Drilling a Square Hole and Other Mathematical Approximations

Lynette J. Boos

We will start by discussing whether or not it is possible to drill a square hole, what shape of drill this would require, and how closely the hole would approximate a perfect square.  Then we will talk about approximation problems in more detail and finish with a result from our research in complex analysis.  This result gives necessary and sufficient conditions for a continuous function to be approximated by polynomials in the setting of a Riemann surface, which is a generalization of the complex plane.

This talk will be open and accessible to everyone!