David Gale (gale@math.berkeley.edu), who served as editor of the Mathematical Entertainments column in the Intelligencer before Michael Kleber and Ravi Vakil took over the post, is thinking of putting together an on-line museum of mathematics. He's interested in finding out about existing sites that are highly interactive and whose mathematical content is elementary. Can any of you provide links?
My website at http://www.myphysicslab.com has 20 different classical mechanics simulations -- interactive, animated, running in real-time using Java. Springs & masses, pendulums, roller coasters, etc. You can move objects or change parameters like gravity, friction, etc. Full math explanations and free source code is provided. Granted its about physics, but my main interest has been to show some really interesting and fun uses of differential equations and numerical analysis. BTW, I just put up a new simulation of rigid body dynamics and collisions. Basically you'll see rectangles moving around freely in a 2D region. The rectangles can bump into each other or the walls causing them to rebound and spin. I'd be happy to help Prof. Gale in any way I can. Erik Neumann erikn@MyPhysicsLab.com http://www.myphysicslab.com
-----Original Message----- From: math-fun-admin@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:math-fun- admin@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of James Propp Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 7:20 PM To: math-fun@CS.Arizona.EDU Subject: [math-fun] building an on-line math museum
He's also interested in creating some new software (or rather having someone create it to his specifications). Here is the text of a message that he posted, requesting help on a specific project:
To: students in mathematics, computer science, operations research
I am interested in finding someone who might want to work on software for an interactive web site intended to illustrate some mathematical aspects of a problem in geometry and tiling. The details are described in the attached file. The work will pay at the rate of $15 per hour and there is also the possibility of receiving units' credit (in mathematics) as independent study.
This project would be part of an effort to create an on line web site whose purpose would be to introduce members of the general public to some of the fascination connected with the subject of mathematics. There is already a great deal of this sort of material scattered around on the internet. After many hours of surfing I found a few examples which may give an idea of what I have in mind.
1 Among the dozens of interactive proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem this one seemed among the simplest and most elegant.
http://www.studyworksonline.com/cda/content/applet/0,,NAV2-21_SAP696,0 0.shtml
2. To see mathematics applied to a familiar real life situation the so-called sorting problem seems a natural. The following is suggestive although a much more elementary and interactive version could be made. I am planning to try to put together such a package.
http://cs.smith.edu/~thiebaut/java/sort/demo.html
3. Same comments as above applies to this rather pretty three-body applet
http://www.ifmo.ru/butikov/Projects/Collection.html
4. Below is a good example of an interactive exhibit although unfortunately it has nothing to do with mathematics.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/mix_n_match/
The purpose of the exhibit described in the attached file would be in part to serve as a prototype of the sort of thing I am looking for. If after reading the accompanying description of the project you think you might be interested in working on it please contact me, telling me a little about who you are.
David Gale, Professor Emeritus, Mathematics UCB
The file that he attached to this message, describing a particular piece of software that he wants someone to create, is on my web-page at
http://www.math.wisc.edu/~propp/hidden/dissect.doc
Jim Propp
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