Geometry - Quarter 1

Research a Mathematician

The most fundamental and influential concepts in mathematics go back hundreds, even thousands
of years. The history is often overlooked, but can add a fascinating view of world-wide cultural
history, the thought process that brought about new ideas and overcame challenges, and the
context of theorems still learned in school today.

During Quarter 1, you will be researching a particular mathematician who contributed to the field
of Geometry, the oldest and most universal branch of mathematics. The list on the back includes
all possible mathematicians for this project, and no more than two students in each class may
research the same mathematician.

When writing your paper, you should consider the following questions:
Where and when was the mathematician born?
Where, when, and how did the mathematician die?
How did the mathematician learn math as they grew up?
What was the mathematicians main research focus? (i.e. astronomy, philosophy, calculus, etc.)
Did the mathematician have any relatives who contributed to a math or science field?
Did the mathematician face any cultural challenges or incentives? What were the regional
circumstances at the time?
Most importantly, what ideas, theorems, proofs, solutions, etc. did the mathematician contribute
to the field of geometry? You do not need to present the proof or solution, but you should explain
the general concept in your own words and why they were the first (if they were) to prove it.

Final Draft Requirements:

Typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font
No cover page (only header with name, date, and title)
3 - 5 pages (three full pages, minimum)
Separate page for at least 3 references, using MLA citations

How to format a reference:

Last, First M. Article Title.Website Title. Website Publisher, Date Month Year Published. Web.
Date Month Year Accessed.

*Wikipedia is allowed for one reference. In-text citations are not necessary.

Rough Draft (can be hand-written) due: September 11

Final Draft (typed) due: October 6

 Grading Rubric
Each category below is worth 10 points. Target = 10 points, Satisfactory = 8 points, Unsatisfactory = 5 points.
Category Target
Includes all aspects of the
persons life, including
General Life History birth, death, significant
locations, events, and
family members.
Discusses how regional
circumstances affect the
Cultural Background persons life, success, and
motivation.
Thoroughly emphasizes
the major contributions to
Mathematical
geometry and how they
Significance succeeded in proving the
idea.
Three or more references
citing key information,
References properly formatted on a
separate sheet. Wikipedia
only used once.
Formatted exactly as
designated on assignment
description. No grammar
Formatting or spelling mistakes. At
least three full pages, and
no more than five pages.
Comments:
Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
Includes most aspects of Most significant aspects of
the persons life, missing the persons life history
some minor details. are missing.
Regional circumstances
discussed, but not Regional circumstances
thoroughly related to the are not discussed.
persons own life.
Emphasizes the geometric
contribution, but does not Contributions to geometry
fully elaborate or are not emphasized or not
accurately explain the included.
mathematics.
Significant formatting
Some minor formatting
mistakes, fewer than three
mistakes. Wikipedia used
references used, or only
more than once.
Wikipedia cited.
Some minor formatting Major formatting,
mistakes. Some grammar grammar, or spelling
or spelling mistakes. More issues. Less than two full
than two full pages. pages.
Total Score __________ / 50
*If you submit nothing for this project, you will receive 0% instead of 40%.

Mathematicians
Thales of Miletus (624 Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777
Ptolemy (100 170) Fibonacci (1175 1250)
546 BC) 1855)

Nikolai Lobachevsky
Pythagoras (570495 BC) Aryabhata (476550) Madhava (1340 1425)
(1792 1856)

Jnos Bolyai (1802

Plato (423 348 BC) Brahmagupta (598 - 665) Luca Pacioli (14471517)
1860)

Archimedes (287 212 Ren Descartes (1596 Bernhard Riemann (1826

Al-Khwarizma (780 850)
BC) 1650) 1866)

Eratosthenes (276 - 195 Omar Khayyam (1048 Leonhard Euler (1707 Benoit Mandelbrot (1924
BC) 1131) 1783) 2010)