Reflection for Week 2 - The Six-Pointed Snowflake: A New Year's Gift

Reading

Kepler - The Six-Cornered Snowflake

Summary

My assigned reading, which is written by Johannes Kepler, explores the six-cornered snowflake.The narrator, feeling anxious about appearing before someone without a New Year's gift, stumbles upon snowflakes falling, which he perceives as a serendipitous gift. He marvels at their intricate structure, smaller than a drop yet endowed with a distinct shape. This discovery leads him to consider the significance of such a gift for someone who values nothingness, like himself or a mathematician. He humorously reflects on the German word for "nothing" and presents the snowflake as a symbolic tribute to the lover of nothingness. Amidst this contemplation, he questions the scientific phenomenon behind snowflakes' consistent hexagonal shape and radiated pattern. Rejecting philosophical musings, he focuses on the natural wonder of snowflakes, inviting the recipient to appreciate this tribute of nothingness with a cheerful countenance.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reflection for Week 7 - What Mathematics Education Can Learn from Art: The Assumptions, Values, and Vision of Mathematics Eduction

Reading What Mathematics Education Can Learn from Art: The Assumptions, Values, and Vision of Mathematics Education Summary According to Eisner, one can deal with educational challenges by considering them through an artful lens. In this reading, Eisner's ideas are used to examine mathematics education from an artistic perspective. The reading discusses a story from a grade 7 mathematics textbook. In many North American mathematics classes, the educational experience is dull and monotonous. The author claims that by viewing mathematics as a form of art, teachers can make the classroom experience more stimulating. First stop On the first page of the reading, it is mentioned that science has always been the default lens through which problems with education and learning were identified. After this, the author makes a comparison between science and art, describing science as "dependable" and "testable" and art as neither of those. I stopped while reading these sent...
Read more

Reflection for Week 9 - Surfing the Mobius Band: An Example of the Union of Art and Mathematics

Image
Reading Surfing the Möbius Band: An Example of the Union of Art and Mathematics Summary My assigned reading, which is written by Francisco Saez de Adana, explores the relationship between art and mathematics by giving an example related to the Mobius band. The Mobius band is a surface with only one side and one edge. It is an example of a non-orientable surface. In a superhero comic known as the "The Moebius Band of Silver Surfer," the story gives a geometry lesson that is accessible to an audience with a minimal mathematics background. An Eisner prize was awarded for this comic in 2016, and this is the main award in American comic industry.  First Stop As I stumbled upon Figure 2, I downloaded it and began reading the story. I found this story to be quite amusing and interesting, especially when the characters wonder how they ended up at the same place where they started. It is interesting how the characters believe that they are travelling in a time loop at one point. They...
Read more

Reflection for Week 10 - Highly Unlikely Triangles and Other Impossible Figures in Bead Weaving

Image
Reading Highly Unlikely Triangles and Other Impossible Figures in Bead Weaving Summary The article describes how impossible mathematical figures can be changed into three-dimensional sculptures through bead weaving techniques. There are examples of collaborations between artists and mathematicians. These unlikely figures were first introduced in 1930s. The flexibility of beads facilitates the production of "high unlikely" versions of impossible figures. In the article, the intersection between mathematics, art, and craftsmanship in creating sculptures is emphasized.  First stop I am surprised how straightforward it is to make a beaded sculpture from an impossible triangle drawing. When I read the title of this article, my thought was that it would be tedious to construct three dimensional counterparts of highly unlikely and impossible figures. It turns out that it is simple to make such sculptures. Second stop I am very fascinated by these images of highly unlikely and impos...
Read more