Math dept. and students celebrate Math Month
Liz Klimas
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News
Kicking off Math Awareness Month with the theme "What makes your vote matter," the math department held its first ever Integration Bee and will host a plethora of math-related events to raise campus awareness of mathematics.
"This all helps people see that math is not really just a matter of solving equations," David Murphy, assistant professor of mathematics, said. "Math is relevant and exciting, and has usefulness."
Freshman Rachel Bradford won first place in the integral bee, a mathematical bee similar to a spelling bee in structure and rules but the participant is given an integral problem to solve which includes both definite and indefinite integrals increasing in difficulty as the bee progresses.
Junior David Wagner garnered second place and freshman Heidi Schweizer third. Winners were awarded gift certificates to the college bookstore.
"[The bee] was just something a little more lively than you would ordinarily think of math being," said John Reinoehl, professor of math and computer science.
Senior Micah Seppanen also said the bee gave math majors an opportunity to interact with each other.
Along with the bee, senior presentations, lectures and other scheduled events are open to the public interested in math throughout April. Monday evening, Jonathan Hodge, assistant professor of mathematics at Grand Valley State University, lectured on a mathematical approach to voting and elections.
"It seemed to us a good opportunity to have a math talk of more widespread interest," Deborah Kent, assistant professor of mathematics, said.
Seniors will also give poster presentations in the Grewcock Student Union April 24.
"It is good practice for us to explain topics for people who aren't used to math," Seppanen said. "It is important for people outside of math to think about mathematics."
"This all helps people see that math is not really just a matter of solving equations," David Murphy, assistant professor of mathematics, said. "Math is relevant and exciting, and has usefulness."
Freshman Rachel Bradford won first place in the integral bee, a mathematical bee similar to a spelling bee in structure and rules but the participant is given an integral problem to solve which includes both definite and indefinite integrals increasing in difficulty as the bee progresses.
Junior David Wagner garnered second place and freshman Heidi Schweizer third. Winners were awarded gift certificates to the college bookstore.
"[The bee] was just something a little more lively than you would ordinarily think of math being," said John Reinoehl, professor of math and computer science.
Senior Micah Seppanen also said the bee gave math majors an opportunity to interact with each other.
Along with the bee, senior presentations, lectures and other scheduled events are open to the public interested in math throughout April. Monday evening, Jonathan Hodge, assistant professor of mathematics at Grand Valley State University, lectured on a mathematical approach to voting and elections.
"It seemed to us a good opportunity to have a math talk of more widespread interest," Deborah Kent, assistant professor of mathematics, said.
Seniors will also give poster presentations in the Grewcock Student Union April 24.
"It is good practice for us to explain topics for people who aren't used to math," Seppanen said. "It is important for people outside of math to think about mathematics."
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