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 three minutes: Groups
butterlies
Capturing symmetry with algebra.
Maths in a minute: What's average?
Why the humble average can be grossly misleading.
Maths in a minute: Writing infinite sums
How to write a sum that's infinitely long.
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?
chess pieces
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
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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.