UNSW Pure Maths Seminar: Wildberger -- Hyperbolic geometry: past and future

           THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

             DEPARTMENT OF PURE MATHEMATICS

_________________DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR__________________


Speaker: A. Prof. Norman Wildberger (UNSW)

Title:   Hyperbolic geometry: past and future

Date:    Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Time:    12:00 noon
Venue:   RC-3084, The Red Centre, UNSW

Abstract:

Non-Euclidean geometry was one of the great developments
of nineteenth century mathematics. This talk will give a
historical introduction to hyperbolic geometry, and then
introduce a simpler and more elegant direction for the
subject, based on extending the ideas of rational
trigonometry and universal geometry.

We begin by mentioning the initial developments of Gauss,
Bolyai and Lobachevski, the current models associated due
to Beltrami and Poincare relying on the approach to
geometry advocated by Riemann, and then moving to a
somewhat forgotten chapter--- the projective model
associated to Cayley, Beltrami and Klein. This is the
jumping off point to our new approach, which we will only
have time to briefly discuss.

This talk will be very low on formulas and high on pictures,
and should be easily accessible to undergraduates.

Enquiries to Jonathan Kress, 9385 7078, j.kress@unsw.edu.au