Math 402,  Spring 2007


Description - For this project, students will research a topic related to the subject matter of the course.  The end result of the project will be (1) a written paper four or more pages in length and (2) either a poster or an oral presentation of 10 minutes to the class.  Students may work individually or in pairs (no more than two in a group).  Students who work in pairs will submit one paper and either one poster or will do a class presentation together, and will receive the same grade for the project.

Due dates -

Fri. March 30 - Submit the topic you will do.  If you are working with another person, the two of you should submit one paper with both names.

Wed. April 11 - Submit a list of references and an outline of your paper.  Also tell me whether you will do a poster or a presentation.

Mon. April 23 - papers due

Wed. April 25 - posters due (poster session in class).

Mon. April 30 - class presentations must be ready.

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Some possible topics

Geometry before Euclid

Other axiomatic systems, such as Peano’s axioms for the natural numbers (see Exercises 1.4.8-1.4.12)

Russell and Whitehead's Principia Mathematica (history of axiomatic systems)

Development of a lesson plan for high school students based on some aspect of this course.

Godel's Incompleteness Theorem

Some portion of the history of non-Euclidean geometry

Use of Euclidean or non-Euclidean geometry in computer graphics

Models of hyperbolic geometry

Some portion of Chapter 4 on Euclidean constructions

Some portion of Chapter 6 (frieze groups, wallpaper groups, tilings)

Hyperbolic geometry in art (e.g. M.C. Escher)

Spherical geometry

Projective geometry

Hilbert's axioms for Euclidean geometry

Metric spaces

Conformal maps

Mappings of the globe

Affine Geometry

Differential or Riemannian Geometry

Applications of Geometry (in some other field of study)

or you can suggest your own topic...



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