Unusual Mathematics
Mathematics can maintain a sense of wonder. Logic with surprising paradoxes, geometry with optical illusions, calculation with automatic magic tricks are some of the areas where this sense of wonder is encountered, generated by the underlying presence of a mathematical principle. Admiration can also arise from the unexpected, even incredibly beautiful way a problem is solved, thanks to a deus ex machina, this sort of divine intervention that triggers the ha ha, "the flash of understanding" as Martin Gardner called it.
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Municipal grants: the maths that decide | Tangente
They are a key part of the budgets of municipalities and intermunicipal authorities. They are often calculated in rather strange ways, involving logarithms and the fifth power of the population!
Deus ex machina: in mathematics too!
Looking for a simple, unexpected solution to a difficult problem? A deus ex machina can sometimes provide a surprise resolution to a desperate mathematical situation. Combinatorics, arithmetic and geometry are fertile ground for such an "aha!" moment.
Illusory geometry: baffling squircles | Tangente
Spectacular optical illusions are taking the Internet by storm: two pieces that appear to be different sizes fit perfectly on top of each other; square shapes appear circular when reflected in a mirror; a chocolate bar loses its squares one by one without ever getting smaller... Here is the explanation behind some of these cognitive deceptions.
A few classic paradoxes
Paradoxes are fun to explore and require no specialist knowledge. They help us better understand rationality, truth, probability, uncertainty and information… along with the many theories built around them. Prepare to be surprised by a few spectacular classics.