last update: 20 October 2002
Welcome. You're standing at the Front Door of Spud's Mansion of Math. My name is Spud, and I'll be your tour guide.
This site is about mathematics, in particular, it's about discovering mathematics. That's what mathematicians do. They discover mathematics.
-- Hey, wait a minute! What do you mean, discovering mathematics? Isn't all the math already discovered?
Well, no. It's true that some math has been discovered. In fact, quite a lot of math has been discovered. But there are still all sorts of interesting questions yet to answer.
Think about this. Just because the piano has been invented, and the rules of musical keys and notation are set, that doesn't mean that all the music is already written.
Just so, a lot of mathematics has been discovered, and a lot of rules and regulations are set, but there's much more waiting to be discovered. Mathematics is full of unanswered questions waiting for someone like you to play the notes in a new way.
I don't think we do a very good job teaching the discovering aspect of mathematics, and as a result most people develop very distorted notions of what mathematics is all about. I hope when you leave here you have a better idea of why mathematicians think this stuff rocks.
We are going to discover some mathematics. True, some other great mathematicians have already visited these topics. That means that we'll be walking in the footsteps of giants. Being first is not as important here as experiencing the "Eureka" moments, when you discover something that's new for you. Just because somebody else has already seen the view from the top of Mount Everest doesn't mean the view is any less incredible when you get there yourself.
Those moments of discovery, when you see a pattern you have never seen before, are the essence of mathematics. All the peculiar symbols and Greek letters and unusual definitions are just tricks mathematicians use to impress people and to keep all the fun stuff to themselves.
It's impossible to build a house like this without thinking about who I want to invite in for a visit. So, this house is for you if:
| Hallway | The recommended starting point - a gentle introduction to group theory |
| Basement | This is where you can see the foundation of the house - a gentle introduction to mathematical proof |
| Library | The letters are grouped in words, the words are arranged on pages, the pages are collected in books, each book is on a shelf - a gentle introduction to set theory [***under construction - check back later***] |
| Kitchen | Here you mix sugar, eggs, and flour in a bowl, a quick spin through the oven, and you have cake - a gentle introduction to functions [***under construction - check back later***] |
| Tin Roof | Here we answer the ancient question about how many pancakes does it take to cover a house - a gentle introduction to topology [***under construction - check back later***] |
| Den | The contents of this room are comfortable and familiar - a gentle introduction to number theory [***under construction - check back later***] |
| Bath room | This is not glamorous, but sooner or later you'll probably need to visit, and it gets the job done - a gentle introduction to probability [***under construction - check back later***] |
| Tree house | How many leaves do you suppose are on this branch - a gentle introduction to counting [***under construction - check back later***] |
| Dog house | This is where Spud is allowed to howl - Spud's manifesto |
| Tool shed | Here you will find a glossary of strange mathematical terms, some suggestions for further exploration, and a few other little goodies about this site |
| Email Me | Ask questions, tell me what you think, agree with me, disagree with me |
