Student
Colloquium
The Magic of Concurrency & Colinearity
in Geometry
Prof. Iraj Kalantari (Mathematics Dept., WIU)
Abstract: The sublime beauty and magic of mathematics shouldn't
escape us. Why should the product rule for derivatives [(fg)' = f 'g +
fg'] be so nice and so simple? Why should we have ap-a always a
multiple of p when p is a prime? Why should each of the 3
altitudes, the 3 medians, and the 3 angle bisectors of any triangle be
concurrent?
I remember my astonishment and glee when, as a schoolboy, I
learned of early theorems of geometry. Recently, a drawing I saw
reminded me of my earlier joy of studying geometry. When relishing
those memories on a train ride, I was also reminded of a particular
scene from a film staring Danny Kaye (whose work I enjoyed about
the same time).
In this talk, I will share with you my encounters with geometry then
and now. Meanwhile, I ask you to watch the scene that I
remembered (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4ni2FxH7v8) as
(I think) it is fun, and it helped me imagine the following dialogue:
Giacomo: The tips of the edges pledge to be on the plane …
the edges of the hennins queue on the wedges.
Gaspard: No, no. The edges of the wedges pledge to be on a plane.
It's the tips of the hennins that queue on the edges.
I shall have to explain …
PS Bring 40 cents: a quarter, a dime and a nickel.
(You’ll get to keep them!)
Department of
Mathematics
Friday,
Feb. 21, 2014
3:00-3:50 p.m.
208 Morgan Hall