Channel: Oxford Mathematics

Category: Science & Technology

Tags: oxford student maths lecturechristopher hollingsmathscomplex analysismathhistory of mathematicscomplex numbers

Description: Complex numbers pervade modern mathematics, but have not always been well understood. They first emerged in the sixteenth century from the study of polynomial equations, and were quickly recognised as useful – if slightly weird – mathematical tools. In these lectures (this is the first of two we are showing), part of a third-year undergraduate course on the history of mathematics by Christopher Hollings, we explore the efforts of mathematicians to understand the nature of complex numbers, and how these developed into a whole new branch of mathematics, complex analysis, in the nineteenth century. Course materials can be found here: courses-archive.maths.ox.ac.uk/node/49179 You can watch many other student lectures via our main Student Lectures playlist (also check out specific student lectures playlists): youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4d5ZtfQonW0A4VHeiY0gSkX1QEraaacE All first and second year lectures are followed by tutorials where students meet their tutor to go through the lecture and associated problem sheet and to talk and think more about the maths. Third and fourth year lectures are followed by classes.