Geremías Polanco Encarnación

Geremías Polanco Encarnación, assistant professor of mathematics, received his Ph.D in mathematics and his M.S. in actuarial science. Prior to Hampshire, he was a visiting assistant professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, and is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

His passion is to understand and communicate mathematics. His primary interest is analytic number theory, but this has led him also into the kindred area of algebraic combinatorics. The topics he is most involved with so far are related to Sturmian and Beatty sequences, uniform distribution, spectra in general, continued fractions, combinatorial sequences, and L-functions. He is interested in expanding his research work to other areas of mathematics and to interdisciplinary collaborative research.

Recent and Upcoming Courses

Math to Survive in the World
Many factors determine whether or not you get a job, succeed or fail in a project, and lose or make money on an investment. Your problem solving ability is one of them, but understanding the principles behind the situation you face (in practice or in theory) is one of the most fundamental. To survive in the world, people need to apply countless mathematical principles, consciously or unconsciously. In this course you will review some of the mathematical principles that you already use, and will learn some other new ones. Topics will include minimizing time required to complete certain tasks; scheduling and critical path analysis; fair division; voting theory; coding theory; mathematics of investment and credit; art, beauty and math; and other topics at our discretion.
Elementary Theory of Numbers
Number theory is the branch of mathematics that deals with the properties of whole numbers. This is an area in which simplicity and complexity meet in an astonishing way. Therefore, in this course you will be presented with problems that, in most cases, are very easy to state, but whose degrees of difficulty range from very easy to incredibly difficult. We will focus on learning the tools and techniques that are used to attack problems in the field and beyond. By following an inquisitive approach in this exploration of the theory of numbers, we will help sharpen problem-solving skills, the basic weapon of a professional mathematician. You will also learn and apply basic principles used in mathematical research. Topics include divisibility, primes and factorization, congruency, arithmetical functions, quadratic reciprocity, primitive roots, Dirichlet's series, and other topics at our discretion and as time permits.
Linear Algebra
This course develops the basic geometric, algebraic, and computational foundations of vector spaces and matrices and applies them to a wide range of problems and models. The material will be accessible to students who have taken at least one semester of calculus and is useful to most consumers of mathematics. The course focuses on real finite dimensional vector spaces and inner product spaces, although abstract and infinite-dimensional vector spaces will be discussed toward the end of the semester. Applications will be made to computer graphics, environmental models, differential equations, Fourier series, and physics. Computers will be used throughout. Problem sets will be assigned for almost every class. Prerequisite: Pre-calculus
Yes, No or Maybe: The Theory of Probability
From financial markets to meteorology, sports projections to medical testing, and scientific studies to gambling, probability and statistics are fundamental to analyzing data and making predictions that are scientifically sound. They are invaluable tools for any subject of study. In this introductory course to mathematical probability we will cover topics that include the calculus of probability, combinatorial analysis, random variables, expectation, distribution functions, moment-generating functions, central limit theorem and joint distributions. Computers will be used throughout. Problem sets will be assigned for almost every class. Prerequisite: Calculus 1
Calculus in Context (Calculus I)
Calculus provides the language and some powerful tools for the study of change. As such, it is an essential subject for those interested in growth and decay processes, motion, and the determination of functional relationships in general. Using student-selected models from primary literature, we will investigate dynamical systems from economics, ecology, epidemiology and physics. Computers are essential tools in the exploration of such processes and will be integral to the course. No previous programming experience is required. Topics will include: 1) dynamical systems, 2) basic concepts of calculus-- rate of change, differentiation, limits, 3) differential equations, 4) computer programming, simulation, and approximation, 5) exponential and circular functions. While the course is self-contained, students are strongly urged to follow it up by taking NS 316-Linear Algebra or NS 261-Calculus II to further develop their facility with the concepts. In addition to regular substantial problem sets, each student will apply the concepts to recently published models of their choosing. This course satisfies Division I distribution requirements.
Mathematics of Investment and Credit
The world we live in is an ever-growing financial market, in which governments, corporations and individuals engage in a wide variety of complex transactions. To be an effective investor, saver or borrower, one needs to understand the fundamental principles upon which all financial transactions are based. Central to these principles is the concept of interest. Thus, in this course we seek to learn how to be an effective investor, saver and/or borrower by developing an understanding of the mathematics underlying interest theory and its applications to personal and/or institutional finance. Prerequisite: Calc 1 required, Probability desirable but not required.