On the importance of illustration for mathematical research - Archive ouverte HAL
Article Dans Une Revue Notices of the American Mathematical Society Année : 2023

On the importance of illustration for mathematical research

Gabriel Dorfsman-Hopkins
  • Fonction : Auteur
Edmund Harriss
  • Fonction : Auteur
Martin Skrodzki
  • Fonction : Auteur
Katherine Stange
  • Fonction : Auteur
Glen Whitney
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

Mathematical understanding is built in many ways. Among these, illustration has been a companion and tool for research for as long as research has taken place. We use the term illustration to encompass any way one might bring a mathematical idea into physical form or experience, including hand-made diagrams or models, computer visualization, 3D printing, and virtual reality, among many others. The very process of illustration itself challenges our mathematical understanding and forces us to answer questions we may not have posed otherwise. It can even make mathematics an experimental science, in which immersive exploration of data and representations drive the cycle of problem, conjecture, and proof. Today, modern technology for the first time places the production of highly complicated models within the reach of many individual mathematicians. Here, we sketch the rich history of illustration, highlight important recent examples of its contribution to research, and examine how it can be viewed as a discipline in its own right.

Dates et versions

hal-04235296 , version 1 (10-10-2023)

Identifiants

Citer

Rémi Coulon, Gabriel Dorfsman-Hopkins, Edmund Harriss, Martin Skrodzki, Katherine Stange, et al.. On the importance of illustration for mathematical research. Notices of the American Mathematical Society, 2023, 71 (01), pp.1. ⟨10.1090/noti2839⟩. ⟨hal-04235296⟩
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