Math Horizons Contents—September 2015

Fractals! Our lovely cover art was created by mathematician and artist Marc Frantz; read about his work and see more of his fractal creations inside. We also have two articles that give unexpected appearances of the Sierpinski triangle: in a card trick (in an article by Michael Jones, Lon Mitchell, and Brittany Shelton) and in two cellular automata (in an article by Tanya Khovanova and high school students Eric Nie and Alok Puranik). Read my interview of Fields Medalist Tim Gowers, student reminiscences about mathematical experiences outside the classroom, and more in this issue of Math Horizons. —Dave Richeson

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Articles

The Pioneering Role of the Sierpinski Gasket

Tanya Khovanova, Eric Nie, and Alok Purank

Two automata hide copies of the Sierpinski gasket.

A Conversation with Timothy Gowers

Tim Gowers chats with David Richeson about mathematics, research, the Fields Medal, and jazz piano. (pdf)

Fractals as Photographs

Marc Frantz uses his expertise in art and mathematics to make beautiful fractal images.

Fractals & Mysterious Triangles

Michael A. Jones, Lon Mitchell, and Brittany Shelton

A card trick has surprising connections to fractals, Pascal’s triangle, modular arithmetic, and base-3 numbers.

Beyond the Classroom

Alissa S. Crans and Karen Lange

Four students write about their mathematical activities during the semester.

Do The Math!

Mathematical Mandalas

Pamela Gorkin and Shelby Kilmer

A math department and a local artist create a collaborative art project.

The Bookshelf

Peter Dendle and Kira Hamman review Zombies & Calculus, by Colin Adams

Teena Carroll reviews Count Like an Egyptian: A Hands-on Introduction to Ancient Mathematics, by David Reimer

The Playground

The Math Horizons problem section, edited by Gary Gordon

Aftermath: The Common Core for Mathematics in a Nutshell

Christopher Danielson sets the record straight about the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.