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What is maths?
What is mathematics? And what’s it got to do with logic? Watch this film to find out more. Mathematics is not just the study of numbers. It’s about...

Prime numbers
How many prime numbers are there? And what happens if I find a new one? A prime number is one that cannot be divided by any other numbers except 1 and...

The metric system
How do we know how long a metre is? And who first decided how we would measure everything? Find out below. Why do we need universal measures? In the 18th...

Zero
What’s the difference between zero and nothing? And why did it take so long for mathematicians to ‘invent’ the number zero? Zero is a very strange...

Arabic numerals
Around the year MCCII, we gave up on the Roman numeral counting system. Why? It is now universally accepted that our decimal numbers were invented in...

Understanding consciousness
Will computers ever become “conscious” and how can maths unlock our minds? Leading mathematician Marcus du Sautoy explains all in his journey to understand...

Relax about maths
Psychologists have found that being worried about maths increases your chances of making mistakes. A team of psychologists at  Staffordshire University...

Applied vs. Pure Mathematics
If you want to keep studying maths, you might have to choose between applied and pure mathematics. But what’s the difference? The easiest way to think...

What is Maths Busking?
How can maths help you read minds or escape being tied up? Maths busker Katie Steckles has the answers. Can you quickly explain what Maths Busking is...

Calculus Explained
Calculus might sound intimidating, but it’s really just the mathematics of changing numbers. Read on to find out more. Imagine pushing a car up a hill...

Infinity Explained
Infinity is one of the most important ideas in maths – and one of the most confusing. Find out more about this mindbending idea. It’s easy to think...

Maths and physics
Maths can seem very abstract, but it's vital to our understanding of the world. Find out how maths and physics meet. Mechanics Physical systems can be...

Maths problems almost everyone gets wrong
We’ve all struggled with a maths problem we just couldn’t make sense of. But these deceptively simple teasers have fooled even the sharpest mathematicians.

How to be a mathemagician
Find out about a few simple magic tricks that reveal some of the hidden maths that makes the world go round.

Famous mathematicians: Emmy Noether
Find out why one of the 20th century’s most important mathematicians taught for years without being paid.