Archive for the ‘Mathematics’ Category

A quite remarkable new proof of the 400 year-old Wallis Product approximation for π has recently been published. It arises from a study of the quantum mechanics of a hydrogen atom.

Is there a difference between cube root and raising a number to the power 1/3? Maybe there is!

When sketching mathematical functions on paper or computers, it's a good idea to have a sense of what the general shape of the curve is before you start. Sampling can lead to erroneous results.

I added a new interactive graph that helps explain how Newton's Method works. Newton's Method uses differentiation to solve non-linear equations and is especially useful when we can't factor the equation. It's very commonly used by computers when solving math-based problems.

How many ancestors do you have? We all have 2 parents, 4 grandparents and 8 great grandparents. But does this go on forever?

How do we find the length of a spherical spiral, with equidistant spirals? Here's the solution to this interesting reader's question.

The Information Paradox is an interesting challenge to the accepted notions of how life on Earth came to be. There's some mathematics involved, too!

There's some interesting mathematics behind hyperbolic discounting, a behavioral finance concept. Here's how it compares to exponential discounting.

An updated spring applet uses Runge-Kutta Order 4 Method for solving a differential equation numerically.

GeoGebra impresses with its versatility, ease of use and power, and now has 3D graphs. It's a great exploratory tool for math students and instructors.