Author Archives: Jean Joseph

What’s in a name?

There are phrases that one very often sees and may fall in the habit of using without necessarily spending some time to question them. I am sure to try to do that for all words we use would be unbearable … Continue reading

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A look at the word “average”

Related to the symptomatic overuse of percentage in modern articles is the somewhat obscure use of the word “average.” This word is used in so many instances that it seems it has blended, in a rather subtle way, into the fabric … Continue reading

Posted in AMS, General, Math, Mathematics in Society | 1 Comment

MAA MathFest 2012

The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) will host a national conference on August 2-4, 2012, in Madison, Wisconsin. It seems it is a big event that I had not been aware of; the website mentions that 1, 535 participants were … Continue reading

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Should we Trust Numbers that Much?

Nowadays, if one reads an article from a newspaper or a magazine, it is very likely there will be mention of some statistics, whether about the percentage of Americans that favor a candidate, of students that claim to be satisfied … Continue reading

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Molière in a Topology Class–Really?!

I’ve recently read this article and have been resisting not to discuss (or think about) it too much, lest that it finally convince me (or force me to see) that the idea of an education for its own sake is … Continue reading

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