WSU Presents “Do Dogs Know Calculus?”
WINONA, Minn. – Winona State University will host Timothy Pennings and his Welsh corgi, Elvis, in “Do Dogs Know Calculus?” from 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, in Stark Hall, Room 103.
A standard calculus problem is to find the quickest path from a point on shore to a point in the lake, given that running speed is greater than swimming speed. In this talk, Pennings will demonstrate what was found when he experimentally tested Elvis’s ability to solve calculus problems during games of fetch at Lake Michigan. Elvis, who has never had a calculus course, appears to choose paths close to the calculus answer.
Elvis will be available for follow-up questions.
Pennings is a professor of mathematics at Hope College in Holland, Mich. His research interests are dynamical systems, mathematical modeling and the infinite. He enjoys kayaking, cross-country skiing, racquetball, ultimate Frisbee and Ping-Pong. Elvis enjoys chasing squirrels.
















