Maths can help you win ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors?’
What should you do if you find yourself in an ‘abnormal’ number system? How do you win ‘rock, paper, scissors’? What are the mathematical foundations of The Shard? Why is everybody talking about Fermat’s last theorem? How big is infinity?
The answers to these and a huge (but finite) number of other questions were discussed at the ‘Mathematics in Action’ day held at Warwick University where thirteen Sixth Form students set off to solve some intractable puzzles this week. Mr Rob Gibson, Head of Maths, said ‘The visit to Warwick is part of an extension and enrichment programme which is exposing students to Maths for Maths’ sake for fun. It also demonstrates and the Mathematical processes which are modelling solutions to overcome disease that has become resistant to all anti-biotics.”
John Cotterell recounts the day:
“One of the lectures was particularly interesting as it touched on the problem of the last theorem of Pierre de Fermat. Fermat was a lawyer by trade and enjoyed working at Maths in his evenings. Fermat came up with what seemed to be an unproveable theorem. He said that there would be no whole number solutions that fitted his new puzzle. In his book he wrote “I have a great proof for this theorem but the margin is too small to contain it” and left it at that. Our lecturer, Simon Singh, commissioned a documentary about a man (Andrew Wiles) who tried to find the proof, at the same time showing how Maths could be so inspiring and passionate just like arts subjects. We saw a video of Andrew Wiles, whose childhood dream was to find Fermat’s proof. When he achieved this, he cried that he had done it and showed jubilation when he unveiled his proof at a conference. This painted Maths in a whole different light and showed how fascination of a peculiar bit of Maths could give so much happiness and completeness to someone.”
Mr Robert Gibson – Head of Maths
John Cotterell – Lower Sixth
