http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/computers_math/mathematics/ Explore a wide range of recent research in mathematics. From mathematical modeling to why some people have difficulty learning math, read all the math-related news here. en-us Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:05:02 EDT Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:05:02 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/computers_math/mathematics/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706113702.htm String theory has come under fire in recent years. Promises have been made that have not been lived up to. Theoretical physicists have now for the first time used string theory to describe a physical phenomenon. Their discovery has been reported in Science. Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706113702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090702112840.htm To ensure that all children enter elementary school with the foundation they need for success, a major national initiative is needed to improve early childhood mathematics education, says a new report. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090702112840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090615171614.htm A study of stickers peeling from windows could lead to a new way to precisely control the fabrication of stretchable electronics, according to researchers. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090615171614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090625074818.htm Emeralds, rubies and the likes are referred to as colored gemstones by experts. They sparkle and shine with varying intensity, depending on the cut. A new machine can achieve the best possible cut and extract up to 30 per cent more precious stone from the raw material. Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090625074818.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090624153112.htm Combining a 2,000-year-old Chinese math theorem with concepts from cryptology, scientists have devised "DNA Sudoku" -- a pooling strategy that allows tens of thousands of DNA samples to be combined and sequenced all at once. The new strategy promises to reduce costs dramatically, with sequencing projects that cost $10 million in the past now estimated to cost less than $80,000. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090624153112.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090618200933.htm Researchers have developed a software program that prescribes a regimen for avoiding jet lag using timed light exposure. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090618200933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090610091232.htm Getting more high-quality sleep is associated with better academic performance, according to a new research. The positive relationship is especially relevant to performance in math. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090610091232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090608151550.htm Countless hours are lost in traffic jams every year. Most frustrating of all are those jams with no apparent cause -- no accident, no stalled vehicle, no lanes closed for construction. Such phantom jams can form when there is a heavy volume of cars on the road. In that high density of traffic, small disturbances (a driver hitting the brake too hard, or getting too close to another car) can quickly become amplified into a full-blown, self-sustaining traffic jam. A team of mathematicians has developed a model that describes how and under what conditions such jams form, which could help road designers minimize the odds of their formation. Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090608151550.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090610124858.htm Hirzebruch's problem at the interface of topology and algebraic geometry has occupied mathematicians for more than 50 years. A professor of mathematics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet in Munich has now solved this problem concerning the relationship between different mathematical structures. Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090610124858.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090609073156.htm Dark matter is an enigmatic energy that makes up most of the mass in the Universe, whose nature has not yet been identified. Researchers have succeeded in estimating the percentage of dark matter in the Universe and describing the processes related to the very existence of this matter. But, until now, no one has established the distribution and behavior of the dark matter in a galaxy. Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090609073156.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090605112333.htm When students working with educational software get stymied, they often try to find fault with the computer or the software, rather than look to their own mistakes, according to new research. Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090605112333.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090529112528.htm Climate change can have devastating effects on endangered species, but new mathematical models may be able to aid conservation of a population of bighorn sheep. Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090529112528.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090602112301.htm Sports commentators on soccer and hockey games will often make their winning predictions as soon as the first goal is scored. Now, Canadian mathematicians have worked out a formula for spotting the winning team that could make the pundits redundant. Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090602112301.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518121004.htm The aggressiveness of tumors and their susceptibility to chemotherapy may become easier to predict based on a mathematical model. Mon, 25 May 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518121004.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520092745.htm Scientists have been working on the design and implementation of an evolutionary computing platform capable of integrating classical and new techniques to together optimize complex problem solving. Thu, 21 May 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520092745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514083929.htm By combining the trusty old book, pen and paper with the possibilities offered by the computer and the interactive whiteboard, information and communication technologies can help to improve students' understanding in maths education. So conclude a team of researchers in the Netherlands. Tue, 19 May 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514083929.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513121057.htm Researchers have developed a mathematical model to predict immune responses to infection with influenza A viruses, including novel viruses such as the emergent 2009 influenza A (H1N1). This model examines the contributions of specific sets of immune cells in fighting influenza A virus. The model also helps predict when during the immune response to viral infection antiviral therapy would be most effective. Thu, 14 May 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513121057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090511122614.htm Rapidly rising cyber crime and the growing prospect of the Internet being used as a medium for terrorist attacks pose a major challenge for IT security. Cryptography is central to this challenge, since it underpins privacy, confidentiality, and identity, which together provide the fabric for e-commerce and secure communications. Now, a new approach based on the mathematical theory of elliptic curves has emerged as a leading candidate for more efficient cryptography capable of providing the optimum combination of security and processing efficiency. Tue, 12 May 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090511122614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424073905.htm Researchers have developed a mathematical model which demonstrates that a mild increase in the mutation rate of some viruses can reduce their infectivity, driving them to extinction. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424073905.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090422175157.htm Researchers have used a mathematical model that allows them to get a clearer picture of the galaxy's youngest supernova remnant (dubbed G1.9+0.3) by correcting for the distortions caused by cosmic dust. Their new data provides evidence that this remnant is from a type Ia supernova -- the explosion of a white dwarf star -- and raises questions about the ways in which magnetic fields affect the generation of the remnant's cosmic ray particles. Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090422175157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090420121333.htm Researchers have developed a new method for systematically identifying bugs in aircraft collision avoidance systems, high-speed train controls and other complex, computer-controlled devices, collectively known as cyber-physical systems. Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090420121333.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090420121423.htm More challenging middle-school math classes and increased access to advanced courses in predominantly black urban high schools may be the key to closing the racial academic achievement gap, according to a new study. Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090420121423.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090414160801.htm Scientists have discovered a universal principle that unites the curious interplay of light and shadow on the surface of your morning coffee with the way gravity magnifies and distorts light from distant galaxies. Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090414160801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090417084000.htm California's Early Assessment Program is paying off in fewer college freshmen who require remedial math and English, a new study suggests. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090417084000.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090413180538.htm College students who use Facebook spend less time studying and have lower grade point averages than students who have not signed up for the social networking website, according to a new study. However, more than three-quarters of Facebook users claimed that their use of the social networking site didn't interfere with their studies. Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090413180538.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090413083309.htm How mathematical models of percolation, a physical process in which a fluid moves and filters through a porous solid, apply to the study of sea ice. Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090413083309.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090410143809.htm Students benefit more from being taught the concepts behind math problems rather than the exact procedures to solve the problems. The findings offer teachers new insights on how best to shape math instruction to have the greatest impact on student learning. Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090410143809.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090410143807.htm Comparing different ways of solving math problems is a great way to help middle schoolers learn new math concepts, researchers have found. Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090410143807.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090407174805.htm Although fractions are thought to be a difficult mathematical concept to learn, the adult brain encodes them automatically without conscious thought, according to new research. The study shows that cells in the intraparietal sulcus and the prefrontal cortex -- brain regions important for processing whole numbers -- are tuned to respond to particular fractions. Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090407174805.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090402143742.htm The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels should make the playoffs in the American League in 2009 with most other teams lagging well behind. The National League should see another very tight race in the Eastern Division as has occurred in recent years. However, this year it looks like there may be a three-way tie among the defending World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies, the Atlanta Braves, and the New York Mets. Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090402143742.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090331112639.htm Researchers have constructed a mathematical activity model of the brain's frontal and parietal parts, to increase the understanding of the capacity of the working memory and of how the billions of neurons in the brain interact. One of the findings they have made with this "model brain" is a mechanism in the brain's neuronal network that restricts the number of items we can normally store in our working memories at any one time to around two to seven. Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090331112639.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401102812.htm A new mathematical formula that could be used to give advance warning of where a tsunami is likely to hit and how destructive it will be has been worked out by scientists at Newcastle University. The research was prompted by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami disaster which devastated coastal communities in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401102812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401134604.htm As sea levels rise in the wake of climate change and semi-arid regions turn to desert, people living in those parts of the world are likely to be displaced. Mathematicians have worked out a new approach to planned relocation. Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401134604.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090402143457.htm If Isaac Newton had access to a supercomputer, he'd have had it watch apples fall -- and let it figure out the physical matters. But the computer would have needed to run an algorithm, just developed by researchers, which can derive natural laws from observed data. Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090402143457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401103123.htm Six out of ten university students have 'math anxiety' according to a new Spanish study. This problem affects more women than men. Tension, nervousness, concern, worry, edginess, impatience, confusion, fear and mental block are some of the symptoms of this disorder. Many students choose degrees different to those they preferred in order to avoid studying subjects connected with mathematics, according to researchers. Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401103123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090329205549.htm A team of researchers in Spain has developed a new mathematical method to easily predict rises in the level of the Ebro River in Zaragoza based on water flow recorded in Castejón (Navarre). The system has a 97.5% success rate for 20-hour predictions. Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090329205549.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090324131454.htm Using cell phones and playing video games may not be as harmful to children's academic performance as previously believed, according to new research. Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090324131454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312115129.htm Researchers in Japan have turned to mathematics to build a computerized 3-D model of the female trunk that could help lingerie and other clothes designers make more sensuous, comfortable and better fitting product ranges. Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312115129.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312140844.htm A trio of mathematicians studying random networks has provided new evidence that connectivity can be appreciably delayed, but only at a cost. When it finally occurs, the transition is virtually instantaneous, like a film of water abruptly crystallizing into ice. Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312140844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305121733.htm J.K. Rowling may not have realized just how close Harry Potter's invisibility cloak was to becoming a reality when she introduced it in the first book of her best-selling fictional series in 1998. Scientists, however, have made huge strides in the past few years in the rapidly developing field of cloaking. Cloaking involves making an object invisible or undetectable to electromagnetic waves. Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305121733.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224133737.htm Scientists have developed a mathematical classification which makes it possible to select human embryos for use in assisted reproduction treatments. Scientists have used the morphology of embryos to select the best candidates for implantation in the woman's uterus. Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224133737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305080734.htm The ASTRA project, standing for Ancient instruments Sound/Timbre Reconstruction Application, has revived an instrument that hasn't been played or heard in centuries. Using the Enabling Grids for E-sciencE infrastructure for computing power, scientists have reconstructed the "epigonion," a harp-like, stringed instrument used in ancient Greece. Mon, 09 Mar 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305080734.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224230705.htm A team of scientists has used game theory to explain the bizarre behavior of a group of ravens. Juvenile birds from a roost in North Wales have been observed adopting the unusual strategy of foraging for food in 'gangs'. New research explains how this curious behavior can be predicted by adapting models more commonly used by economists to analyze financial trends. This is the first time game theory has been used to successfully predict novel animal behavior in the real world. Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224230705.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224133204.htm Gesturing helps students develop new ways of understanding mathematics. Scholars have known for a long time that movements help retrieve information about an event or physical activity associated with action. A new report, however, is the first to show that gestures not only help recover old ideas, they also help create new ones. The information could be helpful to teachers. Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224133204.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302090642.htm Greek mathematics is considered one of the great intellectual achievements of antiquity. It has been decisive to the academic and cultural development of Western civilization. The three Roman authors Varro, Cicero and Vitruvius were all, in their own way, influenced by Greek knowledge and transferred it to Roman literature. Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302090642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226093423.htm In another "Freakonomics"- style study that turns conventional wisdom about public- versus private-school education on its head, education professors have found that public-school students outperform their private-school classmates on standardized math tests, thanks to two key factors: Certified math teachers and a modern, reform-oriented math curriculum. Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226093423.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090303123816.htm Half of all Americans expect another country to emerge this century as the world's leader in addressing technological challenges that range from the economy to global warming, according to a survey of US public opinion. Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090303123816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090303082807.htm Women who are good at mathematics often do not choose careers in math-intensive fields, such as computer science, physics, technology, engineering, chemistry, and higher mathematics, because they want the flexibility to raise children, or because they prefer other fields of science that are less math-intensive. Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090303082807.htm