A Journey Through Math: Past, Present, and Algebra

Name:______Per:_____
Algebra 2 H

A Journey Through Math: Past, and Present

Introduction

As you travel through your high school math career, you may often find yourself wondering… Who made this up? What were they thinking? This web quest is intended to help you find some answers to those types of questions in an effort to make what you learn in high school math more meaningful for you.

Your task in this activity is to work in groups to explore what went into creating the math we study today. You will explore the biographies of famous mathematicians.

Please work through the tasks in order. You will work in class, Wednesday and Thursday, March 25, 26. All work will be due Friday, March 27.

· You will work in teams of 3 or 4.

· All work will be completed in Googledocs

· Team members should contribute equally to their group's work.

· Each group member will complete an individual responsibility report.

· Each group will share their Webquest with me,

Task: Famous Mathematicians

1) Use the websites listed on the next page to find a famous mathematician.

2) You must use a unique mathematician, different from other groups in your class. Please submit your choice for approval before starting.

3) Make a poster, powerpoint or other creative method in googledocs for your mathematician providing the following information:

• name, birth and death date,
where they were born, lived, and died

• what mathematics that made them famous including at least one paragraph explaining the mathematics of their discovery

• at least two interesting, strange, or unique bits of information about them and their lives

• a picture of them or something related to them with a caption explaining your picture

*** You must use at least 2 websites!!!

Make sure you cite your sources!!! ***

Use the rubric as a checklist!

Some possible websites are listed on the next page.

• Mathematician Biography Index
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/BiogIndex.html

• Mathematicians
http://math.about.com/od/mathematicians/Mathematicians.htm

• Math-History Timeline
http://www.math.wichita.edu/~richardson/timeline.html

• A Timeline of Mathematicians
http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Timelines/index.html

• Cool Math History Directory

http://www.dmoz.org/Kids_and_Teens/School_Time/Math/History/

• Famous Problems in the History of Mathematics
http://mathforum.org/isaac/mathhist.html

• The MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/

• Wikipedia's History of Math
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_mathematics

• ThinkQuest's Mathematics History

http://library.thinkquest.org/22584/

• Mathematician Biography Index
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/BiogIndex.html

• Mathematicians
http://math.about.com/od/mathematicians/Mathematicians.htm

Algebra 2H Per:_____Name:______

Evaluation: 30 Test Points

0 points / 1-2 points / 3-4 points / 5 points
Group participation / No one worked / One person did all the work / Uneven distribution of labor / All contributed equally
Individual responsibilty / No Respons-ibility report / Some information / Almost complete and neat / Detailed accurate and neat
Subtotal
------ / ------ / ------ / ------ / ------
0 points / 1-2 points / 3-4 points / 5 points
Name, birth and death date,
where they were born, lived, and died / Not competed / Poorly done, incomplete / Mostly complete with effort shown / Well done, complete and accurate
Math that made them famous, one paragraph explaining the mathematics of their discovery / Not competed / Poorly done, incomplete / Mostly complete with effort shown / Well done, complete and accurate
Two interesting, strange, or unique bits of information about them and their lives / Not competed / Poorly done, incomplete / Mostly complete with effort shown / Well done, complete and accurate
Picture of them or something related to them with a caption explaining your picture / Not competed / Poorly done, incomplete / Mostly complete with effort shown / Well done, complete and accurate
Subtotal
Total

Algebra 2H Per:_____Name:______

Group member names:

______

Individual Responsibility Report

Please list in detail the work you did to complete this task.

Algebra 2H Per:_____Name:______

A Journey Through Math: Past, and Present

I. Approval Form – Each group member hands in together for approval

Other Group Members

______

List the mathematician you will research:______

Date handed in:______

Approved yes no Teacher’s signature______

------

II. Webquest due date___Friday, March 27___

Group: Share Webquest with me______

Each group member: Individual Responsibility Sheet ______

Use the rubric as a check list!

A Journey Through Math: Past, and Present

Period _____

Group Mathematician Group Mathematician