41^st Annual Meeting
Florida Southern College
February 15-16, 2007

Stephen Rowe, Wilkes Honors College, FAU, Orbits of Operators

Abstract:  In this talk we discuss orbits of operators. Given a bounded linear operator T and a vector x in a normed space X, we say that an orbit of the operator T is a set {x, Tx, T^2 x, …}. We will analyze convergence of these orbits and discuss their relation to the invariant subspace problem.

Justin Owen, Wilkes Honors College, FAU, Lebesgue Measure and Lebesgue Integral

Abstract:  We discuss the idea of Lebesgue measure and give examples of Lebesgue measurable sets such as the Cantor set. We also demonstrate the advantages of Lebesgue integral over the Riemann integral by using Dirichlet function as an example.

Christian Bowers, University of North Florida, The ABC Conjecture-Facts and Figures

Abstract:  The ABC conjecture is easily stated yet if correct has a profound impact on the theory of numbers. This presentation will investigate the ABC conjecture, give a brief history of its development, show how it relates to many problems in number theory, and give an overview of the current status of research on this simple yet profound conjecture.

Jonathan Nielsen, University of North Florida, The GIMPS Project-The UNF Experience

Abstract:  GIMPS, the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search is one of the largest problems being solved via distributed computing. This presentation will discuss the distributed computing model, the factoring methods that the program uses, and the results of the tests performed by the UNF team, as well as future numbers to be tested.

Alan George & Ian Johnson, Florida Southern College, Ideas for Using Robotics

Abstract:  We discuss possibilities for using robotics applications to provide modeling and computation examples for undergraduate mathematics courses. The mathematics examples we will present are based on our recent work in exploratory robotics research and include problems from college algebra, pre-calculus trigonometry, discrete mathematics, and statistics.

Rebecca Epps, Wilkes Honors COllege, FAU, Your Teacher was Right: You Can't Get an A ...

Abstract:  Dr. Robin Jordan of Florida Atlantic University and I analyzed five semesters worth of data from his Physics classes to see if a correlation between attendance and class performance existed. We found that, while consistent attendance betters a student’s likelihood of achieving a higher grade, it does not ensure exceptional class performance. Also, we analyzed six semesters worth of data from his classes to see if homework and class performance have a correlation with one another. With this analysis, we found that participation on homework betters a student’s probability of receiving a particular letter grade (e.g. B+), but does not significantly increase a student’s probability of a higher score within the interval of the letter grade (i.e. a student with a B+ is just as likely to get an 87 as she is an 89).