Geometry Summer 2011

Hello!
I hope you are visiting this site because you've already registered for the summer Geometry course through the Belin Blank Center this summer!  I imagine that some of you are visiting this blog to check out the course.  Well, let me start by assuring you that this class is fun, challenging, and will certainly keep you on your toes while you're at Iowa.  If you want to see the highlights from last summer, click here.

Between now and the start of the summer classes I will post a new mathematics challenge every two weeks or so.  During that time you and your classmates or friends should try to complete the challenge and either email me your answers or leave your answers in the comment box below.  Your comments won't immediately post, because if they contain the correct answers, I don't want to ruin the fun for everyone else!  If you want to send me pictures of your math club or classmates who are currently following the blog, I'll post those so other followers have the chance to meet you as well.

One of my favorite math challenges are internet scavenger hunts.  Have you ever completed one?  I'm leaving you with one of these scavenger hunts below.  You might know the answers to some of the questions right away, and you will probably have to use the internet to find other answers.  Be careful when using the internet to get answers. . . you will quickly find that when searching for these answers, you might get a variety of responses!  How will you know which answers are correct?  I'm giving you a list of great mathematics links to the right of this blog post, those websites will be great places to get started.

Have a lot of fun with this first challenge.  As soon as you find the answers to his hunt, leave them in the comment box and I'll post the correct answers in a few weeks.  Happy Hunting!

Mrs. Degner

Mathematics Scavenger Hunt
1. There is quite a discussion about who the most important mathematicians are, in terms of contributions to the subject.  Who are considered to be the three most important?  Are there other ones you think should be added to the list?  Why?
2. What is the mathematical name for a soccer ball?  What polygons make up the surface of a soccer ball?  How many of each polygon are used?
3. What is a Sierpinski Triangle?  How are they made?  Include a picture with your explanation.
4. What is the Sieve of Eratosthenes used to find?  Why do you thinks its named a sieve?
5. What is the Four-Color Theorem?
6. What is the prize for finding the next prime number?  How many digits does the current prime number contain?  (Extra Challenge: Why to people care so much about finding prime numbers?)