fall Math Competitions

Two mathematics competitions that take place each fall are the MATH Challenge and the Putnam Exam.  Students can compete in either of these competitions without leaving Hope's campus.  Information about each of these follows.

The MATH Challenge

The 2009 Michigan Autumn Take Home Challenge (or MATH Challenge) will take place on the morning of Saturday, October 31 this year.  Teams of two or three students take a three-hour exam consisting of ten interesting problems dealing with topics and concepts found in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum.  Each team takes the exam at their home campus under the supervision of a faculty advisor. 

The department pays the registration fee for each team and will provide lunch to participants afterwards. The sign-up deadline is Wednesday, October 21 at 4:00 p.m.  Interested students can sign up by sending Prof. Yurk an email at yurk@hope.edu or by signing up on the list on his door (VWF 214).

A group of students may sign up as a team.  Individual students are also encourage to sign up; they will be assigned to a team on the day of the competition.  For more information, please talk with any member of the Mathematics Department or visit http://www.mcs.alma.edu/mathchallenge/, where you can also view old copies of the exam. 

The Putnam Exam

The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, administered by the Mathematical Association of America, is the most prestigious mathematical competition for undergraduates in the nation.  If you are interested in taking the Wm. Lowell Putnam Exam, you must email Professor Cinzori at cinzori@hope.edu by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 9.   The date of the exam is Saturday, December 5, 2009. There is both a morning and an afternoon session of this exam; lunch will be provided by the mathematics department during the break.  For more information about the Putnam Exam visit http://math.scu.edu/putnam/.


Problem Solvers of the Fortnight


The previous problem of the fortnight was: What is the total number of squares (of all sizes) on a 40 x 40 checkerboard?

There are 22,140 squares on a 40 x 40 checkerboard (which was almost the same as the number of problem solvers).  Congratulations to all who solved the problem: Lida Dabney, Dan Waldo, Jenny Barry, Caitlin Roth, Ryan Millikan, Kyle Gibson, Sarah Anthony, Curtis Merrick, Kelly Shugart, Philip Hallam, Meghan Broadbent, Michael Ferguson, Robert Molenhouse, Brian Kurzava, Kelsey Bos, Leah Patenge, Jared Wabeke, Josh Borycz, Zach Mitchell, Amanda Black, Emily Baracy, Nolan Wiersma, Cortney Kimmel, Eric Lunderberg, Nick Rodriguez, Steven VanHoven, Sammie Pahls, Nathan Graber, Rebecca Danforth, Nick Cornicelli, Greg Huber, Andrea Eddy, Kayla Lankheet, Eileen Sanderson, Kim Slotman, Katrina Phillips, Elesha Wagenmaker, Lauren Ferin, Jeff Minkus, Derek Blok, Rachel Diephouse, Jorja Magley, Lauren Steel, Patrick Lutz, Hannah Kasperson, David Jenkins, Kyle McLellan, Kylie Topliff, Marcus Bradstreet, Dale Schipper, Ben Fineout, Adrian Lucio, Danielle Koetje, Amanda Witte, Tara Hamming, Xisen Hou, Sean Cratty, Kelly Petrasky, Laurel Ackerman, Brian Dess, Kelsey Ensz, Robert Sjoholm, Stew Harlow, and Adam Alexander.


Problem of the Fortnight

This problem has a theme inspired by this year's Critical Issues Symposium on water.

Your cabin is two miles due north of a stream that runs east-west.  Your grandmother's cabin is located 12 miles west and one mile north of your cabin.  Every day, you go from your cabin to Grandma's, but first visit the stream (to get fresh water for Grandma).  What is the length of the route with minimum distance?  (No calculus is required to solve  this problem -- just some geometry and a little creativity.)

Write your solution (not just the answer) on the back of a CIS program, and drop it off in the Problem of the Fortnight slot outside Dr. Pearson's office (VWF 212) by 3:00 on Friday, October 16.  As always, be sure to show all your work (answers without work will not be considered), and be sure to write your name, the name(s) of your professor(s), and your math course(s) -- e.g. I.M. Stuck, Professor U.R. Doin-Fine, Math 242.


Mathematics Book Sale!



There is currently a mathematics book sale going on in the Reading Room (VWF 222).  The books are located on the bookshelves by the windows.  These books are priced to sell at only 25 cents a piece.  You may pay at the mathematics department office.  Supplies are limited so hurry in for best selection.
Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday.

 Wilma Rudolph

Off on a Tangent