The Math Club

In our last episode, Pete asked us to envision the rotational symmetry of a square as a way to simplify the same concept as it applies to the Rubik's Cube.  Here's a video bonus to help visualize this example.

Lots of us have played with a Rubik's Cube at one time or another, but did you know this simple little toy is chock full of math?  Join Pete and Noah as they talk about billions of combinations, set theory, and the maximum number of moves required to solve the cube.  *Skateboard not required. • Leave us a voice message • Email us • Follow us on Twitter Questions Answered in the Episode: • How many...

You've heard about two-factor authentication, but have you heard about two-factor numbers? Of course you have! They're called primes, and in this episode Pete and Noah discuss what they are, how we find them, and some of the more interesting (and as-yet unproven) conjectures about them.  Pete even speculates about how primes might make their Broadway debut! • Leave us a voice message • Email us •...

In this episode, Pete and Noah provide opposing viewpoints on how to respond to a classic mathematical paradox.   •  Game Theory and Strategy - Textbook used in Pete's Game Theory course • Are you a one boxer or a two boxer? - Use this link to let us know what you'd decide after listening to the episode. • Leave us a voice message • Email us • Follow us on Twitter Questions Answered in the Episode...

In this episode, Pete and Noah discuss right triangles, pythagorean triples, and why the Scarecrow's brain might not be all it was cracked up to be.   •  Pythagorean Theorem water demo • 3Blue1Brown • Plimpton 322 • Leave us a voice message • Email us • Follow us on Twitter Questions Answered in the Episode: • What is the relationship between Pythagorean triples and the Pythagorean theorem? • How...

Sometimes you just have to break out the ol' manipulatives and visual aides.  Here's a video bonus to help clarify the von Neumann construction that Pete talked about in episode 1.

Welcome to The Math Club! In this, our inaugural episode, we start at the origin of all things: Zero. Join us as we explore the special role zero plays in our system of arithmetic and discuss the dazzling way John von Neumann created everything from... nothing! • Leave us a voice message • Email us • Follow us on Twitter Questions Answered in the Episode: • What is the importance of zero in place...