Nanxi EDCP 442 Blog

This course has opened my eyes to a new way of studying mathematics! I used to think of math as just a bunch of formulas and theorems, but throughout this semester, I've come to appreciate the incredible history behind each concept. Learning about the math journey—from Babylonia and Ancient Egypt to the Maya and from Ancient Greece to China, Japan, India, and medieval Islamic mathematics—has been such a rich experience! One of the most exciting ideas I've discovered is "decolonization." In the past, whenever I learned about the history of math, it always started with European scientists, which made contributions from other cultures seem small. However, in this course, studying Chinese mathematics made me feel connected to my heritage. When we explored "The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art" and ancient measurement methods, I was thrilled to find that my classmates also resonated with these topics. It felt amazing to see my culture recognized and celebrat...

  I was very happy to collaborate with Manveen on this project. Our third assignment allowed us to reflect on women's development in mathematics during the 18th century—a time when the challenges they faced were unimaginable by today's standards. Through the story of Maria Agnesi, I realized that she was not only exceptionally talented but also incredibly fortunate for her era. However, despite her achievements, she remained marginalized. In 18th- and 19th-century mathematical histories, her contributions were often diminished or wholly omitted. While mathematicians like Lagrange and Euler were frequently celebrated, Agnesi’s work was largely overlooked, highlighting the systemic biases of her time. Reflecting on our presentation, I see much room for improvement. First, we should have explored Agnesi's childhood and background more deeply. Her upbringing and environment profoundly influenced her later achievements. Yet, we focused primarily on the origins of the Witch of Ag...