West County Blog

Bringing the lofty ideas of pure math down to earth

May 11, 2023 | West County Blog

Many popular books on mathematics try to be approachable by talking about stock markets or poker odds.Others wax poetic about prime numbers and the mystery of infinity. Cheng’s books lift readers to the rarefied heights of mathematical abstraction by teaching them category theory, which she believes is the most foundational kind of math.

The Basic Algebra Behind Secret Codes and Space Communication

Jan 24, 2023 | West County Blog

Space exploration requires tremendous precision. Mathematicians have invented ingenious ways to transmit and store information. One surprisingly effective method uses Reed-Solomon codes, which are built on the same basic algebra that students learn in school.

From Systems in Motion, Infinite Patterns Appear

Dec 8, 2022 | West County Blog

Szemerédi proved that any set comprising a positive fraction of the integers must contain arbitrarily long arithmetic progressions. The result was a landmark in the subfield of mathematics called additive combinatorics.

CAN WE REWIRE OUR BRAINS TO BE MORE FLUENT IN MATH?

Nov 21, 2022 | West County Blog

The problem with focusing relentlessly on understanding is that math and science students can often grasp essentials of an important idea, but this understanding can quickly slip away without consolidation through practice and repetition.

The Two Forms of Mathematical Beauty

Oct 11, 2022 | West County Blog

It’s tough for nonexperts to see mathematics as beautiful in the first place. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, sure, but it’s also hard to see when the work of art is hidden in darkness, obscured by an impenetrable cloud of symbols and jargon.

Pascal, the Math Whiz Kid Who Discovered a New World of Probabilities

Aug 25, 2022 | West County Blog

Before becoming one of the most renowned mathematicians (and physicists) in history, Frenchman Blaise Pascal demonstrated an amazing aptitude for higher mathematics.

How to Write Software With Mathematical Perfection

May 24, 2022 | West County Blog

How to Write Software With Mathematical Perfection Leslie Lamport revolutionized how computers talk to each other. Now he’s working on how engineers talk to their machines. Sheon Han Contributing Writer Leslie Lamport may not be a h..

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