Mathematics: a powerful tool
An introduction to the tracks on this album.
Exploring mathematics: a powerful tool - for iPad/Mac/PC
enJuly 15, 2009
Exploring mathematics: a powerful tool - for iPad/Mac/PC
How can mathematics help us to understand the world around us? The tracks on this album take us to Antarctica, Hong Kong and New Zealand to find out how mathematicians work with scientists and biologists to create mathematical models, and how collaborations like these can help decipher and predict a range of natural phenomena. We learn how the 17th Century saw the birth of one of the most important mathematical tools - calculus, and modern mathematicians examine the contribution of its three inventors - Fermat, Newton and Leibniz. This material forms part of The Open University course MS221 Exploring mathematics.
en26 Episodes
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Episodes (26)
Transcript -- Mathematics: a powerful tool
Transcript -- An introduction to the tracks on this album.
Exploring mathematics: a powerful tool - for iPad/Mac/PC
enJuly 15, 2009
Mathematical modelling for real
An introduction to mathematical modelling in the real world.
Transcript -- Mathematical modelling for real
Transcript -- An introduction to mathematical modelling in the real world.
An ancient tradition
How bamboo scaffolding does its job.
Transcript -- An ancient tradition
Transcript -- How bamboo scaffolding does its job.
How maths helps dolphins
Using statistical modelling to calculate endangered speciesâ survival rates.
Transcript -- How maths helps dolphins
Transcript -- Using statistical modelling to calculate endangered speciesâ survival rates.
Predicting climate change
Why elaborate mathematical modelling is needed to predict ice break-up in Antarctica.
Transcript -- Predicting climate change
Transcript -- Why elaborate mathematical modelling is needed to predict ice break-up in Antarctica.
A vibrating lake
Using mathematical modeling to understand the fluctuations in the surface levels of Lake Wakatipu.
Transcript -- A vibrating lake
Transcript -- Using mathematical modeling to understand the fluctuations in the surface levels of Lake Wakatipu.
Why is maths useful?
How the behaviour of the world around us can be understood better through mathematics.
Transcript -- Why is maths useful?
Transcript -- How the behaviour of the world around us can be understood better through mathematics.
Who invented Calculus?
The birth of calculus resulted in controversy: who got there first?
Transcript -- Who invented Calculus?
Transcript -- The birth of calculus resulted in controversy: who got there first?
Fermatâs ideas
An explanation of some of Fermatâs discoveries.
Transcript -- Fermatâs ideas
Transcript -- An explanation of some of Fermatâs discoveries.
Fermat and John Wallis
How Fermat communicated his findings to Wallis.
Transcript -- Fermat and John Wallis
Transcript -- How Fermat communicated his findings to Wallis.