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Why Should I study Mathematics?

Why Should I study Mathematics?. Robert Bowles Admissions Tutor Mathematics UCL. Mathematicians are interested in solving problems. Goldbach’s Conjecture Josephus Problem. Goldbach Conjecture (1690 - 1764) Is every even number > 2 the sum of two primes?

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Why Should I study Mathematics?

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  1. Why Should I study Mathematics? Robert Bowles Admissions Tutor Mathematics UCL

  2. Mathematicians are interested in solving problems. • Goldbach’s Conjecture • Josephus Problem

  3. Goldbach Conjecture (1690 - 1764) Is every even number > 2 the sum of two primes? 6 = 3 + 3 8 = 3 + 5 10 = 5 + 5 12 = 7 + 5 14 = 7 + 7 16 = 11 + 5 True up to 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 1960’s Chen proved that every even number > 2 is the sum of a prime and a product of two primes n = p + q.r, some primes p, q, r.

  4. Josephus Flavius • Josephus, an ethnic Jew and priest fought the Romans in the Jewish- Roman War of 66-73 as a military leader in Galilee. After the Jewish garrison of Yodfat fell, the Romans invaded, killing thousands; the survivors committed suicide. • In circumstances that are somewhat unclear, Jospehus found himself trapped in a cave with forty of his companions. The Romans asked him to surrender, but his companions refused to allow this. He therefore suggested a method of collective suicide: kill each other, one by one, counting to every third person. • http://www.cut-the-knot.org/recurrence/flavius.shtml

  5. Jospehus then went and joined the Roman army went to Rome and became a historian of the Roman-Jewish wars. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus • How did Josephus know where to stand?

  6. Applications of Mathematics • Derivative Pricing, Islamic Banking and Finance • Mathematical models of the brain, blood circulation and the liver. The immune system. Models of the bladder. • Gravitation and Cosmology, Quantum Gravity. Relativity • Geophysics, Medical imaging, Cosmology, Financial market • Marine ecosystems analysis. Ecology. Fisheries recovery • Modelling of cancer and embryonic development • Fluid flow. Transition to turbulent flow. Acoustics, jet engine noise, traffic noise • Plastics, moulding. Plastic bag manufacture. Foams • Aircraft and helicopter performance in icy conditions • Free surface flows. The perfect teapot. • Climate Prediction. Weather Prediction. Current Prediction. • Atmospheric chemistry and pollutants • Sand dune motion • Capsizing ships

  7. Applications of Mathematics • Explosives Storage. Shaped charges. • Crime prediction and prevention • Droplets and splashing. Meteorite Impacts • Food sorting. Egg incubation. Greenhouse harvests. • Medical imaging. MRI data of the human brain • Guidance to brain surgeons • Formula 1 race car design • Measurement of surgeons’ and hospital performance. Health service management. Admissions planning. • Melting and Freezing. Statistical Mechanics. • Security and Codes • Groups, Number Theory, Combinatorics, Analysis, Geometry, Probability.

  8. Mathematics at University Methods, Algebra, Analysis, Applications for 1½ years. Some choice in year 2. Lots of choice in years 3 and 4.

  9. Careers • A mathematics degree is extremely vocational and is highly valued by prospective employers • Transferable skills – logical thinking, analytical and critical minds, problem-solving skills

  10. Careers • Finance and Commerce • Statistics • Computing and Information Technology • Scientific Establishments – Meteorological Office • Industry • Teaching • Further Study • Almost anything else

  11. University Study • Take Mathematics and Further Mathematics at A-level.

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