A History of the World in Four Algorithms

Gresham College

October 15

Algorithms are fundamental to the story of mathematics – they’ve been around for over four thousand years. A theorem may prove that a solution to a problem exists, but an algorithm gives you the directions to actually find it.This lecture explores four key algorithms that have not just shaped pure mathematics, but have found unexpected applications in areas as diverse as nuclear physics, film-making, medicine, and music.