10/21 Athenaeum at 1pm - π, e and prime numbers by Joyati Debnath

Join us Wednesday October 21, 2009 at 1pm for Joyati Debnath, presetation titled π, e and prime numbers. Debnath is a Professor in the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Winona State University.

In mathematics, certain numbers are called rational numbers and certain numbers are called irrational numbers. Some irrational numbers are very popular namely π and e. The concept of irrationality was clearly expressed in the Sulba Satras (literally, “Aphorisms of the Chords” in Vedic Sanskrit) in India in 7th century BC. Manava (750 BC-690 BC), a Vedic priest and a skilled craftsman, wrote Sulba Satras to provide rules for religious rites and detailed accurate construction of altars needed for sacrifices. It contained constructions of circles from rectangles and squares from circles giving approximate values of π. This presentation will elaborate on the early history of the existence of π, e and their connection with the prime numbers, which is both fascinating and intriguing. Students and faculty at all levels and disciplines across the campus will find something interesting in this presentation.

The Athenaeum is located on the second floor of the WSU Library, bluff side. The event is free and open to the public.

For the complete Fall 2009 Athenaeum schedule and for additional information about the Athenaeum, please visit the following:http://www.winona.edu/library/athenaeum/

10/21 Athenaeum at 1pm π, e and prime numbers by Joyati Debnath

Join us Wednesday October 21, 2009 at 1pm for Joyati Debnath, presetation titled π, e and prime numbers. Debnath is a Professor in the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Winona State University.

In mathematics, certain numbers are called rational numbers and certain numbers are called irrational numbers. Some irrational numbers are very popular namely π and e. The concept of irrationality was clearly expressed in the Sulba Satras (literally, “Aphorisms of the Chords” in Vedic Sanskrit) in India in 7th century BC. Manava (750 BC-690 BC), a Vedic priest and a skilled craftsman, wrote Sulba Satras to provide rules for religious rites and detailed accurate construction of altars needed for sacrifices. It contained constructions of circles from rectangles and squares from circles giving approximate values of π. This presentation will elaborate on the early history of the existence of π, e and their connection with the prime numbers, which is both fascinating and intriguing. Students and faculty at all levels and disciplines across the campus will find something interesting in this presentation.

The Athenaeum is located on the second floor of the WSU Library, bluff side. The event is free and open to the public.

For the complete Fall 2009 Athenaeum schedule and for additional information about the Athenaeum, please visit the following: http://www.winona.edu/library/athenaeum/

11/19 Athenaeum at 1pm - Treasures of Three by Joyati Debnath

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 1:00 pm"Treasures of Three" by Joyati Debnath

Debnath is a WSU Professor of mathematics. She will discuss the following:
We count in ten’s (decimal system), computers count in two’s (binary system), but who counts in three’s (ternary system)? This presentation will focus on counting in threes – Treasures in Three. It has been found that the notion of counting in threes was already implicit in Hindu Vedas (1500 BC), making the idea to be very old. Thomas Fowler in 1840 constructed a wooden calculating ternary machine to ease his calculations as a treasurer. It just happens that in the numbering system, when the base 10 is too big and base 2 is too small, base 3 is just right. There are multiple uses of base-three systems. It is used in counting Islamic prayers, to denote fractional parts of an inning in baseball, and to understand the self-similar mathematical structures like Sierpinski Triangle or a Cantor set. In this presentation, there will be something interesting for students and faculty all across the campus.

The Athenaeum is located on the second floor of the WSU Library.