Maths frequently shows us surprising and illuminating connections between physical systems that are not obviously related: the analysis of one system often turns out to be ideally suited for describing another. To illustrate this, we will show how a surface in three dimensional space --- the hyperbolic paraboloid, or hypar --- pops up in unexpected … Continue reading The High-Power Hypar
Month: May 2014
The Chaos Game
The term "Chaos Game" was coined by Michael Barnsley [1], who developed this ingenious technique for generating mathematical objects called fractals. We have discussed a particular fractal set on this blog: see Cantor's Ternary Set. The Chaos Game is a simple algorithm that identifies one point in the plane at each stage. The sets of … Continue reading The Chaos Game
The Future of Society: Prosperity or Collapse?
The article in this week’s That’s Maths column in the Irish Times ( TM045 ) is about a mathematical model to simulate the future of society. Our extravagant lifestyle is draining the Earth's natural resources. Population is climbing and climate change looms ever larger. Is the collapse of society imminent? The historical precedents are ominous. Many civilizations … Continue reading The Future of Society: Prosperity or Collapse?
Predator-Prey Models
Next week's post will be about a model of the future of civilization! It is based on the classical predator-prey model, which is reviewed here. The Lotka-Volterra Model Many ecological process can be modelled by simple systems of equations. An early example of this is the predator-prey model, developed independently by American mathematician Alfred Lotka … Continue reading Predator-Prey Models
The Faraday of Statistics
This week, That’s Maths in The Irish Times ( TM044 ) is about the originator of Students t-distribution. In October 2012 a plaque was unveiled at St Patrick's National School, Blackrock, to commemorate William Sealy Gosset, who had lived nearby for 22 years. Sir Ronald Fisher, a giant among statisticians, called Gosset “The Faraday of … Continue reading The Faraday of Statistics
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