ncku-talk2009-10-08

NCTS(South)/ NCKU Math Colloquium

DATE 2009-10-08　16:10-17:00

PLACE R204, 2F, NCTS, NCKU

SPEAKER Prof. King-Fai Lai 黎景輝教授（中山大學應用數學系）

TITLE A little conversation on the interplay between groups and functions

ABSTRACT Starting from the equation $\sin (x + 2 \pi) = \sin (x)$ I would like to tella story of the adventures of a few very lucky mathematicians looking forsymmetries but finding gold. This is really for first year students! Unfortunately there will be no proofs.
"Mathematics is a gigantic intellectual construction, very difficult, ifnot impossible, to view in its entirety. Sometimes I like to compare it toan iceberg because it has a small visible part and a large invisible part.By visible part I mean the mathematics useful in the external world, intechnology, physics, natural sciences, astronomy, computers and so on, whoseusefulness and social justification cannot be doubted. Indeed, it is certainthat practical problems in ancient times were at the very origin ofmathematics. However, with the development of mathematics the subjectacquired a life of its own and mathematics became more and more interestedin purely mathematical problems, not necessarily paying attention toapplications outside mathematics itself. This forms the invisible part ofthe iceberg; I mean invisible or at least very difficult to grasp for thenon-mathematician ..." from the reply made by Armand Borel (21 May 1923 -- 11Aug 2003) on receiving the Balzan prize.

NCTS(South)/ NCKU Math Colloquium

DATE	2009-10-08　16:10-17:00

PLACE	R204, 2F, NCTS, NCKU

SPEAKER	Prof. King-Fai Lai 黎景輝教授（中山大學應用數學系）

TITLE	A little conversation on the interplay between groups and functions

ABSTRACT	Starting from the equation $\sin (x + 2 \pi) = \sin (x)$ I would like to tella story of the adventures of a few very lucky mathematicians looking forsymmetries but finding gold. This is really for first year students! Unfortunately there will be no proofs. "Mathematics is a gigantic intellectual construction, very difficult, ifnot impossible, to view in its entirety. Sometimes I like to compare it toan iceberg because it has a small visible part and a large invisible part.By visible part I mean the mathematics useful in the external world, intechnology, physics, natural sciences, astronomy, computers and so on, whoseusefulness and social justification cannot be doubted. Indeed, it is certainthat practical problems in ancient times were at the very origin ofmathematics. However, with the development of mathematics the subjectacquired a life of its own and mathematics became more and more interestedin purely mathematical problems, not necessarily paying attention toapplications outside mathematics itself. This forms the invisible part ofthe iceberg; I mean invisible or at least very difficult to grasp for thenon-mathematician ..." from the reply made by Armand Borel (21 May 1923 -- 11Aug 2003) on receiving the Balzan prize.