Entertainment

Career profiles

Career profiles

What do mathematicians do all day?

iPod shuffle

Do iPods really shuffle?

Switching to shuffle is a great way of changing up your playlist, but a random mix isn't always best.

SLR Camera

Multiple exposures

If you want to be a top photographer, learning ratios and sequences will get you the best results.

Pythagorean Theorem

A mathematical legacy

Pythagoras was an ancient Greek philosopher who discovered the mathematical structure behind music during the 6th century BC. He was one of the first people to study the properties of numbers, and the relationships between them. As well as recognising the maths of music, he came up the famous theorem for the sides of a right-angled triangle: a² + b² = c².

Paint room

Fabrics and formulas

Time for a home makeover? A few calculations will help get the job done.

Guitar

The harmony of numbers

The maths of music is more than just keeping the beat – it also helps musicians stay in tune!

snowflake

Symmetry, geometry … dance?

It’s not quite Strictly Come Dancing, but dancers and choreographers use maths in their work all the time.

Claymation

Maths in motion

From Call of Duty to Wallace & Gromit, animators apply their maths skills to bring characters to life.