Donald H. Clanton Visiting Mathematician
2009-10 |
On March 1, 2010, the Department
of Mathematics hosted
Mathematically, a torus can be represented by the surface of a donut. While it may sound tasty, it is not clear of what value, or even interest, a torus can be. As shown in this lecture, expect it to explain all sorts of mysteries ranging from problems of vision, capturing emotions, the reason there are 435 representatives in the US Congress, and, should time permit, all sorts of other applications. __________________________________________________ Did Your Group Elect Whom They Really
Wanted? In university clubs, in social groups, in fraternities and sororities,
in legislatures, in our country, we have elections to select our
leaders, or maybe to determine what kind of pizza to order. But,
will a group elect whom or what they really want? Not necessarily.
Instead, subtle mathematical features of standard election rules
can force the outcome to be what most voters do not want. How
about the way in which basketball teams are ranked (which affects
the “March Madness” seedings), or figure skating,
or gymnastics judged; can the rules affect the outcome? Some of
you will leave worried that the "wrong person won" in
a recent election that was dear to you. |
