the digital math fork (branch) & crypto

[kirby urner]

Given enormous pressure on K-12 to incorporate

more computer science for real, I've been extending

a campaign started by Software Association of Oregon

(name since changed) to provide a second / alternative

math track at the high school level that might put less

emphasis on calculus, yet still be for a college-bound

and/or higher ed bound cohort, including for those
interested in STEM careers.

I've used somewhat quirky language to map out the

campaign's strategy, branding conventional pre-calc

/ calc as "delta calculus" in contrast to a more discrete,

digital calculus I've connected to the Greek letter lambda.

These associations were not arbitrary.  Delta calc is about

infinitely small changes adding up to cumulative effects,

whereas lambda calc is more based in the on-or-off

quantum world of discontinuous gaps.

Along the lambda track I've put topics in cryptography,

which in turn invokes topics in probability and number

theory.  We want to understand how public key cryptography

works.  I've mentioned RSA a few times, and included it in

my diagrams.  "RSA is embedded in every web browser"

is one of my talking points.

However, we need to expand our horizons and look at helping

students making sense of Blockchain and in particular Bitcoin
as an enterprise.  As a math teacher, I might typically assign

Youtubes for homework.  Here are the four I'd recommend:

Math homework:  Lambda Calc Track
Topic:  Intro to crypto-currencies

https://youtu.be/YIVAluSL9SU  (Blockchain PR, professional...)
https://youtu.be/Lx9zgZCMqXE  (deeper....)
https://youtu.be/l9jOJk30eQs  (more technical...)
https://youtu.be/vnm4xFC2xNo  (a bad experience, amateur...)
https://youtu.be/JqnbtFHlOsAm (end user explains...)

Kirby