- Carl B. Allendoerfer
Carl B. Allendoerfer (1911-1974) was a prominent American
mathematician in the mid-twentieth century, known for his work intopology and mathematics education.Background
Allendoerfer was born in Kansas City, the son of a prominent banker. He graduated from
Haverford College in 1932 and attendedNew College, Oxford as aRhodes Scholar , 1932-1934. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics fromPrinceton University in 1937.Research & Teaching
Allendoerfer taught at Haverford College in the mid-1940s where he became known for work with
André Weil on theGauss–Bonnet theorem , an important theorem indifferential geometry . He continued his studies of differential geometry at theInstitute for Advanced Study (1948-1949).In 1951, he became professor and later chair of the Mathematics Department at the
University of Washington , where he is known for establishing the Summer Mathematics Institute for High School Teachers. Allendoerfer was president of theMathematical Association of America (1959-60) and editor of its monthly journal. In 1972, he received the MAA's Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics. After his death, the MAA established the Carl B. Allendoerfer Award, which is given each year for "expository excellence published in Mathematics Magazine."Allendoerfer is also known as a proponent of the
New Math movement in the 1950s and 1960s, which sought to improve American primary and secondary mathematics education by teaching abstract concepts likeset theory early in the curriculum. Allendoerfer was a member of Commission on Mathematics of theCollege Entrance Examination Board whose 1959 report "Program for College Preparatory Mathematics" outlined many concepts of the New Math. The commission and report were criticized by some for emphasizing pure mathematics in place of more traditional and practical considerations like arithmetic.Allendoerfer was the author, with
Cletus Oakley , of several prominent mathematics textbooks used in the 1950s and 1960s. He was also author of a series of math films.Books
* Allendoerfer, Carl B., & Oakley, Cletus O. (1955). "Principles of Mathematics". McGraw-Hill. (ISBN 0-07-001390-X)
* Allendoerfer, Carl B., & Oakley, Cletus O. (1959). "Fundamentals of Freshman Mathematics." McGraw-Hill. (ISBN 0-07-001366-7)
* Allendoerfer, Carl B. (1965). "Mathematics for Parents". MacMillan.
* Allendoerfer, Carl B., & Oakely, Cletus O. (1967). "Fundamentals of College Algebra". McGraw-Hill.
* Allendoerfer, Carl B. (1971). "Principles of Arithmetic and Geometry for Elementary School Teachers". MacMillan.
* Allendoerfer, Carl B. (1974). "Calculus of Several Variables and Differentiable Manifolds". Macmillan. (ISBN 0-02-301840-2)
* Allendoerfer, Carl B., Oakley, Cletus O., & Kerr, Donald R. (1977). "Elementary Functions". McGraw-Hill. (ISBN 0-07-001371-3)Films
*"Cycloidal Curves or Tales from Wanklenberg Woods". Produced by Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Rochester, NY.
*"The Gauss-Bonnet Theorem". Ibid.
*"Geometric Concepts or How to Get Somewhere with Rigid Motion and Uniform Stretches". Ibid.
*"Area and Pi or How to Measure What There Is". Ibid.
*"Geometric Transformations". Ibid.
*"Equivalent Sets". Ibid.External links
* [http://www.maa.org/Awards/allendoerfer.html Mathematics Association of America Carl B. Allendoerfer Award]
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