Thomas Mattman

Research Interests: 

• Knot Theory 
• Graph Theory 
• Mentoring Research by Undergraduate & Master’s students 
• Math of Blues Music 
• Odd Sunshades 
• Square Knot Dancing

CURE-E Course: Analytic Geometry and Calculus (MATH 120), first introduced with CURE-E in Fall 2020 

Project Title: Authentic Learning Experiences in First Semester Calculus 

Students will engage in three Authentic Learning Experiences (ALEs) during the semester. Working in groups of three to five, students will have three weeks to engage with each ALE.  

1. 2020 Census: You have been hired by the census bureau to make a projection ofthe population so that the bureau will know how many census takers to hire.* 

2.  A Greenhouse Extension: Your parents are going to knock out a wall of their house and replace a portion of the wall by a huge sloped piece of glass (which is expensive). They’ll fill in the triangular ends of the green house with materials they already have lying around. Since you’re studying calculus, they’re asking you how to do this to maximize the area in the greenhouse where they both can stand.* 

3. Modelling COVID: Butte County Public Health has been collecting data aboutCOVID 19 cases, which you will find on their website. They would like to predict future spread of the disease and are asking for your advice about whether or not exponential growth is an appropriate model. 

*Student Research Projects in Calculus (Spectrum Series) by Marcus Cohen, Edward D. Gaughan, Arthur Knoebel, Douglas S. Kurtz, and David Pengelley. Published by American Math Society 1991.