Hergert Numbers

Hergert Numbers in Orbit?

2011-12-29T17:04:00.000-08:00

OK, Hergert Numbers are not quite in orbit ... yet. But the next best thing is to be sighted at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama which is where we find Terra Stamps of Prairie State College sporting her Hergert Numbers shirt. And since the U.S. doesn't appear to be on the verge of sending much back into space anytime soon, we may have to get the Hergert Numbers trend over to Russia in order to leave the atmosphere. Until then, I think this is pretty cool.

Don't forget that you can now keep up with the latest Hergert Numbers news on either Facebook or Twitter (or both!). Keep those pictures coming!

Have youself a Hergert Numbers Christmas!

2011-12-26T08:58:00.000-08:00

Obviously, Becca stayed off Santa's "naughty list" since her request for a Hergert Numbers shirt for Christmas was honored. I'm sure she'll be wearing it proudly throughout the new year. So, look for her to appear in a future blog post, Facebook message or Tweet.

That's right - Hergert Numbers are now on Twitter! You can keep up with the most up-to-date Hergert Numbers news by following us at @HergertNumbers.

Hergert Numbers Widget!

2011-10-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the folks at Wolfram|Alpha, there's now a Hergert Numbers widget! You'll see it on down a little on the right side of the page. Try it out by finding the Hergert numbers of your favorite function.

I encourage you to help spread the word by adding it to your own web page. You can do this by going to the Wolfram|Alpha widget gallery.

Hergert Numbers @ Golden Gate Bridge

2011-07-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, Elizabeth Meena was in California for her brother's wedding. Since the Meena's never go anywhere without their Hergert Numbers shirts, she took this opportunity to snap a picture at the Golden Gate Bridge. Elizabeth & her dad had just finished a walk across the bridge and back when the photo was taken. I believe this is the farthest west of all Hergert Numbers photos to date.

If you have any vacation plans for the end of the summer, don't forget to pack your HN shirt and get a photo and I'm always glad to add it to the collection.

New Facebook URL

2011-05-31T18:40:00.001-07:00

The Hergert Numbers Facebook page now has a short URL. In order to get such a thing, it requires a few technical tricks, some well-crafted prayers, and a couple eyes of newt.

But in the end, the result was facebook.com/HergertNumbers, so you can help spread the word in a fairly small number of characters!

And the winner is...

2011-05-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

... the Hergert Numbers!

OK, not really. But the Hergert Numbers were prominently featured today when the 2011 RVC mathematics awards were presented.

Rachel Slabaugh won the Kyle Mitchell Award and Elizabeth Meena was the recipient of the R. David Gustafson Award. Both of these fine young ladies have made multiple appearances here over the years promoting the Hergert Numbers wherever they go.

In fact, they were the ones who decided to create the t-shirts that have brought the movement to a whole new level. Now, as they leave RVC for bigger and better places, they can continue to spread the word far and wide.

Congratulations to Rachel and Elizabeth!

Hergert Numbers & the Bronze Fonz

2011-04-24T11:48:00.001-07:00

No trip to Milwaukee is complete without a visit to the Bronze Fonz.

I don't know how you celebrate Easter, but around the Hergert household we like to load up on as much really fattening Wisconsin-style cuisine as we can stuff into our digestive systems, go to a pop-punk concert, and then hunt down a local landmark for a Hergert Numbers photo op. It just happened that All Time Low and Yellowcard were playing on Good Friday at The Rave in Milwaukee, so we were all set for a weekend of music and gorging ourselves. It would have been a Great Friday had we not missed half of the Yellowcard set, but they weren't going to be playing long anyway. Although we weren't the oldest people in attendance, we were probably the oldest people not dragged there by teeny-boppers anxious to see how many bras Jack would have dangling from his microphone stand by the end of the show.

As for the artery clogging, we started with burgers at Sobelman's Pub & Grill which seats about 80 people and is about the size of a typical family room. They reportedly have the best burgers in Milwaukee (go to milwaukeesbestburgers.com if you're in doubt) and they didn't disappoint. The jumbo shrimp torpedos were a great lead in to Mrs. HN's Sobelman burger (hold the jalapenos) and my Loser burger. Then, Saturday morning, we further increased our chance of heart attacks with breakfast at The Original Pancake House (although not the original Original Pancake House). To top it off, we ate dinner at Kopp's and finished with tiramisu frozen custard. We may not eat again until Memorial Day.

In between, we found time to wander down to the shores of the mighty Milwaukee River to snap a photo with the statue of Arthur Fonzarelli known as The Bronze Fonz before heading back to the Milwaukee Public Museum for a trip through the Mummies of the World exhibit and a matinee of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I on the IMAX screen. I'm sure my review of the mummy exhibit will show up soon on their celebrities page.

Well, that's the latest Hergert Numbers t-shirt sighting. Keep those photos coming and spread the word!

Hergert Numbers @ IMACC 2011

2011-04-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

The Hergert Numbers movement took a great leap forward at the 2011 IMACC Conference at the Allerton Park Conference Center in Monticello, IL this past weekend. As you can see in the photo above, 12 of the 118 attendees were from Rock Valley College - the largest group from any single institution. On Friday, I proudly displayed my t-shirt all day and night and into the next morning handing out the HN business cards as fast as possible.

I heard from at least 5 different teachers that they had been using the term when teaching Calculus over the past year. These were faculty from colleges such as Prairie State College, College of DuPage, Southwestern Illinois College, and Elgin Community College. The word is spreading!

On Saturday, I gave my talk titled "What's in a Name?" where I discussed the origin of several different names for mathematical theorems focusing on those that had interesting stories or unusual names. Of course, I threw in the Hergert Numbers a the end for good measure. Among the audience for this presentation was the president-elect of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC), so I'm hoping that he'll help us go nationwide. Paul McCombs helped out by wearing his HN t-shirt all day Saturday, including at my talk.

The IMACC Scholarship Fund holds a raffle each year to raise money for scholarships for IL community college students looking to major in mathematics or math education. I donated a t-shirt to the raffle, so it was prominently displayed on the registration table throughout the conference. And if its prominence was compromised, I periodically repositioned it to remain in plain view at all times. The winner of the t-shirt was Terra Stamps of Prairie State College and I'm sure we'll see her showing up in a picture here sooner or later.

In addition, to be sure Hergert Numbers got maximum exposure during the raffle, several people took turns wearing the Hergert Numbers baseball hat as they went up to claim their raffle prize. I believe the hat won at least 8 times during the 15-minute prize giveaway.

Now we need to keep the momentum from the conference going as the school year comes to a close. You can also keep up with the Hergert Numbers by "liking" them on Facebook, so do it today so you don't miss an exciting moment as the word spreads far and wide!

Hergert Numbers origami

2011-03-30T17:58:00.001-07:00

I should have posted this a couple weeks ago, but I was busy putting up the Hergert Numbers Facebook page.

The fine work in the above photo is by Michael Kunz, a student in my Calculus class this semester. Michael makes at least one origami figure each day during class to turn in as his "most important thing we learned in class today" minute paper.

So, a couple weeks ago, we were covering Hergert Numbers in class so he made me a couple origami figures with Hergert Numbers on them to represent the most important thing from that day's class.

Besides working on the Facebook page, I was also delayed simply because I kept forgetting to bring them home. Once I finally got them in my house, they sat on the kitchen counter for a couple weeks before I bothered to snap some photos. In other words, basic procrastination made it about three weeks from their creation to appearing here.

Tomorrow, I'm off to the annual conference of the Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges (IMACC) where I'll be giving a talk that will feature a brief promo for the Hergert Numbers at the end.

I'll also be donating a t-shirt to the IMACC Scholarship Fund raffle. I'm sure that will sell a lot of tickets!

Hergert Numbers & the Calculus Dog!

2011-02-25T07:22:00.001-08:00

Last night, Dr. Tim Pennings of Hope College in Michigan stopped by Beloit College to give a talk titled "Do Dogs Know Calculus?" where he told the story of Elvis, his 10-year old Welsh Corgi, and his natural tendency to mimic a well-known Calculus exercise while playing fetch in Lake Michigan.

And, of course, the Hergert Numbers were there to see it all! Here's Elizabeth Meena with Tim & Elvis after the presentation. Elizabeth's shirt caught the attention of several audience members. There was some talk of getting Elvis his own Hergert Numbers doggie sweater, but I'm not sure we can get the full definition on there since he's not all that big. I'll have to talk to the folks at Tom Harmer's (the current makers of the t-shirts).

Today, Elvis is off to Madison Area Technical College for another presentation of his fabulous skills. With all of the media attention on the state capitol in Madison these days, we just need to get Elvis to the protests wearing a Hergert Numbers shirt and we'll have national exposure for sure!

Hergert Numbers now available in polos!

2010-12-29T18:52:00.000-08:00

Tonight we did a late Christmas gift exchange with Mrs. Hergertnumbers family and I received a Hergert Numbers polo shirt (from the Mrs. of course)! This is like Hergert Numbers formal wear. I don't know if this shirt is quite wacky enough for Wacky Shirt Wednesday, but it's much appreciated! I now have Hergert Numbers apparel for any occasion.

It's too small to read in this picture, but that red line on the chest is the Hergert Numbers URL. Did you notice the Hergert Numbers bobblehead in the background?

Merry Christmas and Spread the Word!

Hergert Numbers in Lecture Notes!

2010-12-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

This fall, the Hergert Numbers movement took a giant leap forward. The definition has now been included in the lecture notes posted online by Professor Steve Kifowit of Prairie State College for his Calculus class. Steve's definition is a little more formally worded than the t-shirts, but he checked with me to be sure it captures the spirit and intent of the Hergert number concept.

Now, all we need is for Steve to develop his notes into a full-fledged Calculus textbook and we'll be on our way!

Hergert Numbers Birthday Cake!

2010-12-14T18:52:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to me!

Tonight, I celebrated my birthday with my family in the best way I know how - a Hergert Numbers birthday cake. It was delicious! I really enjoyed the "ert" portion of the cake. Tomorrow night, I may have to go for some "Herg".

In case you're wondering what birthday this is, just find the Hergert Number for f(x)=x^3-129x^2+12x-14

I also wore my Hergert Numbers baseball cap all day long at RVC since that was an early birthday present.

Thanks to all who have supported the Hergert Numbers movement this year. Send me your pictures!

Hergert Numbers in Boston!

2010-11-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

How did you spend your Veteran's Day this year? I got up bright and early and headed out to the oldest ballpark in America - Fenway Park in Boston - to spread the word. It was a chilly morning (as you can see by my bright red nose), but I temporarily removed my jacket to display my Hergert Numbers spirit for the official tour photo.

As many of you know, I was in Boston for the 2010 AMATYC national conference where 1285 math teachers had gathered to learn about and share all things mathematics. I couldn't think of a better time to continue my quest to popularize the term Hergert numbers. So, I printed up business cards to give out to colleagues I met throughout the conference. It's too early to tell how much they helped, but it sure made for a convenient conversation starter.

I was a little disappointed that I didn't get a photo with my HN shirt or hat on the Harvard Bridge where the smoot marks are painted, but I only got there at night and it may have been a little dangerous to lie down on the bridge sidewalk for the proper pose with all the bicycle traffic. On the other hand, it'll give me something to shoot for the next time I'm in Beantown.

Hergert Numbers in the JCSM!

2010-11-11T19:41:00.000-08:00

This post is long overdue. Back in June, the last steel beam was put in place in the Jacobs Center for Science and Math on the Rock Valley College campus. To honor the milestone, the college let those who will be occupying the building sign the beam before it was put installed. I couldn't help but add a plug for the Hergert Numbers movement with my signature.

It's ironic that I'm doing this while in Boston at the national conference for the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges trying to spread the word far and wide. Unfortunately, my best picture so far is not digital, so you'll have to wait until I get back to Rockford and can scan it before I can put it up. I guarantee that it won't take me 5 months like this post, so check back soon!

New Hergert Numbers Apparel!

2010-11-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

There's a new player in the Hergert Numbers fashion line-up: the Hergert Numbers baseball cap!

This afternoon I got this as an early birthday present from Elizabeth, Carson, Rachel & Josh. I was so excited that I wore it on my walk home from school. Their timing was perfect as next week I'm off to Boston to the national conference for the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges where I'm hoping to spread the word to colleagues from across the nation. Now, I can sport both my t-shirt and this fabulous hat!

Of course, a trip to a new city wouldn't be complete without a few pictures with my HN garb, so be on the lookout for a post or two in the next week and a half.

Bringing the Hergert Numbers to the Mountain

2010-09-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

You know what they say - if you can't bring the mountain to the Hergert Numbers, then bring the Hergert Numbers to the mountain. And that's exactly what Rock Valley College math professor Paul McCombs did this summer. While on vacation in North Carolina, Paul posed for this picture at Grandfather Mountain, which has been designated by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve. Raise your hand if you knew there was such a thing as an International Biosphere Reserve. Liar! For more info, including fabulous pictures of the Mile High Swinging Bridge, go to grandfather.com.

Paul must have worn his Hergert Numbers t-shirt almost non-stop on vacation as you'll find many other pictures of him in the slideshow. As always, thanks for spreading the word!

Hergert Numbers Wedding!

2010-07-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

Today, I had the honor of attending the wedding of Rachel Swaney and Josh Slabaugh. They were among the very first people on Earth to own Hergert Numbers t-shirts as they were in the Calculus class in Spring 2009 that kicked off the "Spread the Word" campaign.

As it turns out, Rachel & Josh were merely casual acquaintances until they were in that class together and sat next to each other. One thing led to another and, as they say, it was a match made in Calculus. She was clearly the derivative of his integral. Hopefully, by the time they start a family they will be able to adorn their offspring in Hergert Numbers onesies and bibs.

Congratulations to Rachel & Josh and I wish you a long and happy life together taking pictures of each other in your Hergert Numbers t-shirts.

High Speed Hergert Numbers

2010-07-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

It took awhile to get a copy of this picture, but this was worth the wait. This is Carson and Rob riding the Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey back on May 17th. This is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world at 456 feet high and 128 miles per hour. They were fortunate enough to be in the first car on the first run of the day.

You'll also see them in the slideshow with a girl they met at the park that day who was asking about their shirts. Who knew Hergert Numbers could help you pick up girls, too?

Hergert Numbers Rock!

2010-07-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

The Hergert Family is in the midst of the 2010 Hall of Fame Tour. We stopped at the College Football Hall of Fame yesterday and will hit the Pro Football Hall of Fame tomorrow. But I couldn't resist spreading the word at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland today. They don't allow cameras inside this one, but I got this shot before we entered. We snapped a few other photos here that I'll add to the slideshow, so be sure to check those out.

Hergert Numbers in the Bahamas

2010-06-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

The summer vacation season continues with yet another Hergert Numbers appearance. This time RVC math professor Diane Koenig is seen with her shirt on Disney's private island in the Bahamas.

She also sent me pictures of her twins in their shirts from the same vacation. Since this blog only allows one picture per post, I've added them to the slideshow.

The Latest in Hergert Numbers Paraphernalia

2010-06-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

That's right! It's the first in an extremely limited supply of Hergert Numbers bobblehead dolls. There are actually only two in existence. I got one for Mrs. Hergertnumbers for her birthday and another one for myself. I got them through Bobbleheads.com in Atlanta, but when they shipped they came from China via Anchorage. I was wondering why the email messages with photos to approve at various stages in the bobbleheads' development were always sent at 2:00 in the morning. Amazingly, it took only about four days in transit from halfway around the world.

I'm not sure where Mrs. Hergertnumbers will keep hers, but you can bet that mine will be on display at RVC once school is in session in the fall. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by for a visit and make my head bobble!

Four score and seven years ago...

2010-06-07T19:33:00.001-07:00

Who's that with Honest Abe? It's none other than Tony Paris who teaches math at Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, IL. If you think this is somewhere in the Land of Lincoln, think again! Tony took his Hergert Numbers shirt on vacation to the Gettysburg National Military Park. That's the second HN sighting in Pennsylvania in the last couple weeks. The word is bound to be spreading!

BTW, this was not the "item" I alluded to in my previous post. That's still coming on Friday.

Hergert Numbers iPod!

2010-06-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

It's really hard to take a decent picture of such a shiny surface, but if you look closely at the engraving you'll see the world's first Hergert Numbers iPod. Apple came out with a deal last week for college teachers or students where you could get a $200 rebate if you bought an iPod Touch and a computer at the same time. The idea is that the rebate is equal to the cost of the cheapest iPod Touch, so that would be free. I chose to go for a slightly bigger one, but it's still a great deal and I was going to get a new laptop this summer anyway.

Stay tuned - there's an even better Hergert Numbers item coming at the end of next week.

Hergert Numbers at Independence Hall

2010-05-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

On July 8th of 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read publicly for the first time in the courtyard outside Independence Hall. Today, I declared that possible inflection points shall be called Hergert numbers from this day forward in that same courtyard (shown above).

While I wore my shirt for about 8 hours of sightseeing today, I only got one bite from a guy working at the site of Benjamin Franklin's house. He asked, "What kind of numbers?" because my backpack/man purse was blocking part of the name. So, I gave him the short story of where the term comes from and how I was working to popularize it. He couldn't help much as far as getting into the standard Calculus vocabulary, but he was very supportive of the idea. He also told me if he were in charge, he would make policemen, military soldiers, and teachers the highest paid occupations. So, if a former tour guide dude from Philadelphia ever runs for President of the United States, make sure you get out and campaign for him.

And while you're at it, please wear your Hergert Numbers t-shirt and help spread the word!

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Hergert Numbers

2010-05-22T15:39:00.001-07:00

Today, I took the Hergert Numbers movement to the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia. I proudly wore my shirt as we did an extensive tour of the historical district of the city. In the Liberty Bell Center, they had pictures of many famous people with the Liberty Bell. Folks such as, Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Dalai Lama. I think the photo above should be added to this group, as well.

Spontaneous Hergert Numbers Outburst

2010-05-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

There was a gathering of Hergert Numbers t-shirt wearers spotted outside the Rock Valley College Math Lab this afternoon. We have not seen this many in one location since 2009 when the craze began. We now have photographic evidence that they come in a color besides blue. I think a green Hergert Numbers shirt would be a lovely gift for St. Patty's Day!

Gustafson Prize winner supports Hergert Numbers

2010-04-29T12:03:00.001-07:00

This afternoon, the Rock Valley College Mathematics Department gave out the R. David Gustafson Prize, awarded annually to the top math student at the college. You can read more about the award here. This year's recipient was Carson Meena, who has been a longtime supporter of the Hergert Numbers initiative.

The only question is, with a camera present from local ABC affiliate WTVO and an overflow crowd of people jammed into the classroom to see the award presentation, what's up with Carson's choice of math t-shirts? I hope Carson remembers this lost opportunity the next time he receives a prestigious math award.

But seriously, congratulations to Carson on this outstanding achievement! He undoubtedly deserves this honor.

Sub Surprise!

2010-04-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Almy had to go out of town for a meeting, so I volunteered to teach her class for her today. I got to the classroom a few minutes early and was getting myself situated at the front of the room when a group of her students wandered in. Much to my surprise, two of them were wearing Hergert Numbers t-shirts! And to add to the surprise, one of them was a fabulous kelly green!! I had never seen a Hergert Numbers shirt in any color other than the original blue, so that was quite a treat. I later found out that there's even a purple shirt out there somewhere.

It's awesome that the Hergert Numbers sensation is spreading to classes other than my own. Now, we just need these students to fan out across America as they transfer to finish their college careers and take the message with them. And in no time at all, Hergert Numbers will be standard Calculus terminology!

A Tradition Unlike Any Other: Hergert Numbers at The Masters

2010-04-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

This week, I had the rare opportunity to go inside the gates at the most exclusive golf tournament in the world - The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. I couldn't help but take advantage of this opportunity by spreading the word by wearing my Hergert Numbers t-shirt. Calculus is obviously a huge part of golf as the players try to maximize their driving distance and minimize their score, so it seemed only natural to bring awareness of the Hergert Numbers to the greatest golfers in the world.

I had a bit of a challenge getting to Augusta as my plane out of Chicago was struck by lightning on takeoff and an 8-inch crescent shaped piece of the wing went missing. After about 30 minutes of contemplation, the pilots decided to head back to Chicago (and the thunderstorms) to get a new plane. After a couple hours of delays, we were airborne again and made it to Columbia, South Carolina in time for a couple hours of sleep before venturing off to the tournament.

Since sponsorship is such a large part of being a professional golfer, I think my next goal is to arrange for a tour pro to be sponsored by the Hergert Numbers. I think the definition would look great on a golf bag!

2010 IMACC Conference

2010-03-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

Since I was the president of the Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges (IMACC) for 2009-10, I couldn't help but take advantage of this opportunity to spread the word as much as possible over the course of the annual conference that was my responsibility to program.

Here, I'm pictured with Doug Shaw from the University of Northern Iowa who reacted quite enthusiastically to the Hergert Numbers concept. He was very pleased to be presented with his very own Hergert Numbers t-shirt as a token of my appreciation for the three excellent talks he did on Friday.

Hergert Numbers On Capitol Hill

2009-11-28T17:29:00.000-08:00

The Meenas took a Thanksgiving trip to Washington DC to visit Greg and snapped this photo in front of the Capitol building.

Viva Las Vegas!

2009-11-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

When I heard the AMATYC Annual Conference was going to be in Las Vegas this year, I knew I had to get a shot in front of the sign.

Meena Family Reunion

2009-08-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Here we see the Meena family spreading the word at their family reunion in Indiana.

Spreading the word in China

2009-07-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

Hergert Numbers fan Rachel Swaney took her t-shirt to China to help spread the word internationally. We also get a sense of how the Chinese feel about Hergert Numbers.

The Frisbee

2009-05-07T17:06:00.000-07:00

Today, a Hergert Numbers frisbee appeared outside the Math Department office.

Reviewing for the Final Exam

2009-05-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

Here we see a number of the Hergert Numbers fans reviewing for their Calculus final.

Driveway Art

2009-04-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

I awoke this morning to find some wacky art had been drawn on my driveway in the wee hours of the morning. Among other things, there was the definition of Hergert Numbers. At least the word is being spread in my neighborhood!

IMACC Conference 2009

2009-03-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist wearing my Hergert Numbers shirt to the IMACC Annual Conference. There's no better way to spread the word than at a gathering of math teachers! This photo was actually taken outside a TGI Friday's in Champaign, IL on my way to the conference.

The T-shirts

2009-03-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

I walked into my Calculus class and found about a half dozen students wearing Hergert Numbers t-shirts. Here are a couple pictures of me wearing mine.

This begins the push to popularize this extremely important piece of mathematical terminology. We'll see where it takes us.