MATH 191: Take this Course!

Michael Plenits

Calling all students that need to satisfy the “Quantitative and Computational Ways of Knowing” requirement, also known as the “math requirement”—which last I checked, is everybody, as it is a core requirement. A new kid has arrived on the block that is friendly, welcoming, and encouraging no matter your educational background, and that kid comes in the form of MATH 191 taught by Glen Van Brummelen.

jors and throw himself into the world of mathematics by completing 17 math courses in two semesters. (I am going to double check this)

So what is the deal with this class? Well, here is the boring description first. MATH 191: Mathematics, History, and Culture “investigates the history of some of the principal mathematical societies, including ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Greece; pre-modern Islamic societies, India, and China; indigenous cultures; and the modern west, providing context for students’ performance of arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. Students shall discover how mathematics is shaped by, and itself shapes, historical movements, philosophical positions, and issues of faith.” Now that that is over, let us talk about what MATH 191 is really like.

Here are some other great quick facts about this class. There are no exams, no midterms, you are never asked to go up in front of the class to solve a question, and there are engaging drawings on the board such as Glensheep. In-class work is done in groups, and most assignments are encouraged to be collaborative. Last but not least, in the thirty years that Glen has taught this class across multiple institutions, only three students have ever failed. He guarantees his students they will not fail if they “show up, do the assignments, and get help,” which is readily accessible.

Glen Van Brummelen is a Canadian historian of mathematics specializing in the historical applications of mathematics to astronomy. In his words, he is the “best trigonometry historian and the worst trigonometry historian,” as he is the only one. His unquestionable love for mathematics started during what he would describe as his rebellious years at the University of Alberta. While one might associate rebellious years with defiant behaviour, a new haircut, and telling their mom that she cannot tell them what to do anymore, this was not the case for young Van Brummelen. Glen’s rebellious act was to change ma-

Have you ever felt like the school system has let you down when it comes to math? This is a topic that Glen covers frequently throughout the course. The very first day, Glen asks students to try and solve some questions with the quadratic equation. Do you remember that thing? After five minutes of uneasy, gut-clenching remnants of high school math exams, Glen asks you to crumble that sheet of paper and throw it in the garbage. Following this, Glen tells the entire class to forget everything they know about math because this class is not here to test them on information that the Canadian school system has failed to teach them. Glen introduces all concepts only after getting the class to make unanimous pledges like “I solemnly swear to forget everything I know about math up to this point,” and “I solemnly swear that if I get stuck, I will ask for help and not get overwhelmed.” Not only does it create a great learning environment because it shows that he cares about his students, but it also generates humour to relieve the inevitable tension created in a math class.

Glen is an amazing, energetic, and student-first professor. I have never experienced a class like this, and it has revolutionized my perspective on learning in the classroom environment. If you are looking to satisfy that intimidating core requirement, do yourself a favour and take this class next semester.