MAT336: History of Mathematics

Fall 2025

You do not need to cover your entire assigned topic. Choose a part that you can explain clearly, including both mathematics and history.
What you explain doesn’t have to be hard—but it should be something you understand deeply. This means choosing something you worked to understand, not something you already knew.
If you talk about applications, they must relate to the historical development of the idea. (For example, you can explain how the idea of the normal distribution emerged, but not how it’s used today.)

Important:You may break the rules on this page to make a better presentation—but only if you talk to me first, explain your reasons, and I give you explicit approval.
Your presentation should be 8-10 minutes long.
Your goal is to teach your classmates something.
This presentation should cover the same topic as your final paper.
Remember to follow the course AI policy when researching your topic.
Public speaking can be scary, but we will be a supportive audience.
Using notes is fine, but don't just read from them.
You may include an activity or handout—ask me first if you need extra time.
There will be 2-3 minutes for questions at the end. It's okay if you don't know an answer right away; you can follow up the next week.

Criteria	Excellent (Full)	Good (Partial)	Needs Improvement	Not Demonstrated	Points
Mathematical Content	Deep understanding; a nontrivial example is clearly explained step by step	Mostly clear, with minor gaps	Unclear or shallow explanation	Concept misunderstood or missing	/30
Historical Content	Deep, accurate, and well-integrated	Accurate, but could be more fully developed	Basic coverage, lacks depth	Inaccurate or missing	/30
Teaching Clarity	Clear teaching goal, good pacing, and actively engages the audience	Mostly clear; some engagement; minor issues with pacing or structure	Unfocused or hard to follow; little audience awareness	No clear goal or effort to connect with audience	/15
Delivery & Language	Confident, accessible; not reading from slides; presentation is 8–10 minutes	Some reading; mostly clear language; slightly over/under time	Heavy reading or jargon; significantly too short or too long	Mumbled, read-only, unclear language; far off from time requirement	/10
Creativity	Original approach; personal perspective; non-standard but effective structure or style	Some originality or unique elements	Few original ideas; mostly standard format	No creative effort; generic presentation	/5

Practice your presentation: Rehearse out loud - with a friend, in front of a mirror, or even just talking to yourself. This helps you identify what works, what needs adjustment, and builds your confidence.
You can also schedule a rehearsal with me (in person or via Zoom). Just email me with 3 or 4 possible time slots, or come to office hours.
Trivial example: Simply stating a formula or definition.
Nontrivial example: Showing how a concept works—through a calculation, proof, or worked example that demonstrates real understanding.
A strong example presentation is available for reference. Note: it is longer than what’s required for this course.