This paper begins with a basic overview of the key concepts of classical and virtual knot theory. After introductions to concepts such as knot diagrams, Reidemeister moves, and virtual links, the paper discusses the bikei algebraic structure and the fundamental bikei. The paper describes an algorithm that converts fundamental bikei presentations to matrix representations, and then completes the resulting matrices. These completed matrices can return the value of two link invariants.

In this thesis we study Kähler groups and their connections to Geometric Group Theory. This work presents substantial progress on three central questions in the field: (1) Which subgroups of direct products of surface groups are Kähler? (2) Which Kähler groups admit a classifying space with finite (n-1)-skeleton but no classifying space with finitely many n-cells? (3) Is it possible to give explicit finite presentations for any of the groups constructed in response to Question 2? Question 1 was raised by Delzant and Gromov. Question 2 is intimately related to Question 1: the non-trivial examples of Kähler subgroups of direct products of surface groups never admit a classifying space with finite skeleton. The only known source of non-trivial examples for Questions 1 and 2 are fundamental groups of fibres of holomorphic maps from a direct product of closed surfaces onto an elliptic curve; the first such construction is due to Dimca, Papadima and Suciu. Question 3 was posed by Suciu in the context of these examples. In this thesis we: provide the first constraints on Kähler subdirect products of surface groups (<strong>Theorem 7.3.1</strong>); develop new construction methods for Kähler groups from maps onto higher-dimensional complex tori (<strong>Section 6.1</strong>); apply these methods to obtain irreducible examples of Kähler subgroups of direct products of surface groups which arise from maps onto higher-dimensional tori and use them to show that our conditions in Theorem 7.3.1 are minimal (<strong>Theorem A</strong>); apply our construction methods to produce irreducible examples of Kähler groups that (i) have a classifying space with finite (n-1)-skeleton but no classifying space with finite n-skeleton and (ii) do not have a subgroup of finite index which embeds in a direct product of surface groups (<strong>Theorem 8.3.1</strong>); provide a new proof of Biswas, Mj and Pancholi's generalisation of Dimca, Papadima and Suciu's construction to more general maps onto elliptic curves (<strong>Theorem 4.3.2</strong>) and introduce invariants that distinguish many of the groups obtained from this construction (<strong>Theorem 4.6.2</strong>); and, construct explicit finite presentations for Dimca, Papadima and Suciu's groups thereby answering Question 3 (<strong>Theorem 5.4.4)</strong>).

Let Ω ⊂ Rn be a bounded Lipschitz domain and consider the energy functional F[u, Ω] := ∫ Ω F(∇u(x)) dx, over the space Ap(Ω) := {u ∈ W 1,p(Ω, Rn): u|∂Ω = x, det ∇u> 0 a.e. in Ω}, where the integrand F : Mn×n → R is quasiconvex, sufficiently regular and satisfies a p-coercivity and p-growth for some exponent p ∈ [1, ∞[. A motivation for the study of above energy functional comes from nonlinear elasticity where F represents the elastic energy of a homogeneous hyperelastic material and Ap(Ω) represents the space of orientation preserving deformations of Ω fixing the boundary pointwise. The aim of this thesis is to discuss the question of multiplicity versus uniqueness for extremals and strong local minimizers of F and the relation it bares to the domain topology. Our work, building upon previous works of others, explicitly and quantitatively confirms the significant role of domain topology, and provides explicit and new examples as well as methods for constructing such maps. Our approach for constructing strong local minimizers is topological in nature and is based on defining suitable homotopy classes in Ap(Ω) (for p ≥ n), whereby minimizing F on each class results in, modulo technicalities, a strong local minimizer. Here we work on a prototypical example of a topologically non-trivial domain, namely, a generalised annulus, Ω= {x ∈ Rn : a< |x| <b}, with 0 <a<b< ∞. Then the associated homotopy classes of Ap(Ω) are infinitely many when n =2 and two when n ≥ 3. In contrast, for constructing explicitly and directly solutions to the system of Euler-Lagrange equations associated to F we introduce a topological class of maps referred to as generalised twists and relate the problem to extremising an associated energy on the compact Lie group SO(n). The main result is a surprising discrepancy between even and odd dimensions. In even dimensions the latter system of equations admits infinitely many smooth solutions, modulo isometries, amongst such maps whereas in odd dimensions this number reduces to one. Even more surprising is the fact that in odd dimensions the functional F admits strong local minimizers yet no solution of the Euler-Lagrange equations can be in the form of a generalised twist. Thus the strong local minimizers here do not have the symmetry one intuitively expects!.

This dissertation is divided into four chapters. In Chapter 2 the equivariant homology groups of upper order ideals in the partition lattice are computed. The homology groups of these filters are written in terms of border strip Specht modules as well as in terms of links in an associated complex in the lattice of compositions. The classification is used to reproduce topological calculations of many well-studied subcomplexes of the partition lattice, including the d-divisible partition lattice and the Frobenius complex. In Chapter 3 the box polynomial B_{m,n}(x) is defined in terms of all integer partitions that fit in an m by n box. The real roots of the box polynomial are completely characterized, and an asymptotically tight bound on the norms of the complex roots is also given. An equivalent definition of the box polynomial is given via applications of the finite difference operator Delta to the monomial x^{m+n}. The box polynomials are also used to find identities counting set partitions with all even or odd blocks, respectively. Chapter 4 extends results from Chapter 3 to give combinatorial proofs for the ordinary generating function for set partitions with all even or all odd block sizes, respectively. This is achieved by looking at a multivariable generating function analog of the Stirling numbers of the second kind using restricted growth words. Chapter 5 introduces a colored variant of the ordered partition lattice, denoted Q_n^{\alpha}, as well an associated complex known as the alpha-colored permutahedron, whose face poset is Q_n^\alpha. Connections between the Eulerian polynomials and Stirling numbers of the second kind are developed via the fibers of a map from Q_n^{\alpha} to the symmetric group on n-elements

Using rulers and protractors, we will analyze scale factors when dilating shapes. Participants will double and triple various triangles. Our discussion and activity will focus on the mathematics of similar figures including angle measures, scale factors, and algebraic rules that can be used to predict how the figures are affected.

Participants will investigate the results of doubling & tripling the dimensions of triangles. Mathematical foci include measurement, area, perimeter, and similarity & congruence.

This thesis explores functionally Alexandroff topologies and the order theory asso- ciated when considering the collection of such topologies on some set X. We present several theorems about the properties of these topologies as well as their partially ordered set. The first chapter introduces functionally Alexandroff topologies and motivates why this work is of interest to topologists. This chapter explains the historical context of this relatively new type of topology and how this work relates to previous work in topology. Chapter 2 presents several theorems describing properties of functionally Alexandroff topologies ad presents a characterization for the functionally Alexandroff topologies on a finite set X. The third and fourth chapters present facts about the lattice of functionally Alexandroff topologies, with Chapter 4 being dedicated to an algorithm which generates a complement in this lattice.

An affine transformation such as T(P)=Q is a locus of an affine conic. Any affine conic can be produced from this incidence construction. The affine type of conic (ellipse, parabola, hyperbola) is determined by the invariants of T, the determinant and trace of its linear part. The purpose of this thesis is to obtain a corresponding classification in the hyperbolic plane of conics defined by this construction.

The focus of this project consists of investigating when a ruled surface is a minimal surface. A minimal surface is a surface with zero mean curvature. In this project the basic terminology of differential geometry will be discussed including examples where the terminology will be applied to the different subjects of differential geometry. In addition the focus will be on a classical theorem of minimal surfaces referred to as the Plateau's Problem.

A 3-map is a 3-region colorable map. They have been studied by Craft and White in their paper 3-maps. This thesis introduces topological graph theory and then investigates 3-maps in detail, including examples, special types of 3-maps, the use of 3-maps to find the genus of special graphs, and a generalization known as n-maps.