Calculating Pi (π)
Pi (π) is the first number we learn about at school where we can’t write it as an exact decimal – it is a mysterious number which has digits which go on forever and has fascinated people for thousands of years.
I love Maths
Did you know …
.. in 1997 the USS Yorktown ground to a halt when one of its computers tried to divide by zero, crashing the entire network and causing the ship to lose control of its propulsion system!
I love Maths
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Mathematics at Aberystwyth University
Aberystwyth was the first university to teach mathematics in Wales and in 2022 we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of “Mathematics by the Sea”. Aberystwyth’s Department of Mathematics offers a broad range of three and four year mathematics degrees.
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Hidden Figures (PG) Review
Hidden Figures tells the true story of three African-American women who worked at NASA in the 1960s. Their story is remarkable for many reasons – not only were they women working in a male dominated research environment – they were also working in a segregated America where Black people weren’t allowed to attend the same […]
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Five famous black mathematicians
You may not have heard about many famous black mathematicians from history. This is because until relatively recently it wasn’t easy for anyone who is black to go to university or have a career in science or mathematics. Despite facing many challenges, there have nevertheless been lots of black heroes of mathematics who have managed […]
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British Winners of the Fields Medal
The Fields Medal is often described as the mathematical equivalent of the Nobel Prize, as it is seen as the most prestigious prize which a mathematician can receive. Up to four Fields Medals are awarded every four years at a special congress, and unlike the Nobel Prize, the Fields Medal can only be won by […]
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The unequalled Robert Recorde
Robert Recorde (1512?–1558) is best known for inventing the equals symbol. Find out more about his life, work, and how he died defending his principles.
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Book Reviews by students and pupils
Ada – A Life and Legacy by Dorothy Stein MIT Press, 2004, £27.95 I chose this book because female mathematicians from this period were rare and I was curious that Lord Byron’s daughter showed mathematical ability when her father was a famous poet. This book is aimed at those who are interested in the history […]
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How to get ants to solve a chess problem
by Graham Kendall, University of Nottingham Take a set of chess pieces and throw them all away except for one knight. Place the knight on any one of the 64 squares of a chess board. Can you make 63 legal moves so that you visit every square on the chess board exactly once? As a reminder, […]
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The Black Heroes of Mathematics
As part of Black History Month, Dr Nira Chamberlain has produced a presentation which celebrates black mathematicians from history.
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What’s the largest number in the world?
If you’ve ever asked what the largest number is during a maths lesson it is quite likely that some bright spark piped up with an answer along the lines of: “That’s easy! It’s infinity of course!” The only problem with infinity is that it isn’t a number as such, as demonstrated by the conversation below […]
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Posau mathemateg gan Gareth Roberts
#posydydd gan @GarethFfowc Dyma rai enghreifftiau o #posydydd gan @GarethFfowc. Mae yna gysylltiad yn aml rhwng y pos a’r dyddiad y cafodd ei bostio ar Twitter. Nid oes angen unrhyw fathemateg gymhleth i’w datrys ond gall parodrwydd i feddwl ‘y tu allan i’r bocs’ fod o gymorth. Pos 1 #posydydd 28/02 Mae ‘pump’ yn […]
