MTH2132 The nature and beauty of mathematics
Faculty of Science
MTH2132 The nature and beauty of mathematics is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Science, offered in 2021 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2021
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 1 other task
This is the 2021 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before MTH2132
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After MTH2132
No unit lists MTH2132 as a prerequisite in the 2021 handbook.
Enrolment rules
PREREQUISITE: You must be enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Data Science or have 24 credit points of university studies.
Overview
This unit is intended for students with little or no mathematical background. Through the discussion of historical, practical and conceptual questions, it will emphasise the beauty and the power of mathematics. The number of topics covered will be very broad. These will include, amongst many others:
- Symmetry (regular solids, tilings, Escher, ruler-and-compass, origami)
- Fibonacci numbers and Golden Ratio
- Optimal design (soap bubble maths, minimal networks)
- Mathematical soul capturing (the maths of juggling and lacing shoes)
- Visualising the 4th dimension
- The shape of space (Mobius bands, Klein bottles, "pacman" spaces)
- Infinity.
Offerings in 2021
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Continuous assessmentOtherThreshold hurdle50%
- Examination (2 hours and 10 minutes)ExamThreshold hurdle50%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Appreciate the beauty and power of mathematics;
- 2
Understand the fundamental concepts of number theory and geometry;
- 3
Understand the notion of proof in mathematics and carry out basic proofs;
- 4
Appreciate the historical interplay between mathematics and attempts to understand the physical world;
- 5
State some of the great unsolved problems in modern mathematics.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures36 hours
Three 1-hour lectures per week
Where it fits
MTH2132 is part of 6 areas of study in the 2021 handbook.
- APPLMTH07Additional extended major elective unitsApplied mathematicsNo reviews yet
- MATHS07Mathematics elective unitsMathematicsNo reviews yet
- MATHS09Mathematics elective unitsMathematicsNo reviews yet
- MATHS11Mathematics elective unitsMathematicsNo reviews yet
- MATPURE05Pure mathematics elective unitsPure mathematicsNo reviews yet
- MATPURE07Pure mathematics elective unitsPure mathematicsNo reviews yet
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Burkard Polster
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Burkard Polster
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MTH2132?
MTH2132 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is MTH2132 offered?
In 2021, MTH2132 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
Does MTH2132 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.
Which majors and minors include MTH2132?
MTH2132 is part of Applied mathematics, Mathematics and Pure mathematics.