To The Best of Our Knowledge

from Wisconsin Public Radio

In Japan's ancient Edo period, the math geek was born – but it's not who you think! Samurai, women, children and farmers were among the original creators of the sangaku - Japanese temple geometry. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, math for the gods. Also, can numbers unlock the secrets of the universe? Magic square devotees might have the answer.

 

Tony Rothman teaches physics at Bryn Mawr. He talks with Jim Fleming about Sangaku - the ancient tradition of Japanese temple geometry, which flourished during Japan's period of isolation from the West. Also, Michael Gurian is an educator and therapist and author of "The Wonder of Girls." He gives Jim Fleming some advice about helping girls master math.

Benjamin Yandell is the author of "The Honors Class: Hilbert's Problems and Their Solvers." He tells Jim Fleming about the colorful personalities of the mathematicians who tackled some of the toughest problems in their field. Also, physicist Clifford Pickover talks with Steve Paulson about Magic Squares and why people get hooked on them. His book is "The Zen of Magic Squares." To view other magic squares like the one at the right, go to: http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/mathcon.html. For more information about Clifford Pickover, visit his web site: www.pickover.com

Erika Kreutz and Harold Dobbs from the Madison Repertory Theatre production of David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize winning play, Proof," talk with Anne Strainchamps, and perform excerpts from the play. "Proof" concerns a mathematician's daughter and a former student who comes looking for mathematical discoveries in the old man's notebooks.

Books:

• Michael Gurian, The Wonder of Girls: Understanding the Hidden Nature of our Daughters (Pocket Books)
• Cliff Pickover, The Zen of Magic Squares (Princeton)
• Benjamin H. Yandell, The Honors Class: Hilbert's Problems and Their Solvers (A.K. Peters)
  

Music:

• -Godanginuta/ Soloists of the Ensemble Nipponia/ Japan - Trad Vocal and Instrumental Music: Shakuhaci, Biwa, Koto, Shamisen /
• Elektra, Nonesuch-New Math/ Tom Lehrer/ That Was The Year That Was/ Reprise
• -Ramrod/ Duane Eddy/ Twang Thang/ Rhino
• -Revolution 9/ The Beatles/ White Album/ Capitol Records
• -Waltz for Debby/ Ramsey Lewis & Billy Taylor/ We Meet Again/ CBS Records
• -Tremors/ Turtle Island String Quartet/ Skylife/ Windham Hill Jazz

Distribution dates:

• week of 09/22/2002 - hour 2