EMT 435/635
Wilson & Mesa, W98

1) What is the stimulus or original problem?

2) Why was it so interesting? (so hard?)

3) What mathematics was a "by product" ?

4) Is there a solution?

5) Why would high school/middle school students be interested?

or

How would you use this problem or part of this problem in teaching mathematics?

Provide a brief (3-5 minute) explanation for the class. Choose from the following problems:

• Figurate Numbers of Pythagoreans:

Sum of odd consecutive integers is a square number
Sum of integers is a triangular number
Show: a^2 - b^2 = (a+b) (a-b)

• Find x such that the ratio of 3 to x is the same as x to 12.
• Find a line with x length such that x^2 = ab where a and b are the lengths of given lines.
• Duplication of the cube
• Trisection of an angle
• Quadrature of the circle
• With a Euclidean compass, show how to construct a given line from a given point.