Math colloquium: Prof. Melissa Desjarlais

Prof. Melissa Desjarlais will give the final math colloquium talk of the semester on Friday, December 9.

Colloquium meets at 3:30 p.m. in GEM 120. All are welcome, whether you’re registered for colloquium or not.

Prof. Desjarlais’s title and abstract are below.

Title: Fibonacci: The Man of Numbers

Abstract: Who was Fibonacci and how did he contribute to the development of mathematics in Europe during the Middle Ages? Primarily known for a sequence that bears his name, in 1202 he published an influential book Liber abbaci (The Book of Calculation) that introduced modern arithmetic to Western Europe, and this book helped transform the West into a dominant force in science, technology, and large-scale international commerce (K. Devlin). During this interactive session, we will explore some of the contents of Fibonacci’s Liber abbaci, the significance of his mathematical contributions, and whether or not the Fibonacci sequence should bear his name.