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Hi, I'm Theresa. I graduated HS several years ago, earned a BS and a Masters ... and I miss math.

Math, algebra - even geometry, if I must admit that. The highest level I ever got to was a HS math analysis/trig class, that I loved. I have used algebra professionally once since then, in a retail job I left long ago.

Bolstered by one of my favorite books, A Priceless Gift, by Cornelius Hirschberg, I have dabbled here and there, but never anything too connected and no one else around me cares about math and above.

So I was excited about finding this group about a year ago, and I have been a little disappointed that not much seems to be happening.

I realize everyone's busy, and probably working every day at a higher level than I am, but surely there is common ground? After all, if you are isolated, then ideas can't be exchanged.

Brainstorming, I came up with a few ideas. I will try to add more as I go along.

1. MSSU's library has the good Men of Mathematics, and a definitely not great selection on the women's side. Would anyone like to read about or discuss one or two mathematicians a month?

2. There are several books on the bookshelves, if I picked some that seem to be general type knowledge and read through them, would anyone care if I started a topic for the book, and would you chime in?

I have seen other book suggestions in the discussions and pointers to more. My copy of Great Feuds in Science is due back at the library, for example, but might be available for checkout when I go Monday night, if anyone would like to start with that.

3. MSSU has several mathematical puzzle books, that involve different areas of math. I am not seeing any of them in the group bookshelf, but if I would come up with a list of two or three, would anyone like to work through one of them with me?

By the way, I find topography, and knot theory interesting.

What do you think?

Theresa

I would enjoy going through any book with anyone.
I read "Men of Mathematics" when I was younger, and now I know a little better: the book has a lot of inaccuracies and completely ignores prominent female mathematicians for no particular reason (although he could claim the title as an excuse). It would be fun to go through it again, hopefully with more people.
Topology and knot theory are also some of my favorite pastimes. :)

I'm back :).

Long story short, life threw some curve balls, but I think I've ridden many of them out.

I have Men of Mathematics from the library, if you want to go through it. I've tried to find a "Women of Mathematics" counterpart, but a kids' book is pretty much the only one I've found that covers the lives like Men of Mathematics.

I am hoping to get through Godel, Escher, Bach next year with another group. I have the book on order; it just hasn't gotten here yet.

I can't be sure without physically being at the library, but I think the knot theory book that I want to go through is Author Richard H. Crowell's Introduction to knot theory. Starts from the very basics and goes on.

There are a couple of topology related books from Gardner at the library, which should be fun, but I'm not seeing the other puzzle book with topology that I am thinking of. There are several intro books.

If you have a suggestion of any basic books to start with, I'd appreciate them. One of my cousins is a retired math/science teacher, but he's busy running a farm and cattle and so forth, so I am basically teaching myself.

Do you, or anyone else, mind if we go through some of the bookshelf books again? I either have or can check out several of them.



Anyhow, nice to meet you, and hello to anyone and everyone else that is still here.

I would like to learn knot theory but it seems to have algebraic topolgy as a prerequisite and I'm not there yet. Having said that I'm willing to give it a try since my own self study stalled in the past few months.

BTW Crowell' s book is available online for free in pdf format.

Hi again! I would enjoy going through any of those topics. I'll check to see what I can find as options for female mathematician biographies. I know several excellent basic topology books, and an astoundingly clear introduction to knot theory that requires only knowledge of calculus and the basics of mathematical rigor. That latter one is The Knot Book: An Elementary Introduction to the Mathematical Theory of Knots.
For a first exposure to topology, I always recommend Topology of Surfaces for its ease in introducing topology in the familiar setting of surfaces in space. There is always Topology for the completely general setting, but it is a bit abstract for a first exposure. For algebraic topology, Algebraic Topology is available in printed form, but is also made freely available online by the author in its entirety. I also try dipping into Thurston's remarkable Three-Dimensional Geometry and Topology: Volume 1 from time to time for inspiration.

I tend to stay away from some of the biographical work on mathematics as it's usually fairly droll and the scholarship underpinning the majority of it is generally weak at best - presumably because there are sexier topics for writers and historians.

I've dabbled from time to time in topology and even algebraic topology and would be happy to join in a conversation on either. I'm a fan of Munkres' text which was mentioned above. Perhaps if anyone is aware of any online lecture series on topology (via youtube, , or other?) we might use that in addition to a textbook to focus some effort. Perhaps using Google+ for online video conferencing?

In an effort to help push things along on this topic (rather than the slow pace this thread has been on - since July), I've added Munkres' text to the group's "currently reading" list and created a discussion folder for "Topology" in general. Perhaps we can use this as a stub to draw the attention of others and eventually settle on a specific book (or two) to get a group of 3-5 people moving in the same direction?

I haven't heard any upper-level math topics mentioned in any of the MOOC's lately (, EdX, Udacity, et al.), but if a free online class popped up, perhaps that might be a good way to push some broader discussion here. Is anyone aware of anything interesting coming up?

For those like Theresa, who are out of school - and depending on your location - you might find a local school/university that offers Extension/evening classes in an area of math you're interested in. As an example, in LA, I've been going to evening classes in upper level undergrad/graduate level math through UCLA extension for the past several years with a rotating group of 50+ colleagues. Check around in your neighborhood to see what is available. I've managed to do some reasonable work in differential geometry, abstract algebra, analysis, integer partitions, combinatorics, algebraic topology, Galois theory, and others as a result of this - these days I'll take almost anything they offer. I'm planning on taking if anyone is interested in following along on that subject via my notes and supplementary texts.

I look forward to everyone's thoughts/comments - though do feel free to move the discussion from here over to the topology thread if they're more relevant there.

Mirek -

Don't worry about it. I haven't had anything math related in a long time. I figure I'll have plenty of stupid questions, but that's the only way I'm going to learn anything. I think I have flipped through a book on algebraic topolgy

Ronald -

I think the The Knot Book is the one I was talking about :). MSSU has it,


Chris -

Great suggestions :). I'm searching for the Munkres text now. Sour pickles, MSSU doesn't have it. Just his Analysis on Manifolds book.

The only drawback is that I have a dialup connection, which means video is very slow, and I am currently (and for the foreseeable future) on an XP machine with Chrome, which loves to crash unexpectedly. I don't think the video chats/Skype/etc. are going to work for me.

I envy you with the great extension/evening classes.

All -

I apologize for not starting the Men of Mathematics thread. Caught some sort of stupid virus, and spent some of the last week in bed, which put me behind. I should remedy that after I get home today.

Stay warm!
Theresa

I found "The Knot Book" by Adams in the library and it looks much easier.