Directed by Prof. Constantin P. Niculescu, University of Craiova.
Fifty
years ago, G.
Polya
published his masterpiece "How to Solve It", providing general heuristics
for solving mathematical problems of all kinds, including the advanced ones.
In particular, he touched the formidable problem of
teaching research.
As Polya said, a great discovery solves a great problem, but there is a grain of discovery in the solution of any problem. Your problem may be modest, but if it challenges your curiosity and brings into play your inventive faculties, and if you solve it by your own means, you may experience the tension and enjoy the triumph of discovery.
Polya's methods of how problem-solving should be taught and learned can be summarized briefly as follows:
1. UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
2. DEVISING A PLAN
3. CARRYING OUT THE PLAN
4. LOOKING BACK.
This
seminar addresses to all people interested in heuristics and the under standing
of Polya's
methods.
The seminar started on February 12, 2007 with A Journey into Convex Func tion
Theory through the Hermite-Hadamard Inequality, presented by Constantin P. Niculescu.
[Feb. 12, 2007] & [Slides, Feb. 12, 2007] &[Feb. 19, 2007] &[Feb. 26, 2007] &[Mar. 12, 2007]