The Wizard of Oz: From Fractions to Formulas - for iPad/Mac/PC: Recent Episodes
The Open University
Maths in movies has often been used creatively as a method by which to engage students in formulas and numerical theory. The 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz features a maze of potential mathematical problems – not least the Scarecrow’s incorrect pronunciation of Pythagoras’ theorem. Presented by The Open University’s David Brannan and Phil Rippon, ‘From Fractions to Formulas’ is a light-hearted parody of the Wizard of Oz (pronounced "Oh-Zed"), in which the traditional characters are replaced by mathematical concepts, including fractions and Pi, that come together in an enactment of the pioneering mathematician, Leonard Euler's formula: e^(i Pi) = -1. The accompanying tracks are taken from Open University maths courses and explore the problems tackled in the drama.
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Starting in Africa 20,000 years ago, trace the history of numbers through time, including Egyptian use of fractions and the problems of Roman numerals.
Transcript -- Starting in Africa 20,000 years ago, trace the history of numbers through time, including Egyptian use of fractions and the problems of Roman numerals.
Using tally sticks, a cake, a thermometer, a number line and graphics boards, David Brannan and Phil Rippon, both of The Open University, look at rational and irrational numbers.
Transcript -- Using tally sticks, a cake, a thermometer, a number line and graphics boards, David Brannan and Phil Rippon, both of The Open University, look at rational and irrational numbers.
A diagram of 'The Witch of Agnesi', which is discussed in the audio track 'The Wizard of Oz: From Fractions to Formulas'.