Seminar Announcement
October 23, 2009
4:00-5:00
305 MSB (UM-Flint)
Speaker: Professor Per Manne, NSEBA
Title: Bernt Michael Holmboe and the Parallel Postulate
Abstract: Bernt Michael Holmboe (1795-1850) is known for being the mathematics teacher of Niels Henrik Abel (1802-1829). In Holmboe's textbook on geometry (1827) there is an unusual and most curious proof of the parallel postulate, based upon the idea of comparing infinitely large quantities. We will track down the historical background and comment upon the mathematical content of the proof.