UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 16, Page 8
January 4, 1996
New course combines mathematics with history

     Walter Mallory, mathematical sciences, is offering students a
different perspective in his upcoming course, "History of
Mathematics."
     The new course focuses on individuals whose discoveries and
theories have contributed to the development of math, while allowing
students to improve their own research and writing skills.
     "Traditional mathematics curricula consist of a sequence of
individual, or stand-alone courses, that usually appear to be
unrelated," Mallory said. "There is a need to unify the subject, and a
natural way to give a unified view of undergraduate mathematics is by
approaching the subject through its history."
     Mallory said that studying the actual development of mathematical
ideas can be effective in motivating today's students to ask and
answer certain questions.
     "Every mathematical problem or topic we present to students has a
history," Mallory said. "We want the student to be able to ask and
answer certain questions about the mathematics that they study."
     The idea for the course came to Mallory a few years ago, when he
attended a talk by a nationally known historian on "Using History To
Teach Calculus," presented at a meeting of the Mathematical
Association of America.
     Mallory said he also has attended many activities associated with
mathematics history, including an institute that took place during
last summer, entitled "The History Of Mathematics and Its Use In
Teaching."
     Mallory's said his course will combine research and writing
requirements along with problem solving, much of it very much like
that typically seen in traditional mathematics texts.
     Library assignments will consist of learning all one can about a
particular mathematician, including the writing of a short biography.
Students also will be required to write a synopsis of several papers
that have been written about the history of mathematics.
     Students will have the opportunity to select their research
topic, providing another student has not chosen the same focus,
Mallory said.
     A research paper from 12 to 15 pages in length on the history of
mathematics also will be required.
     "History of Mathematics" will be offered for the first time
during the spring semester.
     Mallory has a B.S. in math education and an M.A. in mathematics,
both from Temple University, and a doctorate in mathematical logic
from Rutgers University.
                                                         -Jerry Rhodes