Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 20:01:47 -0700 From: Aaron Holmes <aaron@aaronholmes.net> To: ShillerMath <marketing@shillermath.com> Cc: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Your May 2006 ShillerMath Tidbit Message-ID: <44557A1B.6060502@aaronholmes.net> In-Reply-To: <20060501004433.16832.qmail@borg.phpwebhosting.com> References: <20060501004433.16832.qmail@borg.phpwebhosting.com>
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dumbass Larry Shiller wrote: > ShillerMath Tidbits: Biography Series #2 > > [parentzone.gif] > Fermat and Wiles: A 330 year relationship > > A 220 page margin intertwined two lives... > A Frenchman, lawyer, and "only" an amateur mathematician, Pierre de > Fermat lived from 1601 to 1665 and gained a well-deserved reputation > for original work in geometry and number theory. A surprising footnote > is that he survived the plague in 1653. Another is that he found > errors in the works of both Galileo and Descartes - for which the > latter tried to destroy Fermat's reputation! > Fermat's Last Theorem states that the equation x^n + y^n = z^n has no > non-zero integer solutions for x, y and z when n > 2. Until 1994, it > was also known as Fermat's Last Conjecture: Fermat wrote, in the > margin of Bachet's translation of Diophantus's Arithmetica, "I have > discovered a truly remarkable proof which this margin is not large > enough to contain." Little did he realize it would take 340 years and > a 220 page margin for others to discover! > The British mathematician Andrew Wiles apparently proved Fermat's > conjecture in June 1993. But close examination revealed that one piece > of the proof - the proof of the Taniyama-Shimura conjecture - which > required the bridging of two seemingly unrelated branches of > mathematics, was not complete. The person who proved the > Taniyama-Shimura conjecture would get the credit for proving Fermat's > Last theorem. In November 1994 it was again Wiles who claimed to have > a complete and correct proof, which has now been accepted. > Born April 11, 1953, Sir Andrew John Wiles enjoys a distinguished > career as a brilliant number theorist. He was educated at The Leys > School Cambridge, graduated from the University of Oxford in 1974, and > earned his Ph.D. at Clare College of the University of Cambridge in > 1979. Sir Wiles is now a Professor and Chair of the Mathematics > Department at Princeton University. > > In the future we will take a look at other great unsolved math > mysteries. In the next ShillerMath Tidbit we debunk a common math > learning myth. > [funnybone.gif] > > Mathematics and the Arts... > For those of you who love math and partake in such mundane matters as > watching movies or TV, here is a short don't-miss titles list: > > Numb3rs. On this TV show in its 3rd season, David Krumholtz plays > Charlie Eppes, TV's first major character who is a mathematician - and > a pretty darn good one at that! > > Proof. Written by David Auburn, this play features mathematicians in > three of the four main roles. Alas it attempts to prove more than just > theorems but that's where things get interesting... > > Fermat's Last Tango. A musical by Joshua Rosenblum and Joanne Sydney > Lessner with numbers (sorry!) like "AfterMath" and ""Math Widow" > (golf, anyone?). The perfect follow-up to this month's tidbit. > > I hope you enjoyed this short math break. > Sincerely, > [lssig.jpg] > Larry Shiller > Publisher > After months of creative and detailed work by our staff, ShillerMath > now has a new web site, with free white papers, downloads, and > diagnostic tests for ages 4-12. Please [1]visit and get your freebies > today! > > Did you enjoy this Tidbit? Please tell your friends, family, and > fellow parents, teachers, administrators, librarians, and local > homeschool groups. Thank you for [2]spreading the word! > _________________________________________________________________ > > What is ShillerMath? > ShillerMath publishes research-based math curriculum, music, > manipulatives, and worksheets for ages 4-12, with beautifully designed > lessons, diagnostic tests with answer keys, catchy math songs, and > Montessori-based manipulatives. No Montessori or math knowledge is > required and there's zero lesson preparation - just read what's in > quotes and you're good to go! Students using this approach > consistently outperform their peers. Larry Shiller, ShillerMath > founder and President, has a math degree from MIT. The ShillerMath > curriculum includes authoritative materials and lessons used by > thousands of Montessori schools and is the math curriculum of choice > for public, private, and homeschooled students throughout the world. > Plase visit the [3]ShillerMath site for all the details on this proven > and amazingly effective product. > > If you no longer wish to receive ShillerMath emails please [4]click > here to unsubscribe. > > ShillerMath never sells or rents emails: > [5]http://www.shillermath.com/sm/privacy.php > > References > > 1. http://www.shillermath.com/sm/home.php?src=tidbit20060501&email=freebsd-chat@freebsd.org > 2. http://www.shillermath.com/sm/home.php?src=tidbit20060501&em=freebsd-chat@freebsd.org&url=recommendnews.php > 3. http://www.shillermath.com/sm/home.php?src=tidbit20060501&em=freebsd-chat@freebsd.org > 4. http://www.shillermath.com/sm/unsubscribe.php?Unsubscribe=freebsd-chat@freebsd.org > 5. http://www.shillermath.com/sm/home.php?src=tidbit20060501&em=freebsd-chat@freebsd.org&url=privacy.php > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-chat@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-chat > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-chat-unsubscribe@freebsd.org" > >
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