Author Archives: Xander

About Xander

Xander completed his PhD in mathematics at UC Riverside in the Spring of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. His thesis, titled Fractal Zeta Functions in Metric Measure Spaces, explores some connections between the geometry of certain metric spaces, and the spectra of the Laplace operator on those spaces. He is currently an instructor at Northland Pioneer College, out in the beautiful deserts of northern Arizona.

Graduate School

Posted on 1 December 2010 by Xander

Last year, I finished my bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the University of Reno, Nevada. Since then, I completed my student teaching, and have been working as a substitute when work is available. I had been hoping to find a … Continue reading →

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The Mandelbrot Set—Part V: Coloring the Mandelbrot Set

Posted on 1 December 2010 by Xander

The Mandelbrot Set Series: This post is the fifth in a series on the Mandelbrot set. Thus far, we have managed to define the Mandelbrot set as a collection of points or numbers on the complex plane. Every point is … Continue reading →

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Monday Mandelbrot Madness IX

Posted on 29 November 2010 by Xander
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Monday Mandelbrot Madness VIII

Posted on 22 November 2010 by Xander
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The Mandelbrot Set—Part IV: Defining the Mandelbrot Set

Posted on 19 November 2010 by Xander

The Mandelbrot Set Series: This post is the fourth in a series on the Mandelbrot set. In previous posts, we have discussed what fractals are, given a hint as to the complexity of the Mandelbrot set, and laid some groundwork … Continue reading →

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Simplicity

Posted on 17 November 2010 by Xander

Today I taught a pre-algebra lesson on ordering real numbers. In discussing this topic, we determined that in order to compare or order numbers, it is helpful to format them in a similar fashion. For instance, it is difficult to … Continue reading →

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Monday Mandelbrot Madness VII

Posted on 15 November 2010 by Xander
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Nature by Numbers

Posted on 11 November 2010 by Xander

Today, I would like to share one of my favorite things: a short film by the very talented Cristóbal Vila called Nature by Numbers. The film melds the beautiful composition “Often a Bird” by minimalist composer Wim Mertens with some … Continue reading →

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Irrational Numbers

Posted on 9 November 2010 by Xander

About 2,500 years ago, mathematics was dominated by the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras. Pythagoras and his followers formed an almost religious group, complete with secret symbols, mysticism, and a dogmatic approach to mathematics. One of the important aspects of … Continue reading →

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Monday Mandelbrot Madness VI

Posted on 8 November 2010 by Xander
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