Maths in a minute

Want facts and want them fast? Our Maths in a minute series explores key mathematical concepts in just a few words. From symmetry to Euclid's axioms, and from binary numbers to the prosecutor's fallacy, learn some maths without too much effort.

Maths in a minute: Euclid's fourth axiom

Euclid's fourth axiom says that all right angles are equal. But isn't that obvious?

Maths in a minute: Euclid's axioms

Five basic facts from the father of geometry.

Maths in a minute: Why do mathematicians play games?

Why game theory is a serious business.

Maths in a minute: Adding fractions (the easy way)

The Indian way of adding fractions makes things easier (with musical explanation).

Maths in a minute: Watch your units!

How to lose a spacecraft in the most embarrassing way possible.

Maths in a minute: Binary numbers

How do you write numbers as string of 0s and 1s?

Maths in a minute: Perfect numbers

Of numbers, beauty and bizarre animals.

Maths in a minute: Osculating the curve…

We are very pleased with our new toy demonstrating the curvature of any smooth function – now you can try it out too!

Maths in a minute: Counting numbers

Are there more irrational numbers than rational numbers, or more rational numbers than irrational numbers? Well, there are infinitely many of both, so the question doesn't make sense. It turns out, however, that the set of rational numbers is infinite in a very different way from the set of irrational numbers.

Maths in a minute: Is greed good?

Not necessarily, when it comes to money.

Maths in a minute: The bridges of Königsberg

How to make a hard problem easy by changing the way you look at it.

Maths in a minute: Triangle central

A triangle has many centres....