About Convergence

Editors:  Amy Ackerberg-Hastings, Janet Heine Barnett

Editor-Elect:  Daniel E. Otero

Associate Editors:  Eugene Boman, Ximena Catepillan, Abe Edwards, Toke Knudsen, Stacy Langton, Betty Mayfield, Adam Parker, Andrew Perry, Adrian Rice, Laura Turner

Founding Editors:  Victor Katz, Frank Swetz

Convergence: Where Mathematics, History, and Teaching Meet, is the MAA's free online journal about the history of mathematics and its use in teaching. Aimed at teachers of mathematics at both the secondary and collegiate levels, Convergence includes topics from grades 8–16 mathematics, with special emphasis on topics from grades 8–14: algebra, combinatorics, synthetic and analytic geometry, trigonometry, probability and statistics, elementary functions, calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra.

Convergence resources for using the history of mathematics in the teaching of mathematics range from informative articles about the history of mathematics to teaching tools such as Mathematical Treasures, a collection of digital images of mathematical objects and texts from many museums and libraries.

We also have collections of portraits and snapshots of mathematicians that you may use in your classroom without special permission.

Besides historical images, articles about the history of mathematical topics from grades 8–16, translations of original sources, and classroom activities, projects, and modules, Convergence offers the following resources:

• Reviews of new and old books, websites, and other teaching aids that focus on utility in the classroom.
  (See Critics Corner, at left, in order to browse the whole collection of reviews. You may also search for reviews by author, title, or keyword, or browse the reviews listed in our annual Tables of Contents.)
• Historical problems.
  View problems from throughout the history of mathematics organized chronologically, geographically, or by subject.  Or browse the whole collection of Problems from Another Time, at left, which also includes articles with problem sets for students.
• "On This Day" is a listing of three or four historic mathematical events that happened on each date.
  (See today's listings at the Convergence Home Page or pick any day you like at On This Day.)
• Quotations. 
  (See "Today's Quotation" at the Convergence Home Page or browse the searchable database of quotations.)
• The Calendar is an up-to-date guide to conferences and exhibits around the world that feature or include the history of mathematics and its use in teaching. It can be accessed from the Convergence Home Page.

Browse articles in our annual Tables of Contents. See What's in Convergence?

How can you get involved in the Convergence enterprise?

• Use teaching tools such as "Mathematical Treasures" in your classroom and tell us about your experiences.
  (See Guidelines for Convergence Authors – Classroom testimonials)
• Develop teaching tools and modules for your classroom based on articles in Convergence and share them with us.
  (See Guidelines for Convergence Authors – Classroom activities, projects, and modules)
• Become a Convergence author.
  (See Guidelines for Convergence Authors)
• Become a Convergence referee. If you would be willing to serve as a referee for articles submitted to Convergence, please contact Convergence editors Amy Ackerberg-Hastings and Janet Heine Barnett to let them know what topics and types of articles you would prefer to review.

Convergence was founded in 2004 by Victor J. Katz, of the University of the District of Columbia, and Frank J. Swetz, of the Pennsylvania State University, with funding from the National Science Foundation, and was edited by Katz and Swetz for over five years. On July 1, 2009, Janet Beery, University of Redlands, and Kathy Clark, Florida State University, took over editorial duties, with Katz and Swetz as advisors. Janet Beery served as editor from 2009 to 2019. Amy Ackerberg-Hastings and Janet Heine Barnett are currently serving 2019–2023 terms as co-editors of Convergence. Daniel E. Otero began a one-year term as editor-elect in January 2023.

In addition to the associate editors listed at the top of this page, Amy Ackerberg-Hastings, Janet Heine Barnett, Maureen Carroll, Kathy Clark, Lawrence D'Antonio, Doug Ensley, Joel Haack, Victor Katz, Michael Molinsky, Daniel E. Otero, Elyn Rykken, Gabriela Sanchis, Randy Schwartz, Amy Shell-Gellasch, Jody Sorensen, Lee Stemkoski, Gary Stoudt, Frank Swetz, and Erik Tou have served as associate editors of Convergence.

Since 2009, the following individuals have served as referees for Convergence: Francine Abeles, Amy Ackerberg-Hastings, Patricia Allaire, Helmer Aslaksen, Eisso Atzema, Patricia Baggett, Janet Heine Barnett, David Bellhouse, Paul Bialek, Jessica Bishop, Mark Bollman, Martin Bonsangue, Robert Bradley, William Branson, David Bressoud, Bruce Burdick, Pam Crawford, Ximena Catepillan, Stephanie Cawthorne, Kathleen Clark, McKenzie (Ken) Clements, Jessica Cohen, Benjamin V. C. Collins, Don Crossfield, Antonella Cupillari, Daniel Curtin, Ubiratan D’Ambrosio, Lawrence D'Antonio, Sloan Despeaux, John C.D. Diamantopoulos, Thomas Drucker, Underwood Dudley, William Dunham, Corey Dunn, Abe Edwards, Harold Edwards, Andrzej Ehrenfeucht, Nerida Ellerton, Robert Ely, James Evans, Florence Fasanelli, Adam Fletcher, Michael Fried, Judith Grabiner, Shirley Gray, Scott Guthery, Kurt Herzinger, Cynthia Huffman, Patti Wilger Hunter, Annette Imhausen, Andrew Izsak, Richard Jardine, Herbert Kasube, Victor Katz, Dan Kemp, Deborah Kent, James Kiernan, Jeremy Kilpatrick, Toke Knudsen, Jeanne LaDuke, Ewa Łakoma, Stacy Langton, Christine Latulippe, Chuck Lindsey, Jerry Lodder, Betty Mayfield, John McCleary, Colin McKinney, Richard McKirahan, Shawn McMurran, Duncan Melville, Edie Mendez, Walter Meyer, Zoë Misiewicz, Michael Molinsky, Sandra Monteferrante, Clemency Montelle, Frank Morgan, Roger Nelsen, Sylvia Nickerson, Jeffrey Oaks, Daniel Otero, Adam Parker, Karen Parshall, David Pengelley, Andrew Perry, Salvatore Petrilli, Chris Phillips, Anthony Piccolino, Kim Plofker, Mary Pratt-Cotter, Laura Pyzdrowski, Adrian Rice, David Richeson, Fred Rickey, Larry Riddle, David Lindsay Roberts, Robert Rogers, Gabriela Sanchis, Randy Schwartz, Amy Shell-Gellasch, Jorge-Nuno Silva, Joel Silverberg, Charlotte Simmons, Shai Simonson, James T. Smith, Robert Stein, Lee Stemkoski, Julianne Stockton, Gary Stoudt, Jeff Suzuki, Frank Swetz, James Tattersall, Scott Taylor, John Thoo, Eve Torrence, Erik Tou, Patrick Touhey, Glen Van Brummelen, Gerard Venema, Robert Wisner, and Maria Zack.

Technical assistance has been provided by Yakov Boyko, Douglas Ensley, John Ensley, Maia Henley, Thomas Leathrum, Lawrence (Lang) Moore, Simon Park, Marc Renault, Gabriela Sanchis, Lee Stemkoski, Gary Stoudt, Erica Teal, Erik Tou, Laura Turner, and the many authors whose articles include animation, interactivity, and/or sound!

Convergence Home Page