Robert Kantrowitz ’82, the Marjorie and Robert W. McEwen Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, recently presented a talk at the Joint Mathematics Meetings (JMM) in Seattle. “What does the condition f''' ≥ 0 mean for f?” centered on functions whose first derivatives are convex. “Such functions have non-negative third derivatives,” he explained, “and, it turns out, they are always sandwiched between two associated osculating parabolas.”
He also discussed the motivation and history of the topic, which dates back to the study of ballistics in the early 1900s, and concerns the relationship between the trajectory of a projectile subjected to the forces of gravity and air resistance and two associated Galilean flight paths with the same launch point and point of impact.
In addition to Kantrowitz, seniors Layla Jarrahy, Max Klivans, and Sam Trombone, and juniors Mitch Johnson and Oscar Lledo Osborn, also attended the meetings.
