Three Women Mathematicians: a look at their lives and contributions

1
Three Women Mathematicians a look at their lives
and contributions

• By Jillian Kline
• December 2008

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Hypatia of Alexandria

• Born in 370AD
• Father was Theon the mathematician
• Famous teacher
• Conics and Commentaries
• Died in 415 AD

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypatia
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Hypatias Works

• A commentary on Arithmetica by Diophantus
• Edited a commentary that simplified Appoloniuss
  Conics
• Edited her fathers commentary on Euclids
  Elements
• Invented the hydrometer

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Commentary on Arithmetica by Diophantus and
Appolloniuss Conics

• What is a commentary?
• What was the in the Arithmetica?
• what was in the Conics?

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Hydrometer

• An instrument used to measure the specific
  gravity (or relative density) of liquids
• How it works
• What things it is used for today

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrometer
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Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace

• Born December 1815
• Known for her work on Charles Babbages
  analytical engine
• The first programmer
• Died in 1852 of cervical cancer

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Difference Engine Analytical Engine

• Designed by Charles Babbage
• The building of the Difference Engine was funded
  by the English government. Only one-seventh was
  completed
• A model of both were built and are now housed in
  the Science Museum in London

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Difference Engine

• How it works
• What it could be used for

http//www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/images/ManualSSPL/
10322703.aspx
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Up close look at the Difference Engine
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Difference_engine
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Analytical engine

• How it works
• What it was used for
• Superiority to the Difference Engine
• Menbreas essay on Analytical Engine and Adas
  notes

http//www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/images/I030/102976
76.aspx
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Up close look at the gears on the Analytical
Engine
http//www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/images/I032/103032
64.aspx
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Emmy Noether

• Born March 23, 1882
• Father was mathematician Max Noether
• Algebraist
• Died April 14, 1935 of a fever after surgery

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmy_NoetherDeath
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Her Work

• Abstract Algebra
• Differential and algebraic invariants
• Developing the theory of mathematical rings
• Noncommutative algebra, linear transformations,
  and commutative number fields

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Project

• Write a play about the women and their
  mathematics.
• Incorporate mathematics into the play
• Basic synopsis of the play.

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Playwriting

• Basic format
• Characters
• Conflict
• Setting

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Tasks

• See the Difference Engine
• Figure out the mathematics behind
  the Difference Engine by Ada Byron King
• Learn the mathematics of Emmy Noether
• Write a play incorporating their mathematics in it

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QUESTIONS????