Before I started my maths degree I found a wonderful set of books about what now sounds like a contradiction in terms: “Recreational Mathematics.” I thought no one would want to come to such a course, so mine is called “The Joy of Mathematics,” and I thought I’d try and keep as much joy and as little mathematics in it to interest anyone who wants to stretch their imagination without befuddling the brain cells.
So, this is a short course requiring no knowledge of mathematics, just an interest and a curiosity about the subject, how it relates to the Universe in which we live, and the minds view we use to try and make sense of it. It will touch on history, art, and religion as well as the wider understanding of the Universe and how we try to make sense of it.
This is the revised course syllabus for Autumn 2015:
Session 1
An introduction to numbers and something about nothing
Session 2
Magic squares and numbers
Session 3
Mobius strips and Escher covers up
Session 4
A journey through the dimensions without a Tardis
Session 5
Shapes and solids and a touch of the “Origamis”
Session 6
Probability, games and how not to gamble
Session 7
Special numbers and why they are special.
Session 8
To infinity and beyond!
Course materials, links and further reading will be on this web site as the course progresses. Lecture notes are only available to registered users