INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, BOMBAY,
MATHEMATICS ASSOCIATION
and
BOMBAY MATHEMATICAL
COLLOQUIUM
present a popular lecture
on Perimeter of Ellipse and Beyond
By Prof.
R. R. Simha,
Department of Mathematics,
University of Mumbai
On Friday,
February 2, 2000, 5.00-6.15 p.m.
In Ramanujan
Hall (Room number
216)
Abstract
Elliptic integrals are indefinite integrals of functions involving square
roots of cubic or quartic polynomials. They arise in the problem of
computing the arc length of ellipses.This topic from classical
mathematics has been enriched by contributions from the giants of
mathematics such as Euler, Legendre, Gauss, Klein, Riemann, Abel,
Weierstrass and many others. The functions to which elliptic integrals
lead have applications in Analysis, Algebra, Geometry and Number Theory.
In this talk a few of these applications will be discussed
informally.
About the
Speaker
Professor R. R. Simha is currently a Visiting Professor of Mathematics at University of Mumbai. Formerly he spent much of his professional career at Tata Institute of Mathematics, Mumbai. He has done extensive research in functions of several complex variables, Riemann surfaces, algebraic eometry and topology. Prof. Simha is fluent in several Indian and European languages. Recently he translated into English the original German edition of the classic work of J. Jost "Compact Riemann surfaces, An introduction to contemporary Mathematics". Professor Simha's mathematical expositions clearly demonstrate a touch of his mastery over diverse areas of Mathematics.