/podcasts/wbu52.mp3

In this month’s episode of Wrong, But Useful, we are joined by maths communication superhero @stecks, who is Katie Steckles in real life.

We discuss:

  • Katie’s numerous and various activities as a maths freelancer, including maths busking and being a mathematician-in-residence at the Stephen Lawrence Gallery at the University of Greenwich.
  • Number of the podcast: 145; it’s a factorion, like 1, 2 and 40585 (and no others).
  • A discussion between @jussumchick, @colinthemathmo, @mrmattock, and dozens more on the difference between an expression, equation, formula and identity.
  • The 1089 trick and the Magic Gopher
  • @solvemymaths’s request for mathematical wows - tell us your wows @wrongbutuseful, @icecolbeveridge, @reflectivemaths, and @stecks. I’m sure @solvemymaths would want to know, too.
  • A new ‘largest’ prime
  • @pozorvlak (Miles Gould) has his Big MathsJam talk up: How Mountaineering is like maths. Katie’s gym machines are unsatisfactory. Colin found a ‘football’.
  • What would a ‘my first shapes’ book look like if it was done well?
  • Which One Doesn’t Belong?
  • A poll from @peterrowlett (and @colinthemathmo’s reply)
  • A numerical pyramid from @milasaintanne
  • Katie is in Edinburgh for a puzzle hunt
  • Katie is also involved in MathsFest - the London date is sold out, but there are (currently) tickets available for the Birmingham gig on the 23rd of January.
  • Puzzle feedback: two gold stars for @chrishazell72 for answering the two previous puzzles.
  • New puzzle: If you fold a piece of A4 paper in half three times, always folding the long edge in half, then cut all four corners off, how many holes will there be in the paper?