TLDR;
In this episode of "Things People Do," Joe Marler interviews Matt Parker, a mathematician and comedian, to explore the world of mathematics in an accessible and entertaining way. They discuss various topics, from the fundamental nature of numbers and the invention of zero to the practical applications of math in sports and everyday life. Matt shares insights into why people struggle with math, the beauty of patterns, and even his experience getting stung by a bullet ant for science. The conversation is filled with humor, interesting facts, and a genuine appreciation for the subject, making math more approachable and enjoyable for everyone.
- The essence of mathematics lies in recognizing and understanding patterns, not just manipulating numbers.
- Math is not about inherent talent but about cultivating a can-do attitude and embracing challenges.
- Math is applicable everywhere, from sports analytics to calculating pi on the moon.
Who is Matt [0:00]
Matt Parker is introduced as a unique individual who combines mathematics with stand-up comedy. He describes his career as a Venn diagram where his background as a math teacher overlaps with his love for comedy writing and performance. Initially, these two aspects of his life were separate, but they have since merged, with his math communication work being heavily inspired by stand-up and his comedy incorporating math content.
The basics of maths [2:45]
The discussion starts with the fundamental question of what numbers are and who invented them. Matt explains that the concept of numbers evolved from counting objects to an abstract notion. He highlights the significance of zero, noting that before its invention, complex calculations were difficult because there was no symbol to represent nothing. The invention of zero, which originated in India, was crucial for the development of mathematics, particularly in accounting and bookkeeping.
Counting using sheep [6:49]
Matt and Joe explore the abstraction of numbers, using the example of counting sheep. The conversation moves to the idea of fractions and whether all numbers can be represented by dividing a sheep. Matt jokingly introduces the concept of "trans-sheep numbers" to illustrate numbers that cannot be represented by fractions. He then explains that the earliest practical use of numbers was by the ancient Samarians, who used them to keep track of communal grain warehouses for brewing beer, highlighting the connection between mathematics and civilization.
Why Matt loves maths [8:57]
Matt shares his personal journey with mathematics, explaining that his early exposure to math problems through his parents instilled in him a positive attitude towards the subject. He emphasizes that everyone finds math difficult and that the key to enjoying it is to embrace the challenge and not be discouraged by mistakes. This can-do attitude and the understanding that math is not just about practical applications but also about the rewarding challenge it presents, makes all the difference in learning and enjoying math.
Calculator fun [11:00]
Joe and Matt reminisce about using calculators in school, from writing silly words like "boobies" to exploring the functions of cos, sin, and tan. Matt explains that these trigonometric functions are used to measure angles, such as the gradient of a road, which is often expressed as a percentage on road signs. He clarifies that the percentage represents the tangent of the angle, helping Joe understand the math behind road signs and gradients.
Was Matt always good at maths [14:54]
Matt discusses his experience with mathematics, noting that he had a "rolling start" due to his parents' influence and enjoyed it at school, which led to good grades. However, he hit a wall at university when he encountered others who were better at math than him. He emphasizes that everyone eventually reaches a point where they find math difficult and that the key is to keep working at it.
Sports and maths [16:22]
The conversation shifts to the relevance of math in sports. Matt shares his unsuccessful attempt to apply math to pool, explaining that while the concepts are applicable, real-world factors like humidity make it difficult to predict outcomes accurately. Joe discusses how athletes intuitively perform complex calculations when catching a ball or intercepting a moving object. Matt highlights the use of math and analytics in sports like baseball and football for scouting and recruitment, citing examples like Liverpool Football Club and Tony Bloom's algorithm for Brighton & Hove Albion. He also expresses his frustration with the incorrect depiction of a football on UK street signs, as it is mathematically impossible to make a football using only hexagons.
Watch Ben and Dan! [23:24]
This section is an ad for the podcast "For the Love of Rugby".
Maths for kids [24:12]
Matt explains algebra in simple terms, using letters to represent numbers and showing how it allows for flexibility in problem-solving. He discusses why math at school can be boring, attributing it to poor teaching methods and an overemphasis on honing skills without applying them in interesting ways. He suggests that students need more opportunities to use their math skills to make learning more engaging.
A Things People Do Venn Diagram [27:37]
The hosts play a game involving a Venn diagram representing things that Tom and Joe do or enjoy. Matt explains how the overlapping circles show common interests, making the diagram a fun and engaging way to visualize their shared activities.
The Droste Effect [29:09]
Matt introduces the Droste effect, where an image contains a smaller version of itself in a recursive sequence. He explains how this concept relates to fractals and self-similar structures, highlighting that math is the study of patterns and logic, not just numbers.
Is this maths? [30:45]
Joe and Matt discuss various geometric shapes, such as trapezoids, parallelograms, cylinders, and spheres. Matt explains that these shapes are important and pop up in unexpected places, such as the camera frustum in VFX. He reiterates that math is about looking into fun patterns and that numbers and shapes are just manifestations of these patterns.
The kids' maths homework [33:00]
Joe shares his struggles with helping his kids with math homework, as they use techniques he wasn't taught. They discuss the "chips and peas" method, where chips represent tens and peas represent single units. Matt then presents Joe with a math question appropriate for his 11-year-old, focusing on patterns in the nine times table. Joe recalls a recent experience helping his daughter with her times tables and discovering that the digits of the answers in the nine times table always add up to nine.
Minus numbers [37:30]
Joe questions the concept of minus numbers, asking how there can be less than nothing. Matt explains that negative numbers are an extension of the number line, similar to how zero was introduced. They discuss the challenges of representing different types of numbers and the need for better symbols to differentiate them. Matt addresses the question of why multiplying a minus number by a minus number results in a positive number, using the analogy of taking away a lack of something. He also explains the concept of square roots and why the square root of four can be both 2 and -2.
The optimal stopping problem [42:22]
Matt introduces the optimal stopping problem, which involves determining how much information to gather before making a decision. He uses the example of house hunting, explaining that there is an optimal point to stop investigating and start choosing. Matt shares that understanding this concept has helped him make better decisions by removing emotions from the equation and focusing on the average optimal point.
Getting stung by a bullet ant [45:56]
Matt recounts his experience getting stung by a bullet ant in the Amazon for a YouTube video. He explains that he wanted to assign an objective number to pain and calibrated the experience by getting stung by wasps of increasing pain levels first. He describes the intense and prolonged pain of the bullet ant sting, which lasted for eight hours.
Calculating pi on the moon [49:32]
Matt discusses his next YouTube project, which involves calculating pi on the moon. He explains that engineers are sending a lunar rover to the moon and have offered him space in the memory to write code. Matt shares that they are crowdfunding the project and allowing people to submit their names or bits of text to be part of the calculation. He defines pi as the ratio of the distance around a circle to its diameter, noting that it is an irrational number that shows up in many unrelated areas of mathematics.
Matt's got a book out [52:17]
Matt promotes his book, "Love Triangle," which aims to set the record straight on trigonometry. He shares that the paperback version has just been released and that the hardback outsold the House of Beckham expose in its first week. Matt explains that the book is designed to be a gateway for people to explore mathematics and encourages readers to look into the topics that interest them.
What's our favourite number [54:35]
The hosts share their favorite numbers. Matt chooses pi, Joe picks seven because it's his birthday and Tom goes with 144 because it's the end of the times tables. Before concluding the interview, Matt states that if he had to choose between solving the Riemann hypothesis or winning the lottery, he would choose the Riemann hypothesis because of its significance in mathematics. He explains that the Riemann hypothesis is about the behavior of prime numbers and that solving it would have a profound impact on the field.