The Art of Mathematics

Alon Amit, probably the most prolific answerer of math questions on Quora, shares his reasons for his deep involvement. He seeks to share the journey, the exploration and stumbles of solving a problem. He's especially drawn to questions that will teach him things, even if he never completes the answer. He also shares his joy of problem solving with kids through Math Circles. One example problem, involving only 4 dots, can be worked on by a young child, yet affords deep exploration.

Lee Kraftchick continues his tour of books about math written for the non-mathematician like himself. We also can't let go of Gödel Escher Bach. Lee cites an opinion piece in the Washington Post, titled, "The Problem with Schools Today is Too Much Math," which gives a very narrow view of what math is. He counters it with a response (see theartofmathematicspodcast.com) and more books that demonstrate that math provides "pleasures which all the arts afford." He also discusses books about math and the real world and compilations of the broad range of mathematics.

Lee Kraftchick discusses some of his favorite books for non-mathematicians to explore the breadth of mathematics. These books range from very old to current. Some discuss beautiful proofs, whether math is invented or discovered, and how to think. Lee and Carol agree on the number one greatest book for mathematicians and non-mathematicians alike. See the full list at theartofmathematicspodcast.com.

Jeanne Lazzarini talks about kaleidoscopes and the mathematics that makes them work. This "beautiful form watcher" uses the laws of reflection to make ever-changing repeated symmetries. The use of more mirrors, rectangles, cylinders or pyramids create even more complex patterns.

Ethan Zhao and Edward Yu are the winners in mathematics of the prestigious Davidson Fellow Scholarships, awarded based on projects completed by students under 18. Ethan's project was on learning models and Edward's was on combinatorics. It was math contests and the MIT Primes program that gave them the background to do original research in high school, an experience most mathematicians don't get until graduate school. They also discussed the accessibility of math. You can come up with interesting problems while staring out the window. You can invent your own tools.

Lawyer Lee Kraftchick discusses the search for truth and basic principles in the legal community and the surprising parallels and similarities with the same search in the math community. Mathematical and legal arguments follow a similar structure. Even the backwards way an argument is created is the same.

Lee Kraftchick, a lawyer with a math degree, discusses some of the surprising parallels between the fields. Math is used directly to make statistical arguments to rule out random chance as a cause. He gives examples from his experience in redistricting and affirmative action. Math is used indirectly in legal reasoning from what is known to justified conclusions. Math reasoning and legal reasoning are remarkably similar. He invites lawyers to set aside the usual "lawyers aren't good at math" stereotype and see the beauty of the subject.

Jeanne Lazzarini looks for math in the real world and finds the Fibonacci sequence and the closely related Golden Ratio. These appear as we examine plants, bees, rabbits, flowers, fruit, and the human body. These natural patterns and pleasing symmetries find their way into the arts. Does nature understand math better than we do?

Brian Katz, from California State University Long Beach, invites us to explore the various layers of ordinary sounds, informed by a little calculus. The limited frequencies that come out of the wave equation are what separates sounds that communicate (voice, music) from noise. These higher notes are in the sound itself and you can hear them (but alas, not on this compressed podcast audio). Brian has provided links to hear these layers of pitches at theartofmathematicspodcast.com

Jeanne Lazzarini, who has visited us before to talk about tessellations, discusses a new mathematical discovery that even earned a mention on Jimmy Kimmel. It's a shape that can be used to fill the plane with no gaps and no overlaps and, most remarkably, no repeating patterns.