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Mathematical Conversation Starters John Depillis 777 Mathematical Conversation Starters the Story by Dave Barry on P AMS / MAA SPECTRUM VOL 32 777 Mathematical Conversation Starters John dePillis 777 Mathematical Conversation Starters The story by Dave Barry on p. 13: ©Tribune Media Services, Inc. All rights re-served. Reprinted with permission. The limericks by Paul Ritger on pp. 14, 38, 210, 282, and 317 are printed with the permission of the author. Lines from the poem “Skunk Cabbage” by Rennie McQuilken on p. 43 are reprinted with the per- mission of the author. Songs by Tom Lehrer on pp. 61–62, 100–01, 119–20, and 301–02 are reprinted with the permission of the author. The poem “Einstein and the Ice Cream Cone” by Katherine O’Brien on p. 97: Reprinted with per- mission from The Mathematics Teacher, ©1968 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. All rights reserved. The limericks by Nick J. Rose on pp. 126 and 317 are printed with the permission of the author. The poems by Kenneth Boulding on pp. 126 and 287 are reprinted with permission from Views on General System Theory, ©1964 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. The poem “28. A perfect number,” on p. 314 is printed with the permission of the author. The poem “Three Jolly Sailors” on p. 151 is from The Space Child’s Mother Goose written by Frederick Winsor, ©1958, renewed 1986. Reprinted with permission by Purple House Press. “Euclid Alone Has Looked on Beauty Bare,” by Edna St. Vincent Millay on p. 175. From Collected Poems, New York: Harper Collins. ©1923, renewed ©1951 by Edna St. Vincent Millay and Norma Millay Ellis. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Elizabeth Barnett, Literary Executor. The poems “Re Pi, (No. 1)” and “Re Pi, (No. 2)” on pp. 218–19: Reprinted with permission from The Mathematics Teacher, ©1966 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. All rights reserved. The “Dear Abby” letter and reply on pp. 291–92: As seen in “Dear Abby” by Abigail Van Buren, a.k.a. Jeanne Phillips and founded by her mother Pauline Phillips. ©2001 Universal Press Syndicate. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. The poem by Katherine O’Brien on pp. 310–11: Reprinted with permission from The Mathematics Teacher, ©1965 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. All rights reserved. The limerick by John McClellan on p. 318: Reprinted with permission from The Mathematics Teacher, ©1966 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. All rights reserved. Originally published by The Mathematical Association of America, 2002. ISBN: 978-1-4704-5095-3 LCCN: 2002107969 Copyright © 2002, held by the Amercan Mathematical Society Printed in the United States of America. Reprinted by the American Mathematical Society, 2019 The American Mathematical Society retains all rights except those granted to the United States Government. ⃝1 The paper used in this book is acid-free and falls within the guidelines established to ensure permanence and durability. Visit the AMS home page at https://www.ams.org/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 23 22 21 20 19 18 10.1090/spec/032 AMS/MAA SPECTRUM VOL 32 777 Mathematical Conversation Starters John dePillis SPECTRUM SERIES Published by THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Committee on Publications GERALD L. ALEXANDERSON, Chair Spectrum Editorial Board GERALD L. ALEXANDERSON, Editor ROBERT BEEZER WILLIAM DUNHAM MICHAEL FILASETA WILLIAM J. FIREY ERICA FLAPAN DAN KALMAN ELEANOR LANG KENDRICK ELLEN MAYCOCK RUSSELL L. MERRIS JEFFREY L. NUNEMACHER JEAN PEDERSEN J. D. PHILLIPS JENNIFER J. QUINN MARVIN SCHAEFER HARVEY J. SCHMIDT, JR. SANFORD L. SEGAL FRANKLIN SHEEHAN FRANCIS EDWARD SU JOHN E. WETZEL SPECTRUM SERIES The Spectrum Series of the Mathematical Association of America was so named to reflect its purpose: to publish a broad range of books including biographies, acces- sible expositions of old or new mathematical ideas, reprints and revisions of excel- lent out-of-print books, popular works, and other monographs of high interest that will appeal to a broad range of readers, including students and teachers of mathe- matics, mathematical amateurs, and researchers. 777 Mathematical Conversation Starters, by John de Pillis All the Math That’s Fit to Print, by Keith Devlin Circles: A Mathematical View, by Dan Pedoe Complex Numbers and Geometry, by Liang-shin Hahn Cryptology, by Albrecht Beutelspacher Five Hundred Mathematical Challenges, Edward J. Barbeau, Murray S. Klamkin, and William O. J. Moser From Zero to Infinity, by Constance Reid The Golden Section, by Hans Walser. Translated from the original German by Peter Hilton, with the assistance of Jean Pedersen. I Want to Be a Mathematician, by Paul R. Halmos Journey into Geometries, by Marta Sved JULIA: A Life in Mathematics, by Constance Reid The Lighter Side of Mathematics: Proceedings of the Eugene` Strens Memorial Con- ference on Recreational Mathematics & Its History, edited by Richard K. Guy and Robert E. Woodrow Lure of the Integers, by Joe Roberts Magic Tricks, Card Shuffling, and Dynamic Computer Memories: The Mathematics of the Perfect Shuffle, by S. Brent Morris The Math Chat Book,byFrankMorgan Mathematical Apocrypha: Stories and Anecdotes of Mathematicians and the Math- ematical,byStevenG.Krantz Mathematical Carnival, by Martin Gardner Mathematical Circus, by Martin Gardner Mathematical Cranks, by Underwood Dudley Mathematical Fallacies, Flaws, and Flimflam, by Edward J. Barbeau Mathematical Magic Show, by Martin Gardner Mathematical Reminiscences,byHowardEves Mathematics: Queen and Servant of Science, by E. T. Bell Memorabilia Mathematica, by Robert Edouard Moritz New Mathematical Diversions, by Martin Gardner Non-Euclidean Geometry, by H. S. M. Coxeter Numerical Methods That Work, by Forman Acton Numerology or What Pythagoras Wrought, by Underwood Dudley Out of the Mouths of Mathematicians, by Rosemary Schmalz Penrose Tiles to Trapdoor Ciphers . and the Return of Dr. Matrix, by Martin Gard- ner Polyominoes, by George Martin Power Play, by Edward J. Barbeau The Random Walks of George Polya,´ by Gerald L. Alexanderson The Search for E. T. Bell, also known as John Taine, by Constance Reid Shaping Space, edited by Marjorie Senechal and George Fleck Student Research Projects in Calculus, by Marcus Cohen, Arthur Knoebel, Edward D. Gaughan, Douglas S. Kurtz, and David Pengelley Symmetry, by Hans Walser. Translated from the original German by Peter Hilton, with the assistance of Jean Pedersen. The Trisectors, by Underwood Dudley Twenty Years Before the Blackboard, by Michael Stueben with Diane Sandford The Words of Mathematics, by Steven Schwartzman Preface FOR WHOM IS THIS BOOK INTENDED? This book shows that there are very few degrees of separation between mathematics and topics that provoke good conversation such as, why language matters, how we know what we know, the value of fame, the objectivity of truth, when fiction trumps truth, the inevitability of progress, the anatomy of thought, and the limits of reason. Therefore, if you enjoy good conversation, whether you are a mathematician or otherwise, this book is for you. How To Use This Book To locate a Conversation Starter or item, you can a. Drop the book on the table, see where it opens, choose an item (indicated by num- bers in square brackets, for example, item [212]), and start from there. Repeat if desired. b. Consult the Table of Contents or the Index and choose any item. c. Read the book in the standard way—linearly. Start from page 1 and go on from there. d. Go to the section “Sampler,” on page 1, and choose themes and supporting items presented there. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work is rooted in Mathematical Maxims and Minims, a collection of quotes published by John de Pillis and Nick J. Rose in 1988. Many have given of their good time and efforts toward this work. I am pleased to express my gratitude to: vii viii Preface John Baez (University of California, Riverside), Art Benjamin (Harvey Mudd College), Tony Chan (University of California, Los Angeles), Richard Cottle (Stanford University), Carl de Boor (University of Wisconsin), Chandler Davis (University of Toronto), Keith Devlin (Center for the Study of Language and Information), Allan Edelson (University of California, Davis), Martin Gardner (science writer), Gene Golub (Stanford University), Ron Graham (University of California, San Diego), Agnes M. Kalemaris (SUNY, Farmingdale), Al Kelley (University of California, Santa Cruz), Joshua Lederberg (Rockefeller University), Tom Lehrer (University of California, Santa Cruz), Jay Leno (National Broadcasting Co.), Ken Millett (University of California, Santa Barbara), Stan Osher (University of California, Los Angeles), Robert Osserman (Mathematics Sciences Research Institute (MSRI)), Helga Pollock (National Broadcasting Co.), Mike Raugh (Harvey Mudd College), Jean E. Rubin (Purdue University), Eric Schechter (Vanderbilt University), Seattle Earthquake of 2001, Francis Su (Harvey Mudd College). Although given the option of refusal, all contributors of original quotes were gra- cious in their willingness to share their space with my cartoons, all of which are original for this book. For their kindness and good sportsmanship, my deepest grat- itude. No book assembles itself—it takes hours of effort by editors and produc- tion people. Therefore, I wish to express my appreciation of the professionalism of Elaine Pedreira and Beverly Ruedi of the Mathematical Association of Amer- ica. And what pleasure it was to work with Professor Gerald Alexanderson whose editorial skill and sound judgment enhanced this work immeasurably. And to my wife, Susie, our three daughters, Emmeline (University of Hawaii, Hilo), Gretchen,
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