MTH2132 The nature and beauty of mathematics
Faculty of Science
MTH2132 The nature and beauty of mathematics is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Science, offered in 2027 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2027
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 1 other task
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Requisites
Before MTH2132
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After MTH2132
No unit lists MTH2132 as a prerequisite in the 2027 handbook.
Enrolment rules
PREREQUISITE: You must be enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Data Science or have 24 credit points of university studies.
Overview
This unit is intended for students with little or no mathematical background. Through the discussion of historical, practical and conceptual questions, it will emphasise the beauty and the power of mathematics. The number of topics covered will be very broad. These will include, amongst many others:
- Symmetry (regular solids, tilings, Escher, ruler-and-compass, origami)
- Fibonacci numbers and Golden Ratio
- Optimal design (soap bubble maths, minimal networks)
- Mathematical soul capturing (the maths of juggling and lacing shoes)
- Visualising the 4th dimension
- The shape of space (Mobius bands, Klein bottles, "pacman" spaces)
- Infinity.
Offerings in 2027
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Continuous assessmentDemonstration50%
- Final assessment - Exam (2 hours and 10 minutes)Examination50%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Appreciate and articulate the beauty and power of mathematics;
- 2
Demonstrate understanding of fundamental concepts in number theory and geometry;
- 3
Apply the notion of proof and construct basic mathematical proofs;
- 4
Analyse the historical interplay between mathematics and attempts to explain the physical world;
- 5
Identify and describe some of the great unsolved problems in modern mathematics.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars36 hours
- Three 1-hour seminars and
- 9 hours of independent study per week.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Alex Ingham
- Chief Examiners
- Alex Ingham
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MTH2132?
MTH2132 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is MTH2132 offered?
In 2027, MTH2132 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
Does MTH2132 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.