MTH 441 - EXAM 2 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES Due December 12, 2007

Please write up your answers neatly on a separate paper. You may use any resource except
directly consulting classmates. I recommend the text and your classmates PowerPoint
presentations, as well as various Internet sources.
The point value for each question is in parentheses following question number.
!. "!#$ %ive a proof that the square root of & is not a rational number. "This is a classical result
that goes bac' to the time of Pythagoras.$.
&. "!&$ %ive binary "base &$ and hexadecimal "base !($ representations of the following base
!# numbers) a$ !*+ b$ !#!+ c$ (,
+. "&$ -hich of the following cultures is responsible for the decimal system.
a. /merindian b. 0hinese c. %ree' d. Indian
,. "&$ -hich of the following was an intellectual mathematical concept from Indian culture.
a. /tomiser b. 0auteriser c. Pulveriser d. Terminiser.
*. "&$ -hich of the following I1 23T a 4oolean operator.
a. /25 b. I1 c. 23T d. 36
(. "&$ 4oolean algebra is founded on which number base.
a. & b. + c. * d. !#
7. "&$ 8Pascals Triangle9 is more properly credited to
a. :uclid. b. 2ewton. c. 3mar ;hayyam. d. Pascal
<. "<$ -rite the first eight rows of Pascals Triangle.
=. "&$ /ccording to the text, who gets credit for discovering non>:uclidean geometry.
a. :uclid b. :uler c. %auss d. ?obachevs'y e. 6iemann
!#. "&$ The idea that life on :arth could not have originated by natural processes alone is
a. evolutionism. b. rationalism. c. sycophancy. d. vitalism.
!!. ",$ -ho was the most influential person in the history of /rab mathematics. %ive one
reason why you gave this answer.
!&. "&$ -hat culture devised the numerals we use today.
a. /rab b. 0hinese c. :gyptian d. %ree'
!+. "&$ -hat culture demonstrated that number systems "bases$ are interchangeable@
a. /rab b. 0hinese c. :gyptian d. %ree'

!,. "+$ -hat number is a perfect 2A? Buarterbac' rating.
!*. "($ /s of 5ecember 7, &##7, the odds against the 3a'land 6aiders winning 1uper 4owl
C?II were !###)!. This means if you bet D!# on the 6aiders and they won the 1uper 4owl,
youd get how much of payoff.
!(. "+$ -hat does it mean when an 2A? team 8covers the spread9.
!7. ",$ :xplain one characteristic of the 82ew Eath9 of !=(#s and !=7#s in the F.1.
!<. "+$ -hat would be the 8math apparatus9 in use in F.1. schools around the year !<##.
a. abacus b. geoboards c. slates d. slide rules
!=. "&$ -hat was the 8?ittle Professor9.
&#. "&$ -hat was the name of the /I computer that defeated chess champion %arry ;asparov.
&!. ",$ %ive a definition of artificial intelligence "/I$.
&&. "+$ -hat does 8strong /I9 mean.
&+. "&$ E.0. :scher was of what nationality.
a. /merican b. 4ritish c. 5utch d. %erman
&,. "+$ The 85ivision Plane9 beloved by :scher is a form of the mathematical concept of
a. algorithm. b. differentiation. c. integration. d. tessellation.
&*. "+$ -hats 23T allowed in the branch of geometry 'nown as topology.
a. deformation b. stretching c. tearing d. twisting
&(. "+$ :schers art involved optical illusions, including 8lights and shadows9 and 8vanishing
points9. The latter in particular led to the concept of 8points at infinity9 which further led to the
mathematical branch of
a. algebra. b. calculus. c. :uclidean geometry. d. proGective geometry.
&7. "*$ Fse the Internet or other source"s$ and find a statement of the Aundamental Theorem of
0alculus. Then write it down for me to seeH