Colloquium 1: Irrational ways of manufacturing numbers

Carslaw 175, The University of Sydney

Friday 13th March 12 pm - 1 pm

This is meant to be light mathematical entertainment, exploring simple yet unusual phenomena involving rational, irrational, transcendental numbers. We will also glean a few open problems.

Colloquium 2: Pure mathematics as applied physics

Old Geology Lecture Theatre, A11.01.101 Edgeworth David Building, The University of Sydney

Monday 16th March 2 pm - 3 pm, followed by afternoon tea

Humans tend to be better at physics than at mathematics. When an apple falls from a tree, there are more people who can catch it — they sense physically how the apple moves — than people who can compute its trajectory from a differential equation. Applying physical ideas to discover and explain mathematical results is therefore natural, even if it has seldom been tried in the history of science. The exceptions include Archimedes, some old Russian sources, a recent book of Mark Levi’s, as well as articles and lectures by yours truly. Many examples will be presented.

Tadashi Tokieda is a professor of mathematics at Stanford. He grew up as a painter in Japan, became a classical philologist (not to be confused with philosopher) and worked a little as a plumber in France and, after PhD in pure mathematics from Princeton, has been an applied mathematician around the world. He is active in outreach e.g. via the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences and the YouTube channel Numberphile; he gave public lectures at ICM 2018 and 2022, and is slated to speak again at ICM 2026.

Presented by the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute as part of our International Day of Mathematics program. For catering purposes, please register your interest in one or both events.

Contact the host of SMRI's International Day of Mathematics Colloquia by Tadashi Tokieda