2011 Student Math Conference

April 14, 2011 at Shippensburg University

3:30 – 4:20 Keynote Address in DHC151

Should You Trust the Computer to do Your Math Homework?

Dr. Dick Forrester, Dickinson College

Abstract: In this talk we discuss the issues associated with using a computer to solve problems from continuous mathematics. Specifically, we introduce the main concepts of numerical analysis, which is the branch of mathematics that is concerned with the design and analysis of algorithms for solving mathematical problems. We will discuss how many of the solution techniques learned in calculus and linear algebra are not as straightforward and reliable as they seem.

There will be refreshments in the Mathematics Department lobby following Professor Forrester’s lecture.

4:45 – 5:45 Undergraduate Student Presentations

MCT 258

• 4:45      Josh Ide  –  An Extension of the Google PageRank Algorithm to College Football Rankings
• 5:00      Thanh To (Dickinson College)  –  Mathematical Techniques for Assigning First-Year Seminars
• 5:15      James Hickman  –  Finite Difference Methods for Solving a set of Coupled Non-Linear Euler Bernoulli Beam Equations, with applications to modeling the wing of a Micro Air Vehicle
• 5:30      John Hocker  –  PA/18 = ?

MCT 262

• 4:45      Ryan Long  –  The Exciting Decomposition of the Platonic Solids!
• 5:00      Dan White  –  Sierpinski’s Problem Extended to the Gaussian Integers
• 5:15      Stephanie Yingling  –  Learning vs Teaching- The Deepening of Mathematical Understanding
• 5:30      A.J. Smith  –  Student Learning – an Analysis Involving ISP and ESL Students

Problem for April 13

Shippensburg University Problem Solving Competition

• Complete information and a list of past problems can be found at http://webspace.ship.edu/pttaylor/PSC/
• Open to ALL Shippensburg University undergraduate students
• New problem posted every 2 weeks
• Grand Prize gift certificates for the people who solve the most problems each semester!!!
• Questions??? Ask Dr. Taylor email: pttaylor@ship.edu, or stop by MCT 281

The current problem involves finding the expected value of a lottery ticket that, in addition to having a chance at a cash prize, has the added twist that there is a one in three chance of winning another lottery ticket!

Submission deadline is April 13, 2011.

2011 April 7 Seminar

Thursday, April 7, 2011
MCT 262, 3:30 – 4:30 pm

Collisions: An Intuitive Approach — Linear Complementarity and Simulation

Ted Wendt
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse

Description: Much attention is paid in elementary physics courses to the modeling of dynamical systems, usually through the study of Newton’s laws of motion.  Typical problems one solves in such courses involve determining the path of a particle/projectile under the force of gravity, but few courses pursue this model past the initial point of impact. In this talk, we explore an intuitive approach for modeling systems with impact.  We also discuss methods for implementing this model for numerical simulation.

See http://www.ship.edu/math/ for more information on the Shippensburg University Mathematics Department Seminar Series.

2011 March 24 Seminar

Thursday, March 24, 2011
MCT 262, 3:30 – 4:30 pm

Triangles, Elliptic Curves, and $1,000,000

Spencer Hamblen
McDaniel College

Description: Are there any right triangles with area 1?  What if we require that the sides of the triangle be integers? Rational numbers? A number N is called “congruent” if there is a right triangle with rational side lengths and area N — can we determine which numbers are congruent? We will investigate some of the surprising places congruent numbers show up, including how they relate to elliptic curves and the Birch–Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture.

See http://www.ship.edu/math/ for more information on the Shippensburg University Mathematics Department Seminar Series.

Problem for March 16

Shippensburg University Problem Solving Competition

• Complete information and a list of past problems can be found at http://webspace.ship.edu/pttaylor/PSC/
• Open to ALL Shippensburg University undergraduate students
• New problem posted every 2 weeks
• Grand Prize gift certificates for the people who solve the most problems each semester!!!
• Questions??? Ask Dr. Taylor email: pttaylor@ship.edu, or stop by MCT 281

The current problem involves finding the largest power of 3 that divides the extremely large number 2011!. Submission deadline is March 16, 2011.

2011 High School Math/Computer Day Canceled

For more years than many of us have been alive, the Shippensburg University Mathematics Department and Computer Science Department have hosted an annual “Math/Computer Day” for high school juniors.  This event includes individual and team contests in mathematics and a computer programming competition. It is particularly popular with students because they get to spend a spring day on our campus, away from high school, interacting with college students and perhaps hanging out a bit over pizza at lunchtime. From the university point of view, this is usually a big service event for the college students because things are completely run by the Math Club, the SIAM Student Chapter, the ACM Student Chapter, and  the Computer Science Programming Team.

However, due to ongoing renovations to the student union building (the Cedia Union Building), we tried moving the event to a Saturday, but that just did not work for the vast majority of schools that usually participate. We promise to be back on our usual schedule (during the school week) next year and to have even bigger and better activities plan!

Luis Melara awarded MAA RUMC grant

Professor Luis Melara was awarded a Regional Undergraduate Mathematics Conference grant from the National Science Foundation and Mathematical Association of America (MAA) to run the annual SIAM/MAA Mid-Atlantic Student Conference on Applied Mathematics to be held at Shippensburg University on Saturday, April 16th. The conference is co-organized with Student Chapters of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) from George Mason University, University of Delaware, University of Maryland at Baltimore County, and University of Pittsburgh.

2011 March 3 Seminar

Thursday, March 3, 2011
MCT 262, 3:30 – 4:30 pm

Mathematical Modeling and Optimization in Cryobiology

James Benson, NRC Postdoc
National Institute of Standards and Technology

Description: We cannot freeze whole people (or their heads) and bring them back to life. We can, however, cryopreserve their cells and tissues with varying degrees of success. The success of cryopreservation (and the reasons why individual cells and tissues freeze well while whole humans do not) can be understood from a mathematical viewpoint.  In this talk I introduce the history and concepts of cryopreservation, the underlying mathematical models, and discuss approaches to optimization of cryopreservation protocols.

The SU Applied Mathematics Seminar Series is sponsored by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.