OFF ON A TANGENT
A Fortnightly Electronic Newsletter from the Hope College Department of Mathematics
March 26, 2003 Vol. 1, No. 11


Sign up today for the Lower Michigan Mathematics Competition

Attention mathematics students!  Today is the last day to sign up for the Lower Michigan Mathematics Competition. This year's competition will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2003 at Saginaw Valley State University. This is a regional team competition where students work on an exam in groups of up to three without the assistance of any external aids or technology. Transportation to Saginaw Valley will be provided. If you are interested (and plan to go) sign up with Prof. Harrelson by Wednesday, March 26.


The Fall 2003 upper-level mathematics courses announced

Registration for classes for Fall 2003 is next week.  The following is a list of upper-level mathematics courses that will be offered.

Surfing the Web

Next month is Math Awareness Month and this year's topic is mathematics and art.  To highlight this, the feature article in this month's edition of Focus, published by the Mathematical Association of America, was about mathematical LEGO® sculptures.  These sculptures were constructed by Andrew Lipson, a trained knot theorist working now as a computer programmer.  Andrew Lipson's LEGO® Page can be found at http://www.lipsons.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/lego.htm.   Included along with LEGO models of Dilbert, Rodan sculptures, and Escher buildings are his collection of mathematical sculptures.  His mathematical sculptures include Mobius strips, different types of knots, and different minimal surfaces.  With some of these sculptures, he also includes links to other sites that gives further descriptions and nice interactive java applets.


The mathematics department will have two new members next fall

The mathematics department recently hired two new professors.  Airat Bekmetjev, currently a faculty member at Gettysburg College and Mark Pearson, currently a graduate student at Northwestern University, will both join the Hope faculty next fall.  

Dr. Bekmetjev received his PhD from Arizona State University.  His research interests include discrete mathematics and probability theory. He is currently working with random models in combinatorics, particularly in pebbling on graphs.  He has undergraduate degrees in applied mathematics and computer science from Moscow State University.

Mark Pearson, who will soon receive his PhD from Northwestern University, has a research area of algebraic topology.  Mark received his undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College in Minnesota,  "where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average."  His undergraduate degrees are in mathematics, chemistry, and religion.


Are you reading Off on a Tangent?

We had 41 readers respond to our question, "Are you reading Off on a Tangent."  Thanks for your responses.  Three responders were randomly chosen to receive a personal size pan pizza from Pizza Hut.  Those lucky readers were, Andrew Wells, John Siehling, and Lynette Wehmer.


The Putnam exam results are in

The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, administered by the Mathematical Association of America, is the most prestigious mathematical competition for undergraduates in the nation.  Last December two Hope College students competed in this contest.  The results of this competition have just been published. Peter Van Wylen's score placed him in the top 15% of all students taking the test and Michael Rininger's score placed him approximately in the top half. Congratulations to both of them.


Changes in the course requirements for a major in mathematics are proposed

The following are proposed changes in the mathematics major and minor for secondary teaching.  They are subject to review by the curriculum committee, 3/27/03.

B.A. in Mathematics for Secondary Teaching
The mathematics for secondary teaching major will consist of at least 33 credits of mathematics (numbered greater than 125 and excluding 210, 323, 205, 206, 207, 208) and must include the following: Math 331 and Math 341 (Advanced Calculus I and Algebraic Structures I); Math 351 (College Geometry);  Math 310 (Statistics for Scientists); Math 280 (Bridge to Higher Mathematics); Math 321 (History of Mathematics)

Minor in Mathematics for Secondary Teaching
The math minor for secondary teaching consists of the following 23 credits: Math 131, 132 (Calculus I and II); Math 231 (Multivariable Mathematics I); Math 280 (Bridge to Higher Mathematics); Math 310 (Statistics for Scientists); Math 352  (College Geometry); Math 321 (History of Mathematics)

B.A. in Mathematics
The Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics will consist a total of at least 33 credits from the following courses: MA 126, 131, 132, 231, 232, and all courses numbered above 300 except for 323.  The following courses are required: Math 280, 331, and 341.

B.S. in Mathematics
The Bachelor of Science in Mathematics will consist of a total of at least 39 credits from the following courses: MA 126, 131, 132, 231, 232, and all courses numbered above 300 except for 323. The following courses are required: Math 280, 331, and 341.  You must also have at least 60 credits of courses from the natural science division (including mathematics courses).