Math Awareness Week Lecture
Thursday, April 17, 2008
3:00 PM-4:00 PM
SPEAKER: Tommy Ratliff, Wheaton College
TITLE: A Little Geometry, a Little Linear Algebra, and a Lot of Insight
into Voting
ABSTRACT: The 2000 Presidential election taught many people that the
winner of the popular vote may differ from the winner in the Electoral
College. However, this is only a small example of the inconsistencies
that are possible: If there are more than two candidates, then the
voting procedure can have as much impact on the outcome as the
preferences of the voters. We usually think of voting in the context of
political elections, but the same framework used to understand elections
can give insights into any group decision process.
We will see that a little geometry and linear algebra can go a long way
toward explaining many voting paradoxes and how to avoid them.
Pizza & soda will be provided.
Suggested Audiences: College, Adult
E-mail: ma-chair@wpi.edu
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: April 02, 2008 12:18:54