The Eccentric Lives of Mathematicians
Schedule: Tuesdays, November 3-17, 2009; 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Location: UW Campus, Seattle (see maps)
Reg. # 105233

Course Description

We will learn about how mathematics is a logical science from the bizarre personal stories of mathematicians, using geometric models, pictures from art and where they lived. Many of us are baffled by arcane algebraic symbols, but logic is the most important skill in understanding math, not arithmetic, as Abraham Lincoln discovered in law after he mastered Euclid's Geometry. Isaac Newton, who secretly derived calculus, dabbled in alchemy, wrote about the Bible, but almost lost his professor job when disputing church doctrine. Fourier discovered how to approximate any mathematical function like music for our CDs, and went to, Egypt with Napoleon. Ramanujan rediscovered much of number theory while isolated in India. Andrew Weil secreted himself for years and then claimed he proved the Fermat Conjecture, though his first proof was wrong he later found a correct one.

Instructor

John Johnson
Dr. Johnson has a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1969. He was at Boeing for 31 years until he retired in 2000, where he developed computer algorithms for airborne radar, military aircraft, and spacecraft navigation, guidance and control during flight. He has taught advanced math evening classes for Boeing Training and at the University of Washington. He helped found the Technology in Education Initiative for teachers to visit and observe industry technology. He has given many school presentations on Math, Space and Astronomy from preschool to college, and elsewhere on Archaeology, and Animal Technology.