Category Archives: Mathematical Connections in Mathemalchemy

Quiltlet – Mathematical Connections

Quantum key distribution scheme BB84 The small quantum cryptography quiltlet, attached to the large Cryptoquilt, illustrates the quantum key distribution scheme BB84, which was the first quantum cryptography protocol. The Brassard-Bennett 84 protocol was first published in a 1984 conference; here is a copy of that first paper.  In this scheme, two parties have toContinue reading “Quiltlet – Mathematical Connections”

Cryptography Quilt – Mathematical Connections

Cryptography or “secret writing” is an old concept. For several millenia at least, people have wanted to communicate messages to distant others in such a way that even if the message was intercepted, it would not be readable by the interceptors. To achieve this, they have used different forms of “encoding” information; would-be interceptors inventedContinue reading “Cryptography Quilt – Mathematical Connections”

Cavalcade – Mathematical Connections

About the Cavalcade The collection of sheets is very diverse, ranging from interesting and/or beautiful figures to amusing tidbits to “aha” visualizations and historical documents or insights; some of them honor a particular mathematician. There is no mathematical rhyme or reason to their order here: this is simply the order in which they were manufactured,Continue reading “Cavalcade – Mathematical Connections”

Curio Shop – Mathematical Connections

The Curio Shop is named Conway’s Curios, in tribute to famous mathematician John H. Conway, who died in 2020 from Covid-19. Read more about the Curio Shop Next: Mathematical Connections in the Terrace

Great Doodle Page – Mathematical Connections

Celebrating women mathematicians The border and the six different zones within the Doodle Page each celebrate a different woman mathematician; they belong to different disciplines as well as different epochs, but each is illustrated by drawings or doodles of her own hand. Read more about the Great Doodle Page Next: Mathematical Connections in the BallContinue reading “Great Doodle Page – Mathematical Connections”

Garden – Mathematical Connections

The young chipmunks engage in play, sorting primes on a grid playground using acorns to explore factors, while holding clay tablets with Babylonian cuneiform numerals. They discover which numerals are prime and which are composite through brute force with their limited tools: for each number they count out exactly that many acorns and then seeContinue reading “Garden – Mathematical Connections”