The Num8er My5teries

12/19/12 • 52 min

Department for Continuing Education Open Day 2012

Professor Marcus du Sautoy - mathematician, footballer and amateur musician - shows how mathematicians have contributed to our understanding of the world around us for millennia. We are all taught how fundamental maths is to the world we live in. But did you know that Wayne Rooney solves a quadratic equation every time he connects with a cross to put the ball in the back of the net? That we use prime numbers when we shop on the Internet? In this lecture Professor Marcus du Sautoy - mathematician, footballer and amateur musician - shows how mathematicians have contributed to our understanding of the world around us for millennia. Mathematician Professor Marcus du Sautoy is our Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science.

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Economics: which way now?

Dr Martin Ruhs introduces the Department's expanding portfolio of economics courses, in the context of the on-going debate about where economics is headed, starting with the world economic downturn. What were the causes of the global financial crisis and why did most economists fail to predict it? How should we regulate the global flows of capital, labour and commodities? Who are the "new economic powers" and how will they shape the world economy? How can social entrepreneurship affect economic and social processes in the 21st century? This presentation will introduce the expanding portfolio of economics courses at CONTED. Dr Martin Ruhs is a University Lecturer in Political Economy, and economist Professor Jonathan Michie is Director of the Department for Continuing Education.