Math Department (Thesis/2007-08)

Colonial-Era Mathematics in the Union Area

Under the direction of: Kim Plofker

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The topics in this set have a math-historical focus. History of mathematics is still a very under-studied field, and even a one-semester undergraduate thesis can potentially uncover new and interesting results that researchers and teachers in the field would be eager to know. Students interested in these topics are encouraged to consider planning and structuring their theses for publication, with the assistance of the instructor.

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The sixteenth through eighteenth centuries were a time of explosive development in mathematics in both England and Holland, introducing concepts ranging from decimal fractions to algebra to calculus. This topic explores how some of these developments were reflected in colonial settings, particularly here in the Fort Orange-Albany region. Schaffer Library's Special Collections and local archives will provide some of the materials used.

Math Department web pages Created: 25 Apr 2007 Last modified: 25 Apr 2007 Comments to: math@union.edu

Thesis Topics - K. Plofker Thesis Topics for 2007-2008 Thesis Topics - B. Johnson