1. Browse the text and decide which chapters and sections seem most interesting. Write a few sentences expressing why you were attracted to those chapters and sections. This assignment needs to be neatly formatted and presented. I would expect that one or two typed pages would suffice but I’ll read up to three pages.
2.
a) Everbody: Obtain a piece of rope and do the “Dropping trou” problem seen on page 8, page 17, and page 23 in private at home or dorm. Try until you succeed. Write a 200+ word description of how it went and what you learned including answering these questions? Were you surprised it was possible? Would you like to do some more “topology” (look this word up) experiments? What does this tell you about Mathematics? Was this assignment fun of a pain in the butt?
b) OPTIONAL – prepare to do the “Dropping trou” problem in class.
Since this problem involves removing trousers (pants or slacks or ... ), lets agree on the following:
· We will have fun but we will treat this with maturity.
· If you decide to do this in class, you will wear something appropriately modest under the outer pants. Gym shorts would be reasonable as would a second pair of pants. In fact wearing gym shorts over pants might be good plan – in that event it would be the shorts that were turned inside out.
· I do not want anyone stripping down to underwear in class and would regard that as a serious offense.
· I repeat -- the demonstrators and the audience will act with maturity. This is not a strip tease – it’s a fun mathematical experiment.
I have some pieces of rope for a few volunteers.
If anyone is offended by the idea of seeing this demonstrated in class, they can be excused.
Sweat pants are usually baggy enough and stretchy enough to be a good choice for the outer pants.
I’m including this assignment for two reasons.
· It’s fun.
· It makes an interesting mathematical point.
3.
a. Extra credit. See if you can explain the flipping pennies trick. Try to provide a complete and clear explanation. (This problem is partially explained in the text.) If you don’t fully get it, don’t worry too much; we will give a more complete discussion on Tuesday.
b. Extra credit. Look up the weird method of multiplying I demonstrated on the web. (Try googling “Russian Peasant Multiplication”). Use your own words to write up an explanation.