Online Scavenger Hunt
Famous Mathematicians – Past & Present
(Mrs. R. Butler – Math Teacher, Donovan Middle School)
“Mathematics is one the oldest and most important sciences. The
whole world is filled with mathematics from clocks to bank accounts.
Experts in mathematics called mathematicians seek and describe
mathematical patterns for a variety of reasons.” (From the article, How to
Become a Mathematician at: www.degreefinders.com/education-articles/careers/how-tobecome-a-mathematician.html)
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DIRECTIONS: In this scavenger hunt, you will find out lots of interesting
information about some of the great mathematicians throughout history and
present day. Click on the links provided with each question or prompt to
explore each of the sites. Then complete the missing information for each
item on your worksheet copy of the prompts.
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1.
History of Mathematics: http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/mathhist/
Mathematics has developed in various ways in every culture. Many have shared their
knowledge with other cultures to bring about even more ideas. Mathematics has much of
its roots in ancient ______________ and ________________. It grew even more in
ancient _____________.
Mathematics in ancient Greece and India was translated into the ______________
language. Later, mathematics was translated into ___________ for use in Western
Europe.
2. Archimedes and the Computation of
Pi: http://www.math.utah.edu/~alfeld/Archimedes/Archimedes.html
Archimedes was a famous Greek ____________ and ____________.
One of his most famous mathematical accomplishments is the concept of pi. Pi is the
ratio between the ___________________ of a circle and its _________________.
Also click on the link listed in this website for A Biography of Archimedes to find the
following:
Archimedes is considered by many to be one of the three greatest mathematicians of all
time along with _____________ and ______________.
During his lifetime, others called Archimedes “ the ____________”, “the
_____________” and “the ___________ ______________”.
3. Pythagoras of
Samos: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/science/math/pythagoras.htm
Pythagoras is most known for the Pythagorean Theorem. He did not create the theorem,
but he ________________ that it was true.
4.
Euclid of Alexandria: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid
Euclid of Alexandria was often known as the “Father of ___________________”
5.
Plato: http://turnbull.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Mathematicians/Plato.html
Plato founded the ____________ in Athens. His work were influential and laid the
foundation for ___________ systematic approach to mathematics.
Blaise Pascal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal
Pascal is known for inventing the first _____________________, in 1642. Pascal also
wrote in the defense of the ___________ _____________.
Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss: http://www.gauss.info/
In addition to many other contributions, Gauss demonstrated which regular
_______________ can be drawn by using only a ruler and compass.
Sir Isaac Newton: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton
Sir Isaac Newton is famous for his scientific theories, but was also a mathematician. He
helped to develop the mathematical concepts of differential and integral
__________________ and is also known for the generalized ______________ theorem.
David Hilbert: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hilbert
Hilbert is thought of as one of the most influential and universal mathematicians of the
19th and early 20th centuries. He is known as one of the founders of ____________
theory and mathematical _____________.
Biographies of Women Mathematicians:
Who are they and what have they done in Mathematics?
Hypatia of Alexandria:
http://turnbull.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Mathematicians/Hypatia.html
Hypatia was the first woman to make a substantial contribution to ___________. She
was killed by a fanatical ____________sect.
http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/agnesi.htm
__________________ is known as one of the most important women in mathematics
during the 18th century. She published essays in which she expressed her belief that
women should be _______________. One of her most famous contributions to
mathematics is a curve known as the “_____________” of Agnesi.
http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/driscoll.htm
________________________ began her career as a cryptanalyst in the Naval Reserve in
the year _________.
Cryptanalysis the science of _________________.
http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/women.htm
When you click on the above link, each time a different woman mathematician is
pictured on the left.
Your picture is of __________________. Click on the link, your woman mathematician
was known for ________________________________.
http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/browne.htm
____________________ was one of the first two Black women to earn a
__________________ in mathematics. A few years before retiring, she was the first
recipient of the W.W. Rankin Memorial Award for Excellence in
_____________________________.
http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/parimala.htm
____________________ was raised in Tamilnadu, India. She primarily works in the area
of mathematics of ____________________ . She was awarded the 2005 prize in
mathematics from the Academy of Sciences for the _______________________.
http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/masanja.htm
_________________________ was born in 1954. She was the first woman from
_________________ to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics. She has been an important
advocate for mathematics education for ____________________________.
Thirty Greatest Mathematicians of All Time http://fabpedigree.com/james/mathmen.htm