Contours 2016-17
Stories from the School of Mathematics. Undergraduate students interview researchers to find out what the life of a mathematician is like.
Stories from the School of Mathematics. Undergraduate students interview researchers to find out what the life of a mathematician is like.
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Puzzles<br />
Stuck? Solutions are on the website:<br />
www.maths.ed.ac.uk/contours<br />
Sangaku problems were hung on tablets in shrines and temples during<br />
the sakoku period (1639‐1853) in Japan. Since the country was secluded<br />
in those years, Japanese mathematicians used a distinct kind of mathematics<br />
known as wasan to solve the problems.<br />
In the School, Professor José Figueroa‐O'Farrill (p. 12) offers a 4th year<br />
project which involves studying some sangaku, and their connections<br />
with Western approaches to similar problems.<br />
ρ<br />
ρ<br />
The radius of each<br />
circle is written at<br />
its centre.<br />
Show that R=5r.<br />
1 2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
Maths<br />
Cryptic<br />
No 2<br />
r .<br />
R<br />
<strong>Contours</strong> 23
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