regarding giving a talk to engineering student

Question

I hope this question relevant to this place. I am a PhD Student working in Lie algebras. I have to give a talk to Engineering student. Kindly suggests me some books or topics in Mathematics which might admire them towards Mathematics.

I want to show them Mathematics from in the perspective, different from just solving problem and want to do like some interesting historical facts, or explaining them some engineering Mathematics concept how it works and relating them to real life ......

Any idea is appreciated.

Thanks in Advance

Answer 1

Providing a brief idea about the use of number theory in elementary cryptography can be quite interesting. On the other hand, applications of Boolean algebra in simplifying switching circuits can also be fruitful.

Answer 2

You work in Lie algebras. So the topic of Linear Transformation approached geometrically can be one good thing. All engineering students know how to manipulate matrices,calculate eigenvalues and eigenvectors or carry out Gram-Scmidt algorithm. Sometimes they do not know the geometry of orthogonality.

For example proving composition of two 3d rotations is again a 3d notation is not easy to visualize as the axis cannot be guessed. Here matrix calculation comes handy.