Plus.Maths.org
public understanding of mathematics
It isn't often that a mathematical equation makes the national press, far less popular radio, or most astonishingly of all, is the subject of a debate in the UK parliament. However, as Chris Budd and Chris Sangwin tell us, in 2003 the good old quadratic equation, which we all learned about in school, reached these dizzy pinnacles of fame.
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- Beaglemania - The Beagle is missing in action, but it is inspiring a new generation of would-be astronauts.
- Careers with Maths - Plus has been given a grant to produce posters based on our popular careers library.
- What is maths for? - What do we hope people will know after studying maths at school?
- New Plus posters! - Find out how you can get hold of your own copy of our brilliant new poster!
- Specially for students - This issue of Plus brings you the first of an occasional series expecially for use in the classroom.
- Optional maths - should students be able to give up maths at age 14?
- Outer space - In what will now be a regular feature, mathematician and cosmologist John D. Barrow shares some maths that's amused and intrigued him.
- Readers' corner- More Strange activities for last issue's Ship of Fools!
Whether you love maths or hate maths, your opinions on the subject were probably formed early. So primary teachers have a vital role to play in promoting mathematical skills. Plus meets primary teacher and maths coordinator Maureen Matthews.
One million dollars is waiting to be won by anyone who can solve one of the grand mathematical challenges of the 21st century. But be warned...these problems are hard. In the first of two articles, Chris Budd explains how to hit the bigtime.
- Information overload - how mathematicians are helping us all to make sense of the vast amount of information now available to us
- Sum problems - can you be good at mathematics without being good at arithmetic?
- Readers' corner - Meet Mandy, the cuddly Mandelbrot set!
100 years after the birth of Paul Dirac, mathematicians and physicists gather to celebrate his beautiful work.