UNDERGRADUATE MATH SEMINAR Over the next couple of weeks, the undergraduate math seminar will be held regularly, though at irregularly scheduled times and intervals. Then next seminar will be DATE: FRIDAY, February 1st Time & 4:15pm – Refreshments in Bailey 204 Location: 4:30pm – Seminar in Bailey 207 For more detailed information about the seminar (title and abstract), please consult the flyers that are posted around Bailey Hall. In this week’s seminar, Professor Paul Friedman of the Union College Math Department will be presenting the following talk.

Math Club: Math and a Movie Event a Resounding Success by Annie Kundert

On Thursday night January 24th, the math club hosted an event showing the movie "A Beautiful Mind". Before the movie, about 20 club members socialized in Golub House and enjoyed a feast of pizza. Then Professor Alan Taylor gave a talk about the mathematical life of John Nash, describing one of his major game-theoretic results, namely the “Nash Equilibrium”. To demonstrate this principle, Professor Taylor taught the math club a game and asked club members about optimal strategies. The movie itself features the life story of John Nash, who made great achievements in the field of mathematics despite being diagnosed with schizophrenia. Club members enjoyed watching the movie (eating munchies) and chatting afterward.

How many math club members can you identify?

Photo credit: Carly Orden ‘13

Department of Mathematics January 28, 2013

Problem of the Newsletter: January 28, 2013 Last week’s problem: Congratulations to alumnus Brandon Bartell ’10 for correctly answering last week’s probability puzzle. A solution has been posted on at the newsletter sites on the bulletin boards in Bailey Hall. This week’s problem: Determine, with proof, whether there exists a power of 2 whose decimal representation ends in the digits 2012. Professor Friedman will accept solutions by email (friedmap@union.edu) or at his office, Bailey 107D, to this problem until noon on Thursday, January 31st.

Math Club: Next Meeting Thursday, January 31 at 1:00 in Bailey 204 – the Math Common Room

Resources for Students

Radar Screen: HRUMC 20 All students who have written or are currently writing their math thesis, or who have done an independent project in math should speak with their math advisors about giving a presentation at the Hudson River Undergraduate Mathematics Conference. • Abstracts due March 4, • Conference April 6, 2013 at Williams College

Math clubbers feeding their bodies and their minds

• The math department offers free calculus tutoring through the Calculus Help Center, Sunday – Thursday nights, from 7:30 – 10:00pm. (Dance lessons not included.)

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