Adding Fractions

  Mathematics has got to be the most interesting of all subjects. As I was telling the wonderful math faculty at Berkshire Community College, even arithmetic is fascinating. Addition and multiplication are commutative: 4+7=7+4 and 4×7=7×4. I recall MIT Professor Michael Artin saying: When I ask my kids what’s 4×7,… Continue reading »

π Day 3/14

Annual π Day Missive from Nick Yates ’06 Once again, Pi Day has arrived! As you probably know, pi (π) is a mathematical constant found in circles and throughout mathematics! Since pi’s decimal expansion starts off 3.14…, and today’s date is 3/14, we celebrate pi and all things mathematical on… Continue reading »

Rubik’s Cube Competition

An official World Cube Association Rubik’s Cube Competition filled Goodrich Hall Saturday March 2, 2014, organized by local school student Ric Donati and Professor Mihai Stoiciu. Competitors included Adam Reich ’14. Williams Record account. Continue reading »

Baltimore Math Meetings 2014

The annual joint mathematics meetings in Baltimore January 15-18, 2014, featured many Williams and SMALL speakers. A Williams/SMALL gathering followed Prof. Colin Adam’s humorous theater. SMALL alum Sarah Peluse won the AWM Alice Schafer Prize  for undergraduate research. Continue reading »

Putnam Exam Saturday

To participate in the notorious supernational Putnam Mathematics Competition contact Prof. Steven Miller and/or show up at 9:45 am Saturday in Bronfman 106. Last year the Williams team of Carlos Dominguez, Jared Hallett, and Wei Sun finished 19th in the nation on the infamous William Lowell Putnam… Continue reading »

Million-Second-Quiz Kaplan Gave Faculty Seminar

Nathan Kaplan, who worked with Prof. Allison Pacelli in our 2005 SMALL Undergraduate Mathematics Research Project and who gallantly competed September 13 on Million Second Quiz, gave our Faculty Seminar Friday November 22 on “Curves and Surfaces Over Finite Fields and Coding Theory.” Kaplan is… Continue reading »

Homecoming 2013

Good to see some of you at our little Homecoming gathering for alums, faculty, and students at the Purple Pub 5 pm Friday, November 8. Photo shows Tracy Hu ’13 with Professor Mihai Stoiciu. Followed by Graduate School Panel at 1 pm undergraduate colloquium Monday, November 11. Continue reading »