NEWSLETTER No. 9 December 1983

Contents

• Newsletter
• D. Hurley: Editorial 3
• Irish Mathematical Society
• Personal Items 5
• Articles
  • M. Clancy: Simple Geometric Proofs in Linear Algebra 8
  • R.G. Flood Population Biology of Infectious Diseases 12
  • T. J. Laffey Van der Waerden's Conjecture on Permanents 28
  • M.W. Liebeck Applications of the Classification of Finite Simple Groups 41
  • N O'Murchadha Asymptotic Behaviour of Gravitational Instantons on $\mathbb{R}^4$ 48
• Mathematical Education
• J. O'Donoghue Knowing 'about' Mathematics: A Focus on Teaching 55
• Reviews
• P. Fitzpatrick: Combinatorics on Words 67
• J.W. Bruce:Calculus and Analytic Geometry 71
• R. Aron:The Convolution Product and Some Applications 76
• M. Kline:Mathematical Snapshots 79
• P. Rippon: Problems Page 81
• Conference Reports 83
  • M.J.A. O'Callaghan: Irish Mechanics Group Conference
  83
  • C. Walter: Summer School on Combinatorial Optimisation
  85
• Conference Announcements 87