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Mathematics & Statistics

### Definition

qua⋅ter⋅ni⋅on

nounâ€ƒ/kwÉ™ËˆtÉ™rnÄ“É™n/ â€ƒ/kwÃ¤-/â€ƒ
quaternions, plural

1. A complex number of the form $$w+xi+yj+zk$$, where $$w$$, $$x$$, $$y$$, $$z$$ are real numbers and $$i$$, $$j$$, $$k$$ are imaginary units that satisfy certain conditions.
2. A set of four people or things.

# Department News

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics has an annual newsletter, The Quaternion, in which we report news of the department (as a whole, and of individual members). Each issue also has a feature on a topic in mathematics and/or statistics, mathematics education, or something else of interest to the math/statistics community. The newsletter is distributed in late August or early September.

If you would like to respond to an article, or discuss other Quaternion-related matters, please contact the editor, Greg McColm.

## Current Issue

The Newsletter of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Volume 31: Number 1; Fall 2016

### Contents

Past issues and features:

• Fall 2015. The AAAS Honors USF Professor Nataša Jonoska
• Fall 2014. Changing the Guard
• Fall 2013. Computer Guided Coursework: the SMART Lab
• Fall 2012. The AMS Comes to Visit: the Section Meeting at USF
• Fall 2011. Gravitational Lensing and the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra
• Fall 2010. The Zen of Math Education
• Fall 2009. Technology in the (Large) Classroom
• Fall 2008. Carol Williams on Why Are the Atomic Clocks Running Fast?
• Fall 2007. Boris Shekhtman and Just a Thought about Poincaré.
• Fall 2006. Arcadii Grinshpan and An Old Answer to an Old Problem.
• Fall 2005. Boris Shekhtman on If Size Matters, Then How Large are the Primes?
• Fall 2004. Richard Stark and Greg McColm on The Ultimate Machinery of Life.
• Fall 2003. Fred Zerla on why he uses the graphic calculator in teaching.
• Fall 2002. Richard Stark on Leopard Spots, Emergent Properties, and Ghostly Mathematics.
• Fall 2001. Natasha Jonoska on Computing with Biomolecules. Greg McColm and Ken Pothoven on What Happened to Calculus Reform?
• Fall 2000. Boris Shekhtman on The Joy of Mathematics.
• Fall 1999. Vilmos Totik on Approximations at USF.
• Fall 1998. Chairman Marcus McWaters comments on the classification of USF as a Research I university.
• Spring 1997. Chairman's Comments: A Late-Night Cosmic Connection on the Hillsborough River.
• Spring 1996. Announcement of the formation of the Nagle Memorial Lecture Series.
• Fall 1995. A New Chair.
• Spring 1994. Chairman's Comments: A Season of Change.
• Fall 1993. Chairman's Comments: Training mathematicians to work in non-academic settings.
• Spring 1993. Chairman's Comments: Departmental alumni survey conducted as part of the reaccreditation process.
• Fall 1992. Chairman's Comments: General Education Course Design Workshop held at USF.
• Spring 1992. Chairman's Comments: Analysis of Tampa Tribune article reporting on a U.S. Department of Labor study of skills employers require from school system graduates.
• Fall 1991. Chairman's Comments: Relationship between personal belief system held by instructors and how they teach mathematics.
• Spring 1991. US-USSR Joint Workshop in Approximation Theory held at USF.
• Fall 1990. Chairman's Comments: Defining mathematics as a science.
• Sping 1990. Chairman's Comments: Florida Board of Regents disciplinary review of mathematics departments.
• Fall 1989. Chairman's Comments: Five faculty members work together to obtain an NSF grant for the purchase of Sun computer equipment.
• Spring 1989. Chairman's Comments: Discussion of a report by the National Research Council “Everybody Counts” on the future of mathematics education.
• Fall 1988. Chairman's Comments: Defining mathematics as an art.
• Spring 1988. Chairman's Comments: Discussion of the mathematics of voting.
• Fall 1987. Chairman's Comments: Analysis of the improvement in the profile of USF students.
• Spring 1987. Chairman's Comments: BA/MA Accelerated Program in Mathematics approved by USF.
• Winter 1986. Chairman's Comments: Discussion of how the importance of mathematics is underrated in the public's perception.
• Spring 1986. Chairman's Comments: The language of mathematics.