Geoffrey Coombs
The problem of finding the minimum (or the maximum) of a function is a familiar application of calculus. However, if the derivative of the function in question is not known, one must resort to numerical methods.
R.S. Horsfield
In 1678 Christiaan Huygens developed a wave theory of light in contradiction of Newton’s corpuscular theory. It was not published until 1690.
Peter Brown
Suppose your teacher asks you to find the area of the following triangle.
The law of motion for a freely falling body was first enunciated by Galileo in the 17th century.
Q.941 On my desk calendar two numbers are given: the number of days in the year up to today, and the number remaining.
Q.931 In a large flat area of bushland there are two fire-spotting towers, one exactly 20km east of the other.
Esther Szekeres
The famous formula of Heron connects the sides \(a,b,c\) of a triangle with the area \(A\) of the triangle:\[A=\sqrt{s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c)}\]
Peter G Brown.
Some years ago I saw the following problem in a mathematics competition. Solve the simultaneous equations
\(\begin{array}{c}x+y+z=1\\x^2+y^2+z^2=29\\x^3+y^3+z^3=-29\end{array}\)
Ian Doust
School textbooks often give the impression that Mathematics has all been worked out. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
Peter Kanka, of James Cook Boys Technology High School, provided the following proof.
JUNIOR DIVISION
Find the smallest positive integer \(n\) such that \(13n\) is a perfect cube, \(15n\) a perfect fifth power and \(17n\) a perfect seventh power.
Q.949 (a) We have a collection of numbers, each of which is either zero or one.
Q.941 On my desk calendar two numbers are given: the number of days in the year up to today, and the number remaining.
Derek W. Robinson
A professor of mathematics at the University of Queensland recently recounted that when she telephoned Griffith University some years ago and asked for the Mathematics Department the receptionist replied, 'We do not have a Mathematics Department. Mathematics is not relevant to the Human Condition".
Ian Woodhouse In the last two issues of Parabola two different proofs - one trigonometric and one geometric - were given of Heron's formula for the area of a triangle and reference was made to Brahmagupta's formula for the area of a quadrilateral.
Rob Neurath
This article has two aims:
1. To clear up some misunderstanding about mathematical induction; 2. To draw attention to the fact that mathematical induction is an axiom and to explain the significance of this.
N. J. Wildberger
A fraction is a number of the form a/b where a,b are integers and b≠0 . We learn to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions on our mothers knee.
Peter Brown
Combinatorial mathematics or combinatorics, as it is often called, is concerned with problems of arrangement and counting.
Q.957 Solve the three simultaneous equations
\[\frac{ab}{a+b}=\frac{1}{2}\,,\quad \frac{bc}{b+c}=\frac{1}{3}\,,\quad \frac{ac}{a+c}=\frac{1}{9}\]
Q.949 (a) We have a collection of numbers, each of which is either zero or one.