SME 430: HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS

WEEK 8: NON-EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRIES

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 ITINERARY

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BIOGRAPHIES

TIMELINES

REMAINING MATH HISTORY IN EDUCATION

PRESENTATIONS

ACTIVITIES (REVISITED)

DISCUSSION ON THE READINGS

FRACTAL VIDEO

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 ANNOUNCEMENTS

BINDERS HAVE BEEN Student Name: Adamus, Clare Elizabeth

GRADED. 1. Biography Facts of any 6 Mathematicians (1 points per Mathematician)

Mathematician

Week 1 Aristotle Aryabhata Fibonacci

Items Expected
Week 2
in Portfolio
Brahmagupta Euler Pythagoras

INSIDE YOU WILL SEE Week 3

Week 4
Euclid

Zeno
Thales

DeMorgan
Archimedes

Poincaré
• Everyone Circle first six found • If you have done presentations
A PIECE OF PAPER • Mathematician Facts from
weeks 3-6Activities
(Aristotle, Aryabhata,
Points Earned: ______/6
• Biography You Wrote
2. In-Class (1.4 point per Activity) • Abbagail H, Kayla V, Rachael B,

WITH THE Fibonacci, Brahmagupta, Euler,Activities

Pythagoras, Euclid, Thales,
Multiplication Negatives Packet
Clare A, Laura M, Danielle D,
Janae B, Nichole S, Taryn K,
LaurenFractions
Egyptian M, Emily K, Nicole K
(Either
Archimedes, Zeno, De Morgan,

BREAKDOWN OF
Activity or Homework)
& Poincaré)
Pi Euclid!s Elements
Cross-out those not found • Timeline you Presented
• Completed In-Class Activities Points Earned: ______/7

POINTS (Multiplication, Egyptian • Rebecca M, Emily S, Kristina W,

Beth R, Danielle G, Siedah K,
Fractions,
4. ArithmeticNegatives,
Journal EntryPi,
(5 points) Alexandrea T, Krystal T, Elizabeth
Elements) W, Jaime______/5
Points Earned: S, Aimee M, Rachael K,
5. Notes from Class (2 points) Jane M
• Arithmetic Journal Entry Points Earned: ______/2

• Classroom Notes
IF WE MISSED Biography Writeup
Additional Points

Timeline Presentation

SOMETHING, MUST ______/5 N/A

5

TAKE CARE OF IT
Total Points: ______/25

BEFORE LEAVING
CLASS TODAY

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BIOGRAPHIES - BENOÎT MANDELBROT, WACŁAW SIERPIŃSKI
NIKOLAI LOBACHEVSKY

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TIMELINE
150A.D.-300A.D.

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 Diophantus (~200-~284) - Father of Algebra, Arithmetica, 130 problems of (in)determinite equations
Porphyry (233-309) - Book brought together Aristotle and Plato, theory of logic
Sporus (~240-~300) - Wrote on squaring circle and doubling cube

150 A.D. 200A.D. 250 A.D. 300 A.D.

150A.D.-300A.D.

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 PRESENTATIONS
USING HISTORY IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
5 DOWN - 8 TO GO

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ACTIVITY REVISITED
A36284480-A38556458 ORIGAMI
A38654380-A42384979 SPHERE

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 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

NON-EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRY

HOW IS NON-EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRY DIFFERENT THAN

EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRY? GIVE AN EXAMPLE.

WHICH OF EUCLID’S 5 POSTULATES IS NOT TRUE IN

SPHERICAL GEOMETRY. EXPLAIN.

EXPLAIN WHY THE STATEMENT, “EUCLIDEAN

GEOMETRY IS BETTER THAN NON-EUCLIDEAN
GEOMETRIES.” IS AN UNFAIR STATEMENT TO MAKE.

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 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(CONT’D)

PROJECTIVE GEOMETRY

WHAT MOTIVATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTIVE

GEOMETRY?

WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF DUALITY? EXPLAIN WITH

AN EXAMPLE.

PERSPECTIVE IN ART

HOW DID THE USE OF PERSPECTIVE CHANGE THE

PERCEPTION AND PURPOSE OF ART IN SOCIETY.

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FRACTAL GEOMETRY VIDEO
FROM THE PBS SHOW NOVA
HUNTING THE HIDDEN DIMENSION

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 HOMEWORK

READ SKETCH 18 - HALF IS BETTER (SIN AND COSINE)

P. 147-152
FINISH READING THE HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS IN A LARGE
NUTSHELL
P. 24-60

GEOMETRY JOURNAL ENTRY (SUBMIT TO DROPBOX ON ANGEL)

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: GEOMETRY, MATH
HISTORY, AND EDUCATION. WRITE A COUPLE OF
PARAGRAPHS THAT DESCRIBES YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF
(AND HOW YOUR UNDERSTANDING HAS IMPROVED IN)
THESE THREE TOPICS AND HOW THEY INTERSECT WITH
EACH OTHER.

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Non-Euclidean Geometry

• How is non-Euclidean Geometry different than Euclidean Geometry? Give an

example.

Euclidean geometry is on the surface of a plane (non-Euclidean is not). An example was

Riemann which was on the surface of a sphere.

A sphere has no parallel lines, so the parallel postulate doesn’t hold. Triangle angle
measures add to over 180 degrees. Pi is different

• Which of Euclid’s 5 postulates is not true in spherical geometry. Explain.

Postulate 2 doesn’t. Lines are finite (can be measured).

Postulate 5 doesn’t. There are no parallel lines.

• Explain why the statement, “Euclidean Geometry is better than non-Euclidean

geometries.” is an unfair statement to make.

While we may know Euclidean and be more familiar with it, other subject areas rely on
and use different kinds of geometries. (For example, spherical geometry is good for
astronomy.)
Projective Geometry

• What motivated the development of projective geometry?

Based on a need from philosophers, artists, and scientists. Wanted to represent three
dimensional scenes on paper (in two dimensions). Wanted to look at the relationship
between distance on the paper versus distance in real life.

• What is the principle of duality? Explain with an example.

Point-Line duality - For a statement that includes the words “line” and “point”,
interchanging the words still produces a true statement. “Points are collinear if they all
lie on the same line” and “Lines are concurrent if they all intersect at the same point.”

Perspective in Art

• How did the use of perspective change the perception and purpose of art in
society.

Non-perspective art (such as Egyptian) was used to tell a story (or portray a message)
for record keeping. Perspective allowed art to be more enjoyable and more abstract.

Perspective drawing allowed better blueprints for planning.

In art, perspective fed a realism movement. Going from cartoonish icons to more real
world descriptions. Perspective allowed showing depth in space.
SME 430: History of Mathematics 02/23/10

Name:____________________________
Adam Clements

Watch the video clip about changing maps from the episode of The
West Wing titled “Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's
Going to Jail” (Episode 16, Season 2). Pay attention to the maps
that are presented in this clip. Fill in the chart below with what you
heard in the video clip.

Maps Advantages Disadvantages

• Good for navigation to • Distorts relative size

cross an ocean (travel of countries
Mercator • east to west) •
Map Distortion of distance
• •
Distorts location

• Relative size and where • Unfamiliar

countries are is better
Peters
• represented • Confusing
Projection
Map
• •

What problems occur when trying to represent the surface of the world on a flat map?
Overlap occurs and distortion will occur at some point.
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What does the group in this clip claim that maps have to do with social equality?

Size is thought of as power. North is on top of what is on bottom.

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SME 430: History of Mathematics 02/23/10

Mercator Map

Peters Projection Map

SME 430: History of Mathematics 02/23/10

We will now attempt to go the other direction, and create a sphere from a flat map
(instead of creating a flat map from a sphere).
• In your groups, cut out the pieces for the Northern Hemisphere, then Southern
Hemisphere.
• Take the pieces from each hemisphere, and tape them together only at their
point.
• In each Lénárt Sphere box, you will find a sphere, several clear, half shells, and
a doughnut to serve as a stabilizing base. Take these out of the box.
• Fit each paper hemisphere inside one clear shell, making sure to arrange the
paper flaps as best as possible
• Slowly slide the sphere into the shell, sandwiching the paper hemisphere
between the sphere and the shell. Readjust your flaps as needed. Do this for
both hemispheres.

Looking at your just created “globe”, how accurate is this creation? What parts, if any,
are inaccurate? How could its accuracy be increased?
More accurate than any of the flat maps, but could be more accurate
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if you cut the strips smaller to preserve distance more.

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SME 430: History of Mathematics 02/23/10

Consider the following two screen captures of Earth from GoogleEarth.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of using satellite images for our maps.
(-) You can preserve distance in the middle, but the further away
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from the center you get, the less accurate and more distorted it becomes.

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(+) Real image, better preserves size
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(-) Can't see all of the world at once.

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