Requesting Math Help (Vanity)

12/14/07 | self

[murphE]

My 9th grader needs to write a 10 page term paper for her 10th grade honors math class. (Which I find strange). Anyway she is having a difficult time choosing a topic - it cannot be a biography. She was thinking about writing about math used in computer graphics, but she is having a difficult time finding sources that are written anywhere near her level. She needs at least one text as a source - it cannot all be from the internet.

Any of you math teachers, general brainiacs, computer geniuses etc. out there who could offer suggestions on a topic and or sources we'd both be extremely grateful.

Please post any questions or responses to malokitty (that's my girl)

Much thanks in advance,

murph

[aruanan]

Although it cannot be a biography, it could be a history of mathematical geniuses who independently came up with various mathematical insights while not being formally schooled. It could also include the mathematical abilities of so-called idiot savants and identify the factors in both instances of what is thought to lead to such insight and/or calculating abilities.

[RightWhale]

Here’s the deal: my senior year math prof is a Russian. His first words to the fall semester class in real analysis were ‘In your math education you were cheated. We will learn math now.’ He was right on the mark.

Odds are excellent most are cheated in their math education in the USA. USA math/science students score 23 out of 30 among industrialized countries now. Don’t allow this to happen to your student.

[grey_whiskers]

The zero was created by an Islamic mathematician, and since then, Islam has contributed ZERO to civilized society!

Found this while looking for something else.

More true than you know since the election of Teh One, eh?

Cheers!

[Captainpaintball]

Actually, I was wrong. It was a Hindu, Brahmagupta, who first came up with the concept!