MATH 401Assignments Fall, 1998



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TEXTS: A History of Mathematics, 2nd edition, by Victor J. Katz (Harper Collins,1998).
The Origins of the Infinitesmal Calculus, by Margaret E. Baron (Dover, 1969).
Classics of Mathematics, edited by Ron Calinger (Prentice Hall, 1995).

Subject to change. Last updated: 10/8/98
Week 
[Major theme]
Tuesday Thursday Reading Problems 
Due on Thursday 
of the next week
1 [Beginnings] 8/25 8/27 K: 2.1-2.4.4 
B: 1.0-1.4 
C: 47-70 Some elementary greek math. 
Handouts: Sarton, Aristotle 
Web: Lunes (Java)
K2:5,9,*10, 41 
Research #1
2 [Euclid] 9/1 9/3 K: 2.4.5-2.4.8 
B:1.5 
C:109-130 "easy" Euclid 
74-80 Euclid/Eudoxus (proportion/exhaustion)
K2:12,14,15,17,18,24,44 
Research #2
3 [Archimedes] 9/8 9/10 K: 3.1-3.3 
B: 1.7,1.8 
C: 74-80(again!),131-141Archimedes 
81-83 Aristotle (def'n,hypothesis, postulate); 
84-85 (the infinite);85-90 (Zeno,continuity)
Assignment moved to allow more time.

[Archimedes]
9/15 9/17 K: 
B: 
C:
K2:28-30,37 
K3:5,10
5 9/22 9/24 K: 
B: 
C:
K: Do any two problems from the following: 3.15, 3.22, 3.26 (see p122),3.31,4.22, 5.22
6 9/29 9/31 K:[4.1,4.2 optional] 4.3, 5.3, 
B:1.9 , 2.0,[2.1,2.2 optional], 2.3,2.4 
C: p166,169 (Ptolemy)
Prelinary outline from groups on what they are planning for presentations on notations.
7 10/6 10/8 K: 6.9, 7.2,7.4 
B: 
C: pp 199-211(islamic algebra)
K:Do any two problems from the following:7.3,7.6,7.10, 7.13,8.12,8.13
8 10/13 10/15 K: reread 7.2, 8.1, 8.3, 8.4
B: 1.3;2.5-2.8
C:p250-260 (Leonardo of Pisa;Oresme)
K:Do any two problems from the following:8.25,8.26,8.27, 8.34,8.35,8.38
9 10/20 10/22 K: 9; 10.2, 10.4 
B: 3.0, 3.3
C:p260-289 (Cardano;Viete;Stevin;Napier)
Prelimary report on term paper.
10 10/27 10/29 Continue reading from last week. Student Presentations on Tuesday.
K: Do any two problems from the following: 9.26, 9.27, 9.43,  10.16-10.20
11 11/3 Student presentations 11/5More students K:  10.3.2-10.3.4
B:  4.1, 4.2
C:p354-373 (Kepler and Galileo)
12 11/10 End of student presentations 11/12
Continue reading from last week
K: Do any two problems from the following: 10.24, 10.27, 10.29;11.1, 11.2, 11.4
13 11/17 11/19 K: 10.5 (Galileo), 11.1, 12.1, 12.2.1-12.2.3
B: 
C: p326-340(Descartes) p374-380(Fermat)
K: Do any two problems from the following: 11.7,11.8, 11.11, 11.12; 12.2,12.4, 12.7
14Fall Break 11/24 11/26
15 12/1 12/3 K: 12.1-12.3; 12.4.2, 12.4.3, 12.5
B: 4.3,4.4,5.4,5.6
C:p 395-417 (Newton)
16 12/8 12/10 K: 
B: 
C: