Why Maths can be Beautiful

October 22, 2017

• Topical

When you are battling yet another algebraic equation with your Maths tutor, you may not be able to see the beauty in it all. But did you know that Maths can be beautiful?

In 2014,15 mathematicians were given 60 formulae to rate- with “ugly” and “beautiful- while their brains were scanned. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, showed that the formulae rated most “beautiful” actually stimulated regions of the brain which are normally involved in appreciating beautiful artwork.

In an interview with the BBC, one of the researchers, Professor Semir Zeki, said: “A large number of areas of the brain are involved when viewing equations, but when one looks at a formula rated as beautiful it activates the emotional brain – the medial orbito-frontal cortex – like looking at a great painting or listening to a piece of music.”

So what about certain mathematics formulae makes them beautiful?

• Real life application- Have you ever wondered why your Maths tutor spends a good amount of time on solving real-life problems? This is because Maths contains the precise calculations which have allowed us to describe and contribute to the natural and material world we live in. Besides helping to engeneer iconic structures and farm splendid agriculture, Maths has played a role in forming significant pieces of art. Take, for instance, Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mono Lisa, which was painted according to the Golden Ratio (1:0.618).
• Methodology- Showing working-out not only wins you marks but is also beautiful! In the study cited above, the Euler’s identity was chosen as the most beautiful formula. It is noted for the capacity to prove “profound” things despite its apparent simplicity. The formula is also congratulated for linking complicated and unrelated factors- like e, pi and I, so succinctly.
• Surprising turns- Another formula from the study shows that if a prime number can be divided by four with one remaining, it is also the sum of two square numbers. Fourty-one is an example. The experience of stumbling upon these unexpected twists gives mathematicians the same gratification that you receive from hearing a spine-tingling story.

Next time you sit down with your Maths tutor, remember you might as well have sat down to paint or sculpt a thing of immense beauty.