Final Reflection

    Besides taking one math history course at SFU, I don't have much knowledge about the history and people behind mathematics.  I found this course refreshing as we looked at math through different perspectives and analyzed different approaches to solving math problems.  Though I usually prefer to work alone, I particularly enjoyed the group projects in this course, working with my classmates to explore the history behind our current math content in the BC curriculum, as well as math art.  I can see myself including bits of history as hooks to my lessons or even getting students to do some research on notable math concepts to explore deeper and encourage inquiry.

Assignment 3: Miura Ori

 Miura Ori PowerPoint

Topic: Miura folding (Miura-ori)

Group members: Michelle and Yiwei

    In 105AD, Cai Lun invented and innovated paper that is affordable and foldable. Since then, paper folding became a folk art in China. Then, in the 6th century, the paper was carried to Japan by Buddhist monks and Origami art was popularized by the Japanese a thousand years later. In 1797, a Buddhist abbot 義道一円 published the first Origami book Senbazuru Orikata (i.e. Secret to Folding One-thousand Crane). The modern art of Origami was promoted by Akira Yoshizawa, known as the master of Origami. He has published 18 books and created over 50,000 Origami models. In addition, the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Canadian-American author Eleanor Coale, based on a true story, made Origami more accessible to a wider audience. Today, origami is widely used in fashion design and science. The most important of these is the application of Miura folding to the large solar panels of space satellites. Yiwei and I have created artwork with Miura Origami and we hope that our students will also be able to participate in this artwork (there will be a surprise on our presentation day).

ALICE MAJOR: Numbers with Personalities

    I think Hardy's quote connects nicely to a statement by Major (2017), saying that numbers can be a mix of "personal associations and broader social experience".  I find this interesting and it makes me think about how most people have a favorite number.  Some have stories and explanations behind their favorite number and often relate it to a childhood experience.  Some people just like the sound of look of the number.  

    I think it would be interesting to introduce this to secondary math students.  Numbers can be abstract and easily detached from oneself.  By assigning numbers a personality or story, students may find it easier to relate mathematics to their personal experiences, and therefore to real-life situations.  

    Numbers don't have particular personalities to me, but some numbers are associated to personal experiences and culture.  I find these numbers sometimes guide my decision making or behaviour.  For example, whenever there is a class activity that asks me to pick a number, I always pick my favorite number.