Math 629: History of Mathematics
Frank Sottile

• Opening Remarks: The rest of our book treats more modern topics in mathematics, focussing on the pure side and ignoring analysis (I think this reflects Stillwell's proclivities). This week, we will read about geometry and topology, and it will culminate in a discussion of one of the great recent results in mathematics, the proof of the Poincaré conjecture by Perleman, who along the way proved Thurson's geometrization conjecture.
  
      This week is supposed to be a bit light, to give you more time to finish your second papers, as well as search for a topic for your term paper.
• Reading:
  1. Chapters 17 and 22 in Stillwell. While slightly out of order, these fit together, mostly.
• Assignment: due Monday, 10 April 2017. (HW 12)
  This will count 1/2 of a normal homework assignment. Giving you a goal in your reading is intended to help you focus on the material.
  To hand in: Email a .pdf to both Bennett Clayton bgclayton@math.tamu.edu and Frank Sottile. fjsteachmath@gmail.com
  1. Write one or two paragraphs around the relations between angle defect, Euler characteristic, and total curvature (Gauss-Bonnet)
  2. Write one or two paragraphs around the topic of the proof of the Poincaré Conjecture.