journal of science education

About
Resonance

March 2005
(Contents)

Back Issues

An Appreciation of TATVA

Ambat Vijayakumar

Bertrand Russell – a renowned British philosopher, mathematician and a Nobel laureate has remarked that “Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty – a beauty, cold and austere, like that of sculpture ....”. Another equally well known mathematician G H Hardy, the mentor of legendary Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, has remarked that “A mathematician's patterns, like the painter's or the poet's, must be beautiful, the ideas, like the colors or words must fit together in a harmonious way. Beauty is the first test, there is no permanent place for ugly mathematics”. So, beauty is inherent in mathematics. Many have tried to appreciate and enjoy this beauty in mathematics through many ways. The Mathematics club of Payyanur College too has done it in a unique way – by preparing a CD, to experience the satisfaction, pleasure and fun of creative learning in mathematics.

This CD named ‘TATVA’ has 48 softwares, arranged under different subsections such as graphs, symmetry, statistics, etc. Each of these takes a lover of mathematics into a wonderland. The most exciting one is the item called Koch which, clearly and beautifully explains the concept of ‘iterations’, that leads to the study of chaotic geometry of nature. This also contains the famous Hilbert curve, Mandelbrot set and Pythagorean trees. All together, this product will be definitely enjoyed by any math lover – be it a student, a teacher or even a layman, who essentially loves beauty and likes innovation. The team of teachers and students of mathematics at Payyanur college deserves big congratula-tions!

This CD can be purchased for Rs 165/ from the
Department of Mathematics,
Payyanur College, Edat 670327, Kannur.

(Some more information about the CD and Payyanur College can be found at Payyanur College Campus Notes - webeditor)

Address for Correspondence
Ambat Vijayakumar
Department of Mathematics,
Cochin University of Science and Technology,
Cochin 682 022, India

Indian Academy of Sciences
C.V.Raman Avenue, Post Box No. 8005,
Sadashivanagar Post, Bangalore 560 080