Sorting dinosaurs: an opportunity to teach mathematics with biology

With the growing desire for increased communication between mathematics teachers and science teachers there is a need for materials specifically written to help bring about communication at that level which also have potential in class. This paper is concerned with one example, a study of dinosaurs through the algebra of sets, simultaneously exploring and developing a topic in biology and a topic in mathematics by raising a series of questions about dinosaurs which are most effectively answered by means of mathematics.

Initially the questions asked can be answered by means of Venn diagrams, and set notation is no more than an alternative, brief way of expressing the same answer. But systematically the Venn diagrams become more involved and there is a growing dependence upon the algebra of sets so that ultimately answers are sought by that means and Venn diagrams are used (if at all) to reinforce the findings. Very many aspects of set notation and algebra are incorporated into the study and a number of set theories illustrated.

Some aspects of its possible use in class are considered.