Question: Mathematics sightseeing in Greece.

junipero — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:48:51 -0800

Can anyone suggest good places to visit in Greece (or nearby) that are relevent to mathematics? Much more detail inside.

I teach mathematics at a small private school and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to apply for a grant for $25,000 set aside for further educating full-time faculty. Our school is in need of a fourth year math class for students who are not "math-minded". The junior class this year will be the last class to graduate that is not required to take three years of math.

I am going to apply for the grant and if I receive the money I would like to take a trip to Greece, as it is one of the birthplaces of mathematics. Obviously, I would like to visit the Pythagoras sculpture in Samos, but other than that does anyone know of any good places to visit that have to do with mathematics?

My plan is to write a curriculum for a year-long course that can be taken all together, or can be take as an elective for a semester. The first semester would focus on the history of math (more the focus of my trip than the second semester). The second semester would focus more on practical math that would be advantageous to our students as they make their way into the real world.

I would like to be based in Athens for about three weeks. I could rent a car, take boats, or fly if necessary in order to travel. I would absolutely love to travel to Alexandria, Egypt to see Euclid's hometown, but i don't know how much of ancient Alexandria is still standing (if any?).

Any and all mathematics related locations in the world are welcome, but I am mainly looking at the Greece/Turkey/Egypt area.

By: bonobothegreat

bonobothegreat — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:23:08 -0800

Make sure you visit the Antythic,..Antycyth...whatever thay call that analogue computing mechanism that was brought up from the sea floor 100 years ago. It's at the National Archeological Museum in Athens.

By: ghost of a past number

ghost of a past number — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:34:04 -0800

If you go to Samos, the Tunnel is a mathematical must-see.

By: longdaysjourney

longdaysjourney — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:07:41 -0800

You might want to give the MAA a call/e-mail.

(Ghost: that Samos Tunnel link is awesome.)

Comments on: Mathematics sightseeing in Greece.

Question: Mathematics sightseeing in Greece.

By: bonobothegreat

By: ghost of a past number

By: longdaysjourney