MAT 2999 - GLOBAL CONNECTIONS IN MATHEMATICS

credits: 3.0
This course is an exploration of mathematics as a global phenomenon that will emphasize areas crossing cultural boundaries. Will begin with the growth of the Hindu-Arabic number system, which has its basis in ancient China and became the global standard after it was introduced to the west by Fibonacci. Then will trace the development of Algebra from its beginnings in Egypt and Babylon through its formalization by al-Khwarizmi to the development of symbolic Algebra by François Viète. Finally, the discussion will culminate in the modern world with an exploration of the cross-cultural collaboration of G. H. Hardy and Srinivasa Ramanujan, focusing on Ramanujan’s summation of a divergent series. Objectives: A) Use and apply numeration systems, such as Chinese Counting Rods, that contributed to the development of the Hindu Arabic Number System; B) Outline the history of algebra from its beginnings in Egypt and Babylon through the Arab world, culminating in the early applications of Vieté’s symbolic notation; C) Use and apply algebraic methods from these cultures and apply them, particularly to the problems that inspired their development; D) Discuss the collaboration between G. H. Hardy and Srinivasa Ramanujan; E) Use and apply Ramanujan’s sums of divergent series and illuminate the two men’s philosophical positions in the context of these sums; F) Articulate the impact of the Hindu Arabic Number System, Algebra, and the Ramanujan-Hardy Collaboration on global science and culture. Method of Instruction: Discussion of Readings, Lectures, and in-class activities. Method of Evaluation: Reading Quizzes 50 points; In Class Assignments 100 points; Weekly Quizzes 100 points; Midterm Exam 100 points; Comprehensive Final 150 points. Meets *GLP Distribution Requirement.

Prerequisite(s): ALEKS score of at least 46 or the equivalent.