Calendar

Benson Farb
University of Chicago

Professor Farb will present two lectures, the first intended for an undergraduate audience.

• Undergraduate lecture : “Polynomials, braids and you”, 4pm, Monday, May 20 in 110 Fenton HallAbstract : Why did we all have to learn the quadratic formula in middle school? Is learning how to find the roots of a polynomial actually useful? Ask Sergei Brin and Larry Page, whose solution of a specific polynomial evolved into a 1.6 trillion dollar company. In this talk I will trace a path through the 5000 year old saga of polynomials, and of how they became a cornerstone of mathematics and physics. I will also describe some of the new ideas mathematicians are using to understand polynomials, including the theory of configuration spaces and braid groups. This talk is intended for any curious person.