Vi Hart – the best mathematical doodler ever!?!

Famous Women in Mathematics

Euler´s Number – 17th Century

Taylor Series -

Newton´s equation for the force between two objects – 17th Century

Einstein´s Energy Release Equation - 1907

Why are there no equations derived by women here?

When did women start attending University?

• At the beginning of the 20th century it was very difficult for women toobtain a university education.

• In 1870 Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon helped to set up Girton College, the first university college for women, but it was not recognised by the university authorities.

• In 1880 Newnham College was established at Cambridge University. By1910 there were just over a thousand women students at Oxford andCambridge. However, they had to obtain permission to attend lecturesand were not allowed to take degrees.

Without a university degree it was very difficult for women to enter theprofessions. After a long struggle, the medical profession had allowed womento become doctors. Even so, by 1900 there were only 200 female doctors. Itwas not until 1910 that women were allowed to become accountants andbankers. However there were still no female diplomats, barristers or judges.

What affect has this had on the modern view of women as academics?

Hypatia: 370AD – 415ADHypatia was the first recognized female mathematician.

She was born in Alexandria, Egypt, around 350 AD. Besides being a mathematician, she was an astute astronomer and a philosopher.

Is she the first recognised female mathematican because:a. She was the only women in thousands

of years that happened to be good at maths.

b. It was not a women´s place to take up academic studies.

"The granting of this degree was the outstanding event of the 1886 Columbia Commencement. When she was given her diploma, there was a terrible round of applause which all students in the body of the house kept up fully two minutes.“ (Mary Williams, 1887)

Winifred Edgerton Merrill: 1862 - 1951

The first women to receive a Ph. D in mathematics.

She was offered a position as professor of mathematics at Wellesley in 1891, but declined because of her impending marriage.

Emy Noether: 1882 - 1935

At her enrolment at the university, she was one of only two women among 1,000 students . A doctorate was awarded to her in 1907.

At the time of her death in 1935, Einstein referred to her as “The most significant creative mathematical genius produced since women gained access to higher education.”

She was in close correspondence with Einstein for many years. They had in-depth discussions on a branch of mathematics called non-commutative algebra.

The Monty Hall Problem

Stop this video at 1:20. students discuss in groups. If they´ve heard it before, they must be able to fully explain their answer.

Questions1. How many modern female mathematicians

do you know the name of? 2. Does this mean that there are no female

mathematicians who are doing brilliant work?

3. How many modern male mathematicians do you know the name of?

Top Set Year 9 at St Nicholas

Average Trigonometry Test Score of Class: 60%

Average Trigonometry Test Score of Class: 60%

Average Trigonometry Test Score of Class: 60%

The Field´s MedalLike the Nobel Prize for Maths but only given outonce every 4 years.

The last 52 Field´s Medal Winners were Men. Infact there has never been a female Field´s MedalWinner.

Why do you think that is?