MetaFilter posts tagged with math and algebra

The beauty of roots

escabeche — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:18:21 -0800

The beauty of roots. From Dan Christensen and Sam Derbyshire via John Baez. If you like algebra: these are plots of the density in the complex plane of roots of polynomials with small integral coefficients. If you don't: these are extravagantly beautiful images produced from the simplest of mathematical procedures. Explore the image interactively here.

unbump.

kaibutsu — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:11:50 -0800

SAGE is a free, open-source computer algebra system. SAGE is notable for bringing together a number of existing (and extremely fast) open source projects under a single umbrella, and religiously avoiding redundant code. The idea is to create a free alternative to closed-source systems like Mathematica, Maple, and MATLab. In spite of its buffet-style approach to computation, it already runs considerably faster than Mathematica in many situations. Importantly, open-source software is easier to ethically cite in academic papers, since the code is available for review. As a result, a number of researchers (including me) regularly use SAGE in their work, using its massive computational power to find new results to prove.

I want my MathTV

Brian B. — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 10:44:08 -0800

MathTV is a real problem solver for many. It is also found on YouTube, and is free. Here is some background.

Why Learn Algebra? I'm Never Likely to Go There.

jabberjaw — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:27:39 -0800

EducationFilter: California becomes the first state to mandate all 8th graders take Algebra; in part because U.S. students constantly trail their peers from other nations in mathematics. At least one person thinks it's a bad idea ("If only 25 percent of this nation ever earns a college degree, why insist that all children take algebra in eighth grade?"). Here's the algebra curriculum 8th graders will have to learn. Here's a more in-depth story on it from the L.A. Times. This post's title is a paraphrased quote from comedian Billy Connolly: "I don't know why I should have to learn Algebra. I'm never likely to go there."

Cut The Knot

parudox — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 23:52:10 -0800

Interactive mathematics miscellany and puzzles, including 75 proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem, an interactive column using Java applets, and eye-opening demonstrations. (Actually, much more.)

It's math set to music!

Phire — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:05:39 -0800

The Klein Four is a group of math students at the Northwestern University who delight in bringing you various lovely, well-sung A Capella songs infused with their very own and very nerdy flavour. They're not the newest of the web, having released their first CD in 2005, but witty lyrics and five-part harmonizing are definitely worth checking out. I did do a search for this and didn't find anything. Please don't kill me.

MathFilter(edout)

daksya — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 21:56:00 -0800

The Value of Algebra: "Gabriela, sooner or later someone's going to tell you that algebra teaches reasoning. This is a lie propagated by, among others, algebra teachers."