THE UNIVERSAL BEAUTY OF MATHEMATICS

 “Mathematics knows no races or geographic boundaries; for mathematics, the cultural world is one country.” – David Hilbert   

In a BBC short television series called The Story of Maths, episode 1 with a title “The Language of the Universe” talks about how mathematics was used all around the world as a discipline to make connections in the patterns present in all cultural aspects. It is used as a method of understanding the changing formations of space. This episode shows us the growth of Mathematics from simply being a tool of accounting to being the foundation of the greatest innovations present today. It shows the viewers how mathematics is fundamental in all the aspects of life by being one of the essential components of different cultures.

In this episode, the presenter, Marcus du Sautoy, explored Egypt, Syria (in a part of old Mesopotamia) and Greece to document the growth and development of mathematics. His first stop was at Egypt, to the first sign of mathematics, the Nile River. The flooding of the Nile was essential for the growth of the crops and so the Egyptians needed to know how many days are between the flooding events to develop an effective agricultural system. Afterwards, there was a need to count produce and measure the area of a farmer’s land which leads to the birth of the Egyptian number system and a decimal system based on the ten fingers of people’s hands. They also made use of fractions for trade in the market. The construction of the Pyramids of Giza made use of the mathematical brilliance of symmetry and geometry to create such a beautiful landmark which still stands to this day.

His next stop was at Damascus, Syria, in the old Mesopotamia, the land of the Babylonians. They used simpler mathematics in methods of irrigation, measuring lands and weighing of products. They also had the concept of a calendar based on the cycle of the moon. The Babylonians also used geometric games to solve problems. They spend their leisure time playing games that make use of the tactical strategies of mathematics to win.

His last stop was at Greece: the home of Plato, Euclid, Archimedes, Pythagoras and Hypatia, some of the first and greatest mathematicians in the world. The Greeks’ greatest innovation to mathematics is the proof or proving of theorems. It is during this time that proof became known as the core strength of mathematics, the irrefutable evidence of mathematics. Pythagoras discovered that music is appealing because of the whole number intervals between the notes. Plato believed that mathematics is the bedrock of knowledge and he used his Platonic Elements to describe and understand the universe while Euclid wrote the book, The Elements. Archimedes discovered pi and the volumes of different shapes; meanwhile, Hypatia became one of the earliest female mathematicians.  

This television show made me realize that mathematics isn’t as black and white as we thought it was. It has different sides to it that affect different aspects of one’s culture. These aspects include trade, religion, art, architecture, agriculture, entertainment, education and war. As this episode tells us, mathematics is the language of the universe. This language has been used by people from different fields to express their inner most thoughts, opinions and feelings. And it is through this form of expression that we have the greatest masterpieces, innovations and inventions in all the different fields today. The touch of mathematics in those fields lead to even bigger discoveries that astound and amaze people of all ages though most of them don’t even know mathematics had something to do with it in the beginning. As a student, one has gotten used to fearing and dreading the very idea of math as a subject. The mere mention of the word brings fear, despair and stress. It is being called as a headache or a pain and yet it lead to the beauty we see all around us now. The beauty of mathematics has been overlooked for far too long and now is the time for it to be appreciated. It isn’t all about formulas, trials and problems when it comes to mathematics. In the field of art and architecture, proportion, geometry and symmetry gave birth to the beautiful architectural sights and masterpieces all around the globe. Using the precision and accuracy of mathematics brings out the perfection of beauty. Math is more than I ever thought it was; even Leonardo Da Vinci used science and mathematics to bring out the true beauty of his drawings and paintings and to further more perfect it. In drawing and painting, proportions and ratios are crucial; one mistake can disrupt and deflect the essence of the image being conceived. I am now starting to really see the importance of mathematics and appreciate the beauty it expresses and perfects.

This video, however, could be further improved by emphasizing the important data and points. This could be done with the use of subtitles so the terms can be stated clearly and will be easier to understand. It can also be done by showing figures, equations and formulas. By presenting more of these, the viewer can better appreciate and comprehend the information successfully by seeing it in front of their eyes in images. One has to remember that videos or television shows are moving images and the viewer can only get a glimpse of the information projected on the screen. Mathematics isn’t as easy as it can be understood or comprehended in one glimpse. It takes a process of understanding to clearly see the point and that will take time for some people. The use of subtitles, figures, equations and formulas can help make that process easier and quicker. Overall, the video was very educational and exciting. It presented facts and stories in a way that captures the audience. It also got its point through to the viewers successfully. Mathematics is not a heavy burden but an extraordinary gift; it just needs to be seen from a different point of view and through this, the universal beauty of mathematics will come to light.