RUNNING HEAD: COMMUNITY RESOURCES: BISHNU SHARMA

Community Resources: Bishnu Sharma

Lisbeth Gratereaux
International College of the Cayman Islands
MAT 101
Mr. Kurk Mckenzie
December 10, 2016

Community Resources: Bishnu Sharma

In our introduction to algebra class (MAT 101) we were introduce to Mr. Sharma. He is a
gentleman who is from Nepal, and has acquired a variety of mathematical degrees. He has a
Master of Science degree in Mathematics, a Bachelors degree in Mathematics, and a Bachelor
of Education in Mathematics. I would like to describe Mr. Sharma as a walking mathematics
book. Even though he had difficulties to communicate verbally with us, his methods and
mathematical understanding were well presented through the numbers. During his presentation
he thought us that there are many methods to solve linear equations. He referred to the two
variable equations such as this ax +by=C 1

as simple something that I personally find

difficult. He also introduced us to the Gauss Elimination Method, this method according to
Wikipedia:
Is an algorithm for solving systems of linear equations. It is usually understood as a sequence of
operations performed on the corresponding matrix of coefficients. This method can also be used
to find the rank of a matrix, to calculate the determinant of a matrix, and to calculate the inverse
of an invertible square matrix.
Mr. Sharma informed us that the method is named after Carl Friedrich Gauss who was
born in 1777, and died 1855. He also mentioned that in other words, the method can solve a
linear equation of large variables, up to 5 onwards.
To be fair, it was quite a challenge understanding Mr. Sharma. He also had difficulties
speaking English. As I mentioned earlier he is from Nepal and his language was not a barrier for
Mr. Sharma to successfully teach us the Gauss Elimination Method. The great thing about
mathematics is that anywhere in the world you, 2 always mean 2. According to Mr. Sharma, his

Community Resources: Bishnu Sharma

brothers goal was to make him study for engineering. However, in Nepal the studies to become
an engineer are very costly; so this is why he chose to study mathematics.
After the earthquake in Nepal on April, 2015, of a magnitude of 7.8 (The Atlantic, n.d) he
decided to come to the Cayman Islands. The earthquake was followed by an aftershock of 7.3
that killed almost nine thousand people, and destroyed over eight hundred thousand homes (The
Atlantic, n.d). There was a point where Mr. Sharma almost got emotional, and said the world is
our home.
Besides learning the Gauss Elimination method from Mr. Sharma, I also learned that in
mathematics language is not a barrier. That we may have expectations for ourselves, and our
families but that some of those expectations are not met is okay, because there are other
opportunities within our possibilities.

Community Resources: Bishnu Sharma

References
Gaussian elimination. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2016, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaussian_elimination

N. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2016, from http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2016/04/nepalsearthquakes-one-year-later/479772/

Sharma, B. (2016, November 28). Community Resources Presentation. Lecture presented at

Community Resources in International College of the Cayman Islands, George Town.