Professor of Mathematics
Degrees:
B.Sc.(Hons) (Cape Town); Ph.D. (Cantab.)
Email: john.webb@uct.ac.za
Honours:
J. Camilleri: Aspects of compactness in convex spaces. M.Sc. 1969.
S.J. Sarembock: Norm-determining subspaces. M.Sc. 1969.
G.F. Diss: The strict topology: theory, generalizations and applications. M.Sc. 1972.
E. Martens: Countable inductive limits. M.Sc. 1972.
J.R. Nichol: Ascent, descent, nullity and defect of linear operators. M.Sc. 1974.
T.A. Marsh: The theory and some applications of Ptak's method of nondiscrete mathematical induction. M.Sc. 1977.
M.H. Burton: Stability of barrelled topologies. M.Sc. 1983.
L.C. Slammert: Bornological locally convex spaces. M.Sc. 1984.
N.R.C. Robertson: Generalized DFspaces. M.Sc. 1984.
N.R.C. Robertson: Separability and metrisability in locally convex spaces. Ph.D. 1991.
D.J. Tucker: An analysis of gender related differences in performance and attitudes of participants in the 1997 UCT Mathematics Competition. M.Sc. 1998.
C. Harris: Errors in South African secondary school mathematics textbooks. M.Sc. 1998.
L. Bowie: A learning theory approach to students' misconceptions in calculus. M.Sc. 1998.
T. Craig: Factors affecting students' perception of difficulty in calculus word problems. M.Sc. 2001.
T. Craig: Promoting Understanding in Mathematical Problem-Solving through Writing: A Piagetian Analysis. Ph.D. 2007 (co-supervisor)
Book:
One equals zero, and other mathematical surprises, by John Webb and
Nitsa Movshovitz-Hadar, pp xvi+168, Key Curriculum Press, 1998.
New edition, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, April 2013.
What is a proof for?, S. Afr. J. Higher Educ. 3 (1989), 139-143.
Mathematical competitions and the mathematician, S. Afr. J. Sci. 85 (1989), 162-163.
Polyhedra and Pell, Int. J. Math. Educ. Sci. Tech. 21(5) (1990), 797-800.
The popularization of science and mathematics, Spectrum 28(2) (1990) 51-54.
The search for mathematical talent in South Africa, Math. Competitions 6(1) (1993) 17-19.
The South African Mathematical Talent Search, Agate 10(1)1996, 19-20.
The tenth Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad, Mathematics Competitions, 13(1)2000, 80-89.
The mathematics of the calendar. Spectrum 37(1) (2000) 34-43.
The Euler tiling formula. Int. J. Math. Educ. Sci. Tech. 32(5) (2001) 782-788.
Mathematical excellence in Iran, Notices S.A. Math. Soc. 33(2), 2002, 154-158.
South Africa and the International Mathematical Olympiad, AMESA News 28 (2003), 6-7,9.
Writing for television: Kato's conjecture, ketchup and earthquakes, Learning and Teaching Mathematics 5, 2007, 19-20.
IMECT2 report on the MOTIVATE project.Click here for another site for the report.
South Africa and the Pan African and International Mathematical Olympiads.
Vector Algebra and Geometry (April - June 1975 ten lectures)
The Development of Elementary Mathematics (Summer School 1978 five lectures)
Excursions in Mathematics (April - June 1979 ten lectures)
Mathematics on Vacation (Summer School 1987 five lectures)
Midsummer Maths (Summer School 1991 five lectures)
Mathematical Fun and Games (Summer School 1996 - five lectures)
A Mathematical Delicatessen (Summer School 1999 - five lectures)
Mathematical Rambles (Summer School 2010 - three lectures)
QI Maths (Summer School 2012 - three lectures)
Editor, Mathematical Digest (1971-present date)
Director, UCT Mathematical Competition(1987-present date)
Secretary, International Mathematical Olympiad Advisory Board (2000-2012)
Member, International Mathematical Olympiad Advisory Board (2012-present date)
Local Organizer, International Mathematical Olympiad (Cape Town, July 2014)