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Math Horizons - April 2008

Content Teasers for April 2008

Radiology Paging a Good Mathematician: Why Math Can Contribute More to Medicine Than You Might Think
Richard A. Guyer

We need someone in O.R. who can perform an inverse Fourier transform. Stat! This article illustrates a few applications of mathematics to magnetic resonance---in hopes of convincing some budding mathematicians to become physicians.

Mathematical Penmanship
Tim Chartier, Daniel Clayton, Michelle Navas, and Mallory Nobles

A line may look fine, but a Bezier cubic is almost cherubic!

Optimal Soaring: What Is the Best Speed to Fly?
Michael Lundin

A little calculus is all you need to fly a sailplane at the right speed. In several ground school lessons, the readers will learn the mathematical and physical reasons soaring pilots fly at precise speeds as well as a bit about the exhilarating and challenging sport of soaring.

The Most Marvelous Theorem in Mathematics
Dan Kalman

An amazing combination of cubic polynomials, complex numbers, triangles, and ellipses. For third degree polynomial's, Marden's theorem tells us exactly where to find the roots of its derivative.

Double Bubble Experiments in the Three-Torus
Nicholas D. Brubaker, Stephen Carter, Sean M. Evans, Daniel E. Kravatz Jr., Sherry Linn, Stephen W. Peurifoy, Ryan Walker

See how a team of undergraduates solved an open problem in mathematics, using water, glycerin, and soap.

Going to Meetings
Robert Vallin

Why should you go to a math meeting? There are many reasons...

Book Reviews
Sam Beck and Lee Kennard

Students review A First Course in Topology: Continuity and Dimension (by John McCleary)  and How Mathematicians Think: Using Ambiguity, Contradiction, and Paradox to Create Mathematics (by William Byers)

The Harvard College Mathematics Review: A New Undergraduate Expository Journal
Daniel Litt and Scott Kominers

A new journal of math exposition and research aimed at undergraduates. HCMR seeks submissions of student-written expository article in all fields of theoretical and applied mathematics. Submission from students at any United States or international institutions, including secondary schools, are welcome.

Alumni Profiles: Saint Michael’s College
George Ashline

An undergraduate mathematics major was a first step for Eric Caputo, Lisa Keller, Brian Adams, Karen Robinson, and Patti Martucci on their paths to becoming  Transfer Pricing Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Assistant Professor of Research and Evaluation Methods in the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Senior Technical Staff in Optimization and Uncertainty at Sandia National Laboratories, Senior Tax Manager for BISYS Hedge Fund Services, and Accounting Supervisor at Harbor One Credit Union respectively.

A Triangle Inequality and its Elementary Proof
José V. Martin and Angel Plaza

How to get from one distance to another.

Problem Section
Andy Liu and Derek Smith