Thursday, August 20, 2009

8/11/2009

Chautauqua morning lecture by Daniel Goldin, former NASA Administrator, on his ideas about creative problem solving. Nothing really new, but it was nice to be reminded of the utility of backward chaining and remembering to think in higher dimensions. Backward chaining (envisioning the solution): Given containers of 9 quarts and 5 quarts, how do you measure out precisely 6 quarts? Higher-dimensional thinking: Given six sticks of equal length, make 4 congruent equilateral triangles.

Another fun and entertaining class with Jody and Gary, though I find the number game (3 elbows, 4 hips, etc.) embarrassing. Gary has a number of useful ideas regarding GeometryQuest.

Great cello recital in the afternoon, Bach unaccompanied suites 2, 4, and 6, by Colin Carr. Unexpectedly spot Chris and Sue from Orkney Springs at the recital, agree to play quartets later in the week.

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