Detailed Schedule -- Mathematics Across Cultures

MONT 109N -- Spring 2011, Prof. Little

This is (still!) a tentative, evolving schedule. Topics may be added, deleted, or rearranged during the course of the semester. Any changes will be announced in class and here. Note: In the readings below, TCOTP = Joseph, Crest of the Peacock, ME = Ascher, Mathematics Elsewhere, C = Diamond, Collapse.

Date Class Topic Readings
3/14 The 17 "Wallpaper groups" Course homepage
3/16 Is an artist like Escher "thinking mathematically?" Course homepage
3/18 Symmetry and the music of J.S. Bach (Paper rewrites due) Course homepage
3/21 Library resources for Final Projects
3/23 Towards a non-"Eurocentric" history of mathematics TCOTP, Chapter 1
3/25 Midterm Exam
3/28 Ancient mathematics in China TCOTP, Chapter 6
3/30 ``Classical'' Chinese mathematics (Final Projects -- Topic and group declarations due) TCOTP, Chapter 6
4/1 Other topics in Chinese mathematics (Problem Set 4 due) TCOTP, Chapter 7
4/4 Evaluating Chinese mathematics TCOTP, Chapter 7
4/6 Ancient Indian mathematics TCOTP, Chapter 8
4/8 ``Classical'' Indian mathematics (Final Projects -- Bibliographies due) TCOTP, Chapter 9
4/11 The mathematics of Kerala TCOTP, Chapter 10
4/13 Mathematics in the Islamic world TCOTP, Chapter 11 to page 475
4/15 More on Islamic mathematics (Problem Set 5 due) TCOTP, Chapter 11, pages 475-496
4/18 Trigonometry TCOTP, Chapter 11, pages 496-512
4/20 Evaluating Islamic mathematics: just "transmission" or independent contributions? (Papers on Boston trip due) TCOTP, Chapter 11
4/22, 25 No class -- Easter Break
4/27 Summing up Joseph's ideas on mathematics across cultures
4/29 Final project presentations
5/2,4,6 Final project presentations
5/9 Course wrap-up (Final Project papers due)

Last modified: March 15, 2011