Undergraduate Colloquium – Asaf Hadari (UH Mānoa)

When:
February 11, 2016 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
2016-02-11T15:00:00-10:00
2016-02-11T16:00:00-10:00
Where:
Bilger 335

Speaker: Asaf Hadari (UH Mānoa)

Title: Hilbert’s third problem – how to cut and paste using linear algebra

Abstract: In the year 1900 the mathematician David Hilbert famously gave a list of 21 problems that he felt were the most important challenges facing the mathematical community of the day.

The third problem, though stated differently, essentially asked whether it was necessary to use calculus to do basic geometry in three dimensions. For instance, is there a geometric way to calculate the volume of a pyramid?

This was the first of his problems that was answered, using a neat idea from linear algebra. I’ll show you how, and discuss some of the neat mathematics surrounding this problem.