Elvis the Calculus Dog Calculus. The word that strikes fear into
the hearts of mathematically-challenged students everywhere is a
breeze for Elvis, the lovable dog of Hope College professor Dr.
Tim Pennings. Dr. Roland Minton, professor of math, physics and
computer science at Roanoke, found an article in The College
Mathematics Journal by Pennings, a professor at Hope College in
Holland, Michigan, about the dog whom Pennings claimed could do
calculus. Elvis is a 6-year-old Welsh-Corgie mix and has been
the inspiration for much of Pennings’ calculus observations. The
article stemmed from a trip to Lake Michigan when Pennings
tossed a tennis ball into the water and watched as Elvis raced
to grab it. Pennings noticed that Elvis’ process of retrieving
the ball could be transferred into a mathematical equation. He
set up an experiment with his students to determine whether
Elvis would instinctively choose the optimal path - that is, the
most efficient route to the ball. The optimal path allows the
person (or dog)