For more information about this meeting, contact Svetlana Katok, Robin Enderle, Flossie Dunlop.
| Title: | Physical discoveries and proofs of mathematical theorems |
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| Seminar: | PMASS Colloquium |
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| Speaker: | Mark Levi, The Pennsylvania State University |
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| Abstract: |
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| Physics often provides mathematics not only with a problem, but also with the idea of a solution.
Some calculus problems can be solved more quickly without calculus, by using physics instead.
Quite a few theorems which may seem somewhat mysterious become completely obvious when given a proper physical incarnation.
This is the case for some “elementary” theorems (the Pythagorean Theorem, Pappus' theorems, some trig identities, Euler's formula V-E+F=2, and more)
and for some less elementary ones: Green's theorem, the Riemann Mapping Theorem, Noether's theorem on conserved quantities,
and more (no familiarity with any of these is assumed). I will describe a miscellaneous sampling of problems according to the audience's preferences. |
Room Reservation Information
| Room Number: | MB113 |
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| Date: | 01 / 19 / 2012 |
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| Time: | 02:30pm - 03:30pm |
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