What have mathematicians done for us?
Chris Budd
Mathematics is completely useless
Mathematicians are evil souless geeks
All Mathematicians are mad!
Some common views on math and mathematicians
Find local news
Home UK World Business Politics Tech Science Health
US & Canada US Election 2016
8 May 2016 US & Canada
Flight delayed after passenger
becomes suspicious of equation
We can't fly on together with suspicious maths: the flight was delayed for two hours
An Italian economist says his flight was delayed after a fellow
passenger saw him working on a differential equation and
alerted the cabin crew.
Guido Menzio was taken off and questioned by agents who did
not identify themselves, after the woman next to him said she felt
ill.
Share
SPL
News Sport Weather iPlayer TV Radio
Flight delayed after passenger becomes suspicious of equation -... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-36240523
1 of 5 30/09/2016 10:34
This can cause
serious problems
The modern world would not exist without math
Math lies at the heart of all modern technology
And it is completely false
But still …
Too few people recognize that
the high technology so
celebrated today is essentially a
mathematical technology
Edward David, ex-president of
Exxon R&D
Possible reasons for this
1. Mathematics is quite hard to define
Today, no consensus on the definition of mathematics prevails, even
among professionals. There is not even consensus on whether
mathematics is an art or a science. A great many professional
mathematicians take no interest in a definition of mathematics, or
consider it undefinable. Some just say, "Mathematics is what
mathematicians do.” [Wikipedia]
My own ‘definition’ is that math is …
2. No one knows who mathematicians are
Maxwell and the discovery of electromagnetic waves
Electromagnetism, radio, WiFi,TV, radar, mobile phones,
microwaves all come from the work of Maxwell!
The most famous ever female mathematician?
Florence Nightingale
Medical statistics
3. Math is vital but like the air we breath is often invisible
Now show how math has changed history
1. Early math, and the quadratic equation
1. Math and music
1. Math amazes the Internet
2. Math makes waves
3. Math saves lives
4. Math helps us communicate
5. Where next?
Abstract math
The virtuous circle of math
Applications of math
Good things happen here
1. Early math and the quadratic equation
Early people counted on their fingers
This led to the natural numbers 1,2,3,4,5 ….
Numbers
recorded on
Babylonian
cuneiform
tablets
Important early mathematical problems
I have 7 cows, the taxman takes 5, how many do I have now?
I have 5 cows, the taxman takes 7, how many do I have now?
I have 5 cows and 3 children. How many cows do they get?
Gives us the integers, negative numbers and fractions
1, 0 , -1, -2 , 3/5, 7/8, 9/7, …
Leading to number theory, discrete mathematics, cryptography
Taxman again:
I want you to double the amount of crops that you give me
Area 1
1
Area 2
x
Early calculation of the square root of
2 = 1.4142135623730950488…
Quadratic equation
Irrational number .. Led ultimately to mathematical analysis
Similar looking
equation:
Some musical notes sound better when played
together than others
The notes C and G
(a perfect 5th)
The notes C and E
(a perfect 3rd)
The octave C to C
2. Mathematical music
Reason was discovered by Pythagoras
Length of strings giving C and G, and C and E,
were in simple fractional proportions
C:C … 2/1 C:G … 3/2 C:E … 4/3
A right-angled triangle opined
My hypotenuse squared is refined
For if any one cares
It’s the sum of the squares
Of my other two sides when combined!
Pythagoras invented the Just Scale .. Sequence of notes
with frequencies in simple fractional proportions
1 : 9/8 : 5/4 : 4/3 : 3/2 : 5/3 : 15/8 : 2
Problem: Keyboard instruments could only be tuned for one key
Mathematicians invented a new Well Tempered scale with all
notes in the same proportion
A geometric progression of the semi-tone frequencies, ratio
which works well in all keys
Mathematical ‘fluke’:
Interval C:G on the well tempered scale
Which is very close to 3/2
Well tempered scale sounds good
Wouldn’t work any like so well if there were not 12
semi-tones in the scale
3. Math amazes the Internet
One of the earliest myths which features both math and
computer science is the story of Theseus and the Minotaur
Draw a labyrinth starting from a seed
Labyrinths on the underground
Mark Wallinger
Later became the Puzzle maze eg. Hampton Court
Solved by Euler, who developed the theory of networks to do it
Maze Network
Facebook Network
Understanding networks, combined with Matrix Theory (due to
Cayley) and eigenvectors
also forms a major part of the algorithms behind
Wolfram
4. Math makes waves
Heat
equation
Fourier was studying the
temperature T of a heated bar
IDEA: Express T in terms of simpler building bricks
Solve a set of simple problems in terms of these
Astonishing idea
Build T out of sines and cosines
Fourier Series
Now use Fourier series to make up any shape of wave
Example: Computing the tides using
Kelvin’s tidal computer
Used in D-Day
Now the basis of the modern synthesizer and most of
modern electronics
Babbage’s difference engine
Designed to compute the tables for maritime navigation
Ideas behind it led directly to the modern computer
4. Mathematicians save lives
Radon 1917
Studied shadows cast by objects
Can you reconstruct a shape just by knowing its shadows?
WhatHaveJMM.ppt
Shadow
Object (find using ideas from Fourier)
Modern CAT (Computerised Axial Tomography) scanner implements this
and related formulae to look inside you.
Also used to
X-ray mummies
Detect land mines
Save bees
6. Math communicates
Error correcting codes.
Used to store the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and other data
in such a way that any errors can not only be detected but
corrected.
Work by representing the numbers by codes which are as
different as possible so we can still tell the right answer
even if it has mistakes in it
Invented in the 1940s by Shannon and Hamming in the Bell Labs
Using very fancy maths (Galois theory)
Examples of Error correcting codes.
Hamming (7,4) code 1950: Uses three parity digits
Can correct and detect a single bit error
Original message x = (d1,d2,d3,d4)
Transmitted code y = (p1,p2,d1,p3,d2,d3,d4)
Linear code y = G x
Receive code z instead of y
Magic of the method:
Calculate d = H z
If d = (0 0 0) then z has no errors
Otherwise d reversed is the binary digit of the error
Reed-Solomon code 1960 Polynomials over finite fields
This brief overview of what mathematicians have done
for us is meant mainly to whet your appetite.
There many more applications of mathematics to the
modern world,
and the latest developments in math are likely to lead
to even newer technologies
You are the people who will lead us
forward in this!
And finally ….

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WhatHaveJMM.ppt

  • 1. What have mathematicians done for us? Chris Budd
  • 2. Mathematics is completely useless Mathematicians are evil souless geeks All Mathematicians are mad! Some common views on math and mathematicians
  • 3. Find local news Home UK World Business Politics Tech Science Health US & Canada US Election 2016 8 May 2016 US & Canada Flight delayed after passenger becomes suspicious of equation We can't fly on together with suspicious maths: the flight was delayed for two hours An Italian economist says his flight was delayed after a fellow passenger saw him working on a differential equation and alerted the cabin crew. Guido Menzio was taken off and questioned by agents who did not identify themselves, after the woman next to him said she felt ill. Share SPL News Sport Weather iPlayer TV Radio Flight delayed after passenger becomes suspicious of equation -... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-36240523 1 of 5 30/09/2016 10:34 This can cause serious problems
  • 4. The modern world would not exist without math Math lies at the heart of all modern technology And it is completely false
  • 5. But still … Too few people recognize that the high technology so celebrated today is essentially a mathematical technology Edward David, ex-president of Exxon R&D
  • 6. Possible reasons for this 1. Mathematics is quite hard to define Today, no consensus on the definition of mathematics prevails, even among professionals. There is not even consensus on whether mathematics is an art or a science. A great many professional mathematicians take no interest in a definition of mathematics, or consider it undefinable. Some just say, "Mathematics is what mathematicians do.” [Wikipedia] My own ‘definition’ is that math is …
  • 7. 2. No one knows who mathematicians are Maxwell and the discovery of electromagnetic waves Electromagnetism, radio, WiFi,TV, radar, mobile phones, microwaves all come from the work of Maxwell!
  • 8. The most famous ever female mathematician? Florence Nightingale Medical statistics
  • 9. 3. Math is vital but like the air we breath is often invisible
  • 10. Now show how math has changed history 1. Early math, and the quadratic equation 1. Math and music 1. Math amazes the Internet 2. Math makes waves 3. Math saves lives 4. Math helps us communicate 5. Where next?
  • 11. Abstract math The virtuous circle of math Applications of math Good things happen here
  • 12. 1. Early math and the quadratic equation Early people counted on their fingers This led to the natural numbers 1,2,3,4,5 …. Numbers recorded on Babylonian cuneiform tablets
  • 13. Important early mathematical problems I have 7 cows, the taxman takes 5, how many do I have now? I have 5 cows, the taxman takes 7, how many do I have now? I have 5 cows and 3 children. How many cows do they get? Gives us the integers, negative numbers and fractions 1, 0 , -1, -2 , 3/5, 7/8, 9/7, … Leading to number theory, discrete mathematics, cryptography
  • 14. Taxman again: I want you to double the amount of crops that you give me Area 1 1 Area 2 x
  • 15. Early calculation of the square root of 2 = 1.4142135623730950488… Quadratic equation Irrational number .. Led ultimately to mathematical analysis Similar looking equation:
  • 16. Some musical notes sound better when played together than others The notes C and G (a perfect 5th) The notes C and E (a perfect 3rd) The octave C to C 2. Mathematical music
  • 17. Reason was discovered by Pythagoras Length of strings giving C and G, and C and E, were in simple fractional proportions C:C … 2/1 C:G … 3/2 C:E … 4/3
  • 18. A right-angled triangle opined My hypotenuse squared is refined For if any one cares It’s the sum of the squares Of my other two sides when combined!
  • 19. Pythagoras invented the Just Scale .. Sequence of notes with frequencies in simple fractional proportions 1 : 9/8 : 5/4 : 4/3 : 3/2 : 5/3 : 15/8 : 2
  • 20. Problem: Keyboard instruments could only be tuned for one key Mathematicians invented a new Well Tempered scale with all notes in the same proportion A geometric progression of the semi-tone frequencies, ratio which works well in all keys
  • 21. Mathematical ‘fluke’: Interval C:G on the well tempered scale Which is very close to 3/2 Well tempered scale sounds good Wouldn’t work any like so well if there were not 12 semi-tones in the scale
  • 22. 3. Math amazes the Internet One of the earliest myths which features both math and computer science is the story of Theseus and the Minotaur
  • 23. Draw a labyrinth starting from a seed
  • 24. Labyrinths on the underground Mark Wallinger
  • 25. Later became the Puzzle maze eg. Hampton Court Solved by Euler, who developed the theory of networks to do it
  • 28. Understanding networks, combined with Matrix Theory (due to Cayley) and eigenvectors also forms a major part of the algorithms behind Wolfram
  • 29. 4. Math makes waves Heat equation Fourier was studying the temperature T of a heated bar IDEA: Express T in terms of simpler building bricks Solve a set of simple problems in terms of these
  • 30. Astonishing idea Build T out of sines and cosines Fourier Series
  • 31. Now use Fourier series to make up any shape of wave
  • 32. Example: Computing the tides using Kelvin’s tidal computer Used in D-Day Now the basis of the modern synthesizer and most of modern electronics
  • 33. Babbage’s difference engine Designed to compute the tables for maritime navigation Ideas behind it led directly to the modern computer
  • 34. 4. Mathematicians save lives Radon 1917 Studied shadows cast by objects Can you reconstruct a shape just by knowing its shadows?
  • 36. Shadow Object (find using ideas from Fourier)
  • 37. Modern CAT (Computerised Axial Tomography) scanner implements this and related formulae to look inside you. Also used to X-ray mummies Detect land mines Save bees
  • 39. Error correcting codes. Used to store the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and other data in such a way that any errors can not only be detected but corrected.
  • 40. Work by representing the numbers by codes which are as different as possible so we can still tell the right answer even if it has mistakes in it Invented in the 1940s by Shannon and Hamming in the Bell Labs Using very fancy maths (Galois theory)
  • 41. Examples of Error correcting codes. Hamming (7,4) code 1950: Uses three parity digits Can correct and detect a single bit error
  • 42. Original message x = (d1,d2,d3,d4) Transmitted code y = (p1,p2,d1,p3,d2,d3,d4) Linear code y = G x
  • 43. Receive code z instead of y Magic of the method: Calculate d = H z If d = (0 0 0) then z has no errors Otherwise d reversed is the binary digit of the error
  • 44. Reed-Solomon code 1960 Polynomials over finite fields
  • 45. This brief overview of what mathematicians have done for us is meant mainly to whet your appetite. There many more applications of mathematics to the modern world, and the latest developments in math are likely to lead to even newer technologies You are the people who will lead us forward in this! And finally ….