Events
Below you will find descriptions of our events. Use the filters below, or check out our calendar for a quick overview of events we have planned for this quarter.
Math Department Dinner
- May 25, 2012 at 6:00 PM
- Location: Thai 65 on the Ave
This quarter's Math Department Dinner will be this Friday, May 25, at 6pm at Thai 65 on the Ave. We will be gathering between 5:30 and 5:45 on the first floor of Padelford Wing C, and then walking to Thai 65. As always, everyone pays for their own dinner.
Officer Election
- May 25, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 158
The election will be this Friday, May 25 at 4:30 in Savery 158.
(Lecture) (Lecture) The World of p-adic Numbers
- Axel Turnquist
- May 11, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 158
Abstract:
The world of p-adic numbers is considerably different to that upon which our intuition is built. In our everyday intuition, we have notions of metrics and norms by which we can acquire some meaning out of the "closeness" of two entities on a space S, by defining a function S->R. Our geometric intuitions do not work in the p-adic metric and as a result some strange and fascinating results emerge. Can an analogue to the historical construction of the complex numbers be made for p-adic numbers? Can we define analysis? The answer turns out to be yes.
Topics: Metrics and metric spaces, Norms, P-adic metric, Non-Archimedean norms, Ostrowski's Theorem, Algebraic closure, Constructing C, P-adic construction, P-adic numbers, integers, units, P-adic series, P-adic arithmetic, Hensel's Lemma, Building up Omega
There will be pizza and drinks provided during the talk. We look forward to seeing you here!
Movie Night
- April 13, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 158
We will be watching the thriller Cube, in Savery 158 at 4:30 pm. As always, there will be pizza and snacks. We hope you'll join us.
Math Club Departmental Dinner
- March 09, 2012 at 6:00 PM
- Location: Thai 65 (Tentative)
At 6pm on Friday, March 9th, the Math Club will hold a departmental dinner at Thai 65. We will meet at 5:40 in front of Padelford and then walk to the restaurant. Feel free to meet us there.
Mathematicians' Birthday Party
- February 24, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 157
Come join the Math Club as we celebrate famous mathematicians with February birthdays. There will be snacks!
Puzzle Night
- February 17, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 157
This Friday the Math Club is having Puzzle Night. We will be discussing math and logic puzzles. As always, we will have pizza. We will meet in Savery 157 at 4:30. If you have any favorite math problems or puzzles, please bring them.
(Lecture) What are NURBS?
- Richard Fuhr
- February 10, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 157
Abstract: What are NURBS? NURBS curves and surfaces are widely used in computer-aided design, in technical illustration software, and in other computer graphics applications. In the upcoming presentation, we will take a look at what factors motivated the use of NURBS what NURBS entities are why they are well-suited for computer applications what some of their mathematical properties are what practical challenges we have encountered As usual, there will be pizza and drinks provided. We look forward to seeing you here!
Movie Night
- February 03, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 157
We will be having another movie night this Friday, Feb. 3, from 4:30 to 6:30 in Savery 157. We will either watch two documentaries on origami and mathematicians, or Flatland, an animated version of Edwin Abbott's book. The choice partly depends on whether some of the DVDs, due Thursday, are returned to the library on time. As always, we will have free pizza and snacks. We hope you'll join us.
(Lecture) DeBruijn Sequences and Card Tricks - Rescheduled
- Monty McGovern
- January 27, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Smith 105
Abstract: Update: Monty's lecture has been postponed to Friday Jan. 27th because of the snow. This Friday the Math Club is pleased to host a lecture by Monty McGovern on DeBruijn Sequences and Card Tricks. We will be meeting in Savery 156 at 4:30. Here is Monty's abstract: This talk is mostly shamelessly lifted from my colleague Sara Billey. I will start with a cool card trick and gradually explain it how it works mathematically. The tools used along the way will range from graph theory to abstract algebra. As always, there will be free pizza. We hope you'll join us.
Movie Night
- January 13, 2012 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 157
Our first event of winter quarter will be a movie night. We will choose either a one-hour documentary or a two-hour drama. Want to know which ones? Join us and find out. We will be meeting in Savery 157 on Friday, January 13th from 4:30 to 6:30. As always, there will be free pizza and snacks. We look forward to seeing you.
11/11/11 Party - on the 10th!
- November 10, 2011 at 3:30 PM
- Location: Smith 115
This Friday will be the once-in-a-century date: 11/11/11. However, since it's also Veterans Day, we're having a party the day before. Instead of our usual pizza, we will have breadsticks and snacks shaped like "11" -- stick-shaped, in other words. We will talk about fun facts and mathematical results related to the number 11. There will also be Arts & Crafts. So join us in Smith 115 from 3:30 to 5:30 on Thursday, Nov. 10.
Puzzle Night
- October 28, 2011 at 3:30 PM
- Location: Savery 157
You are cordially invited to The UW Math Club Puzzle Night on Friday, October 28th from 3:30 to 5:30 pm at Savery 157. We'll solve mathematical puzzles together, and free soda/pizza will be provided. This will be an informal, relaxed, but extremely fun event! Everyone is encouraged to bring and share their own puzzles. Dig out your favorite logic problems/prepare a challenging integral/intrigue everybody with a math card trick! We will see you on Friday, October 28th from 3:30 to 5:30 pm at Savery 157!
Math Club Talent Show
- October 10, 2011 at 4:00 PM
- Location: Denny 312
The Math Club's first event of the quarter is this afternoon at 4 pm in Denny 312. We are holding a very informal talent show. The idea is to come and meet fellow math enthusiasts and eat pizza, while you improvise a math-related performance. Come up with a math rap, or a skit satirizing the grad school application process. Do you know any math-related songs -- They Might Be Giants, anyone? -- or can you make up some silly lyrics and set them to a familiar tune? Don't worry about how good the performances are. The idea is to have fun and laugh. If the thought of performing gives you chills, don't worry. Participation is not mandatory. You can just come to eat pizza and applaud. We would like as many people to participate as possible, though. The winning performance will be determined by the audience. Since some of the officers will be participating, there won't be a physical prize. The winner, or winning group, will receive bragging rights, and a brief description of the performances will be mentioned on the club web site. We hope that many of you will join us this afternoon.
(Lecture) Lecture
- Prof. McGovern
- August 05, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 155
Abstract: Once again I will give a talk on matching people up (this time not necessarily with other people). Instead of taking preferences into account, I will merely try to make as many acceptable matches as possible, subject to the usual rule that no two people get the same match. Along the way I will prove one of many max-min principles that pervade much of combinatorics and game theory.
Movie Night - The Sequel
- July 08, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 155
This Friday we will be continuing with the second film on Fermat. Also, we might go out for food on the Ave afterward. We will be meeting at 4:30 in Savery 155. Other upcoming activities are game night, puzzle night, and a lecture by Prof. McGovern on July 22nd.
Movie
- July 01, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Savery 155
The first meeting of summer quarter is on July 1st at 4:30 in Savery 155. We will be watching two films on Fermat's Last Theorem, and there will be light snacks.
Math Department Dinner
- May 27, 2011 at 5:30 PM
- Location: Padelford C1 / Azteca
This quarter we are going to Azteca north of the U Village. We will meet at the Padelford C1 elevators at 5:30 on Friday and walk to Azteca at 5:45.
If you want to come please, PLEASE go to the catalyst link below and register, and if you can't come at the last minute, let us know! https://catalyst.uw.edu/webq/survey/eglewis8/135135
As always, everyone pays for their own dinner. So check out their menu and prices. Azteca's website can be found here: http://www.aztecamex.com/ I've eaten there and the food is yummy. - Elizabeth
Come join us and complain about the budget cuts, decry the lamentable state of mathematical literacy, or just whine about how much you have to do before the end of the quarter.
Puzzle Night
- May 20, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Padelford C 401
This Friday at 4:30 in Padelford C 401 the Math Club is having a puzzle night. This time, we want everyone to bring their own puzzles and fun math problems. The level of problems should be accessible to everyone who has completed the calculus sequence. More challenging problems are OK, too. So choose a favorite or two, and please bring the solution and the method to find it. Depending on how many people come, we might not have time to get to everyone's problems. We will discuss the problems in a spirit of friendly collaboration. As always, there will be free pizza and drinks.
Problem Seminar
- May 13, 2011 at 3:30 PM
- Location: Smith 115
We will have a Putnam Seminar this week on Friday, May 13th, 3:30 - 4:30 pm, at room Smith 115. Please go to the seminar GoPost discussion board and download last meeting's homework (https://catalyst.uw.edu/gopost/conversation/shaoc/517159). Please try to solve them before the next meeting as we will be discussing these problems.
Election
- May 06, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Padelford C 401
The election of the Math Club Officers for the 2011-2012 academic year will be held in Padelford C 401 at 4:30. The candidates are: President: Elizabeth Lewis Vice President: Jerry Cheng and Dongzhi Liu Secretary: Dylan Wilson Treasurer: Mohammad Mufti and Yiming Wang Webmaster: Dan Gnanapragasam, Saran Pidaparthy and Ranjan Pradeep Remember, to be eligible to vote in the election you must be a Math Club member (i.e. you must have previously attended at least one Math Club event) and you must be enrolled as an undergrad at UW. Please be prompt, so that all the candidates will have time to speak about their qualifications. After the election there will be a survey from a research team in the Computer Science department studying math students.
Puzzle Night
- April 29, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Padelford C 401
The Math Club is hosting a Puzzle Night. We will work collaboratively toward solutions for a variety of math problems. As always, there will be free pizza and drinks. So join us for an evening of informal mathematics in Padelford C 401 from 4:30 to 6 pm.
(Lecture) The Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture
- William Stein
- April 22, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Padelford C 401
Abstract: I will give an introduction to the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture, which is considered by many to be one of the most central open problems in number theory. The conjecture, which was discovered based on numerical computations in the 1960s, asserts that the rank of a certain finitely generated abelian group equals the order of vanishing of a certain complex analytic function at the point 1.
Putnum Problem Solving Seminar
- April 08, 2011 at 3:30 PM
- Location: Smith 115
Please go to the seminar GoPost discussion board and download last meeting's homework (https://catalyst.uw.edu/gopost/conversation/shaoc/488114). The homework consists of 6 Putnam problems. Please try to solve them before the meeting as we will be discussing these problems. We will focus on Geometry, also for a period of 2 - 3 weeks. We will prepare handouts on Geometry. As always, we welcome new comers to our meeting - we have included basic exercises in our self-contained handout. These exercises are intended to assist your attempt to more challenging problems.
Problem Seminar and Math Department Dinner
- March 04, 2011 at 3:30 PM
- Location: Lowe 102 / Padelford Wing C
Departmental Dinner
We will be meeting at 5:30 in front of the elevator on the first floor of Padelford Wing C. By 5:45 we will begin to walk to Thai 65 on the Ave. As always, everyone pays for their own meal. The Departmental Dinner is a chance for faculty, grad students and undergrads to get to know one another over a casual dinner.Problem Seminar:
We will be meeting from 3:30 to 4:30 in Lowe 102. The problems are A-3 and B-2 from 1996 and A-2 from 1997. You can download the problems from MAA's website: http://amc.maa.org/a-activities/a7-problems/putnamindex.shtml Again, everyone is welcome, and no previous problem-solving experience is necessary.(Lecture) How to Have a Stable Marriage
- Prof. Monty McGovern
- February 25, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: SMI 105
Abstract: This seemingly thorny social problem holds no terrors for a mathematician. I will show in fact how to pair up ALL the men and women in a society so as to avoid any elopements. I will then give a real-life application, to medical school graduates and the internship programs which are their next step.
Student-Run Problem Solving Seminar
- February 18, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Padelford C 036
This Friday Feb. 18 the Math Club is hosting a presentation by Jerry Cheng on a new student-run seminar about problem solving. The seminar will be similar to the Putnam preparation class taught by Professors Ioana Dumitriu and Julia Pevtsova during Autumn Quarter. The new seminar will explore ideas and techniques for solving problems found in mathematical competitions, including the Putnam. Everyone is welcome to participate. Students who have taken the Putnam seminar may enjoy the chance to continue investigating problem-solving techniques, but no previous experience is necessary. The seminar will be a chance for experienced students and beginners to learn from each other. On Friday, Jerry will tell us more about the new seminar and present a few problems to get started. There will be free pizza and drinks. So please join us in Padelford C 036 at 4:30 pm.
Movie Night
- January 28, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Denny 205
This Friday we will be showing The Oxford Murders in Denny 205 at 4:30pm. The film is a thriller about a professor at Oxford and a grad student who try to solve a series of murders, seemingly connected by mathematical symbols. As always, there will be free pizza and soda. Please join us.
Puzzle Night
- January 19, 2011 at 5:00 PM
- Location: Padelford C 036
The Math Club will be presenting an evening of math problems and puzzles. Come join us to discuss mathematics in a spirit of friendly collaboration. As always, there will be free pizza and soda. We will be meeting in Padelford C 036 from 5 to 6:30 pm.
Math Department Dinner
- December 03, 2010 at 5:30 PM
- Location: Frst floor of Padelford Wing C; Thai 65
(Lecture) A Gentle Introduction to Category Theory: Architecture of the Universe or Abstract Nonsense?
- Luke Wolcott
- November 19, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Smith 105
Abstract: Some people call mathematics the language of nature. Some mathematicians call category theory the language of mathematics. This broad theory attempts to capture the shape of all of mathematics, and is notoriously abstract. (Search "general abstract nonsense" on Wikipedia and category theory comes up!) But it is also remarkably simple. I'll give you a gentle introduction to this very important and powerful theory, and will show with lots of examples how simple and natural it is. At the same time, you'll get a taste of what higher mathematics is about. I'll also mention some of the recent applications of category theory to theoretical computer science.
Math Club Birthday Party
- November 12, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Smith 105
The Math Club will be celebrating the birthdays of a few of the famous mathematicians born in November. The officers will give brief presentations about their lives and major accomplishments. Instead of pizza there will be birthday cake.
(Lecture) Higher-dimensional Geometry
- Prof. Sándor Kovács
- October 29, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: SMI 105
Abstract: We will explore how using higher dimensional spaces can help us understand the geometry of plane curves.
(Lecture) On Numbers and Games
- Prof. Monty McGovern
- October 22, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: 105
Abstract: This talk is taken from J.H. Conway's wonderful book with the same title. I will introduce a large class of two-player games without chance, many of which unexpectedly turning out to be numbers (!) in disguise. Moreover, the numbers can be used to work out the best strategies for the games and determine who wins them with best play. Along the way we will meet not only all the real numbers we know and love, but rather exotic numbers like the square root of infinity cubed plus one.
Math Club Mixer & Movie Night
- October 15, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Smith 307
Come get to know your Math Club officers this Friday. We will have an informal meeting with pizza and snacks, and then watch a math-related film. Do you have questions about the Math Club, or ideas for this year's activities? Come tell us about it, this Friday at 4:30 pm in Smith 307.
(Lecture) One million monkeys and typewriters versus one random number
- Jim Gill
- October 08, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Smith 115
Abstract: It is often said that if you give a million monkeys a million typewriters and enough time, they will produce the complete works of Shakespeare. We will examine this claim. Actual data with actual monkeys will be presented, however only higher order primates will be present at the talk.
Elections and Departmental Dinner
- May 28, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Padelford C 036
On Friday, May 28th, at 4:30 pm the UW Math Club will be holding elections for next year's officers. The five positions are President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Webmaster. If you wish to run, please let us know before Wednesday, May 26th. You will be expected to give a short, one-to-two minute informal speech about why you are qualified for the position. If you cannot make the election time but would still like to run, please let us know, and we'll be glad to accommodate your request.
(Lecture) Convexity in the plane
- Prof. Scott Osborne
- May 14, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Smith 107
Abstract: A set in the plane (or 3-space, or...) is "convex" if, when it contains two points, it contains the entire line segment between them. The subject here will be convex subsets of the plane, with a few mild restrictions (e.g. "bounded"). Such sets have areas and perimeters, and a surprising result says that the perimeter is the integral of the width. Try this on a rectangle: The perimeter does not grow in coordination with the width; it jumps most when the rectangle is narrowist. I'll also talk about the "edge" characterizations of convexity, such as [Pun Alert!] "If you drive your car on a plain always turning left, and wind up where you started (including the direction you point), then the region in the plain enclosed by your path is convex."
(Lecture) The Story of Pseudodiagrams and Knot Games
- Prof. Allison Henrich
- April 30, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Smith 107
Abstract: In the mathematical study of knots, we consider a knot to be essentially a knotted piece of rope with its ends glued together. One knot is the same as another if you can pull, bend, tighten or stretch one knot to get the other. Rather than playing with rope, we usually draw pictures of knots to analyze their properties. The main question in knot theory, then, is the following: Given two diagrams of knots, how can we tell if they represent the same knot or two different knots? In our SMALL REU at Williams College last summer, my students and I studied objects called pseudodiagrams that are related to knot diagrams. A pseudodiagram is a diagram of a knot that may be missing some information about which strand is over and which strand is under at certain crossings. We spent the summer analyzing properties of pseudodiagrams, which gave us an idea for several types of games you might play with knots. Not only are these games fun to play, but they are related to the fundamental question of knot theory. In this talk, we will learn all about pseudodiagrams and play some games!
Movie & Pizza
- April 23, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Thomson Hall 325
The Math Club is showing Fermat's Room, a thriller about four mathematicians who must outwit a killer, in Thomson Hall 325 at 4:30 pm. Free pizza and a scary movie -- who could resist?
(Lecture) Fibonacci Numbers and Chinese Nim
- Prof. William Monty McGovern
- April 02, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- Location: Smith 107
Abstract: Almost nine centuries ago Leonardo of Pisa, better known as Fibonacci (meaning son of a dunce), wrote a book with an enormous number of problems, of which by far the most famous one involved the breeding of rabbits. It gave birth to the famous sequence 1,1,2,3,5,8,..., of which each term is the sum of the preceding two. I will briefly derive a formula for the n-th term of this sequence together with an unexpected application to a variation of Nim which will show that this sequence is but one piece of a huge jigsaw puzzle: the entire set of positive integers can be written as a disjoint union of Fibonacci-type sequences.
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