Professional Development

A visualisation in number theory

This video is an invitation to investigate a certain visualisation in number theory (a branch of mathematics about properties of whole numbers). The activity has been developed by Vicky Neale and used many times with groups of teenagers. It connects with ideas that students meet in the school curriculum, but also goes beyond the curriculum. Vicky hopes that you will enjoy exploring, and reflecting on your experience of exploring, and you are welcome to share the activity with groups of students yourself.

 

Watch the video

About Dr Vicky Neale

Dr Vicky Neale is the Whitehead Lecturer at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, and a Supernumerary Fellow at Balliol College.

Vicky's job is to be enthusiastic about mathematics with undergraduates, school students, and the wider public. Her latest book is "Why Study Mathematics?", aimed at students considering a maths degree, and their teachers and families. Her first book "Closing the Gap: the quest to understand prime numbers" was published in October 2017. Before moving to Oxford, she completed a PhD in additive number theory at the University of Cambridge, where she subsequently worked for several years, teaching undergraduates and working on the Cambridge Maths Education Project (which became Underground Mathematics). Vicky has experience of giving talks and leading workshops for a wide range of audiences, and has appeared on several BBC Radio 4 and TV programmes.

Ages: Secondary