The Mathmo Test

[Michael Wallace]

Hello all, I thought I'd get around to starting a topic myself, and because I'm curious to see how countdown geeks (I use geeks in its most endearing sense) do on a supposed test of how much of a mathematician you are.

So if you're sufficiently bored, go here and see how many of the traits you have, and then we can all be amused at how non-mathsy or mathsy everyone is. Or something.

I get 48 these days (I discovered that I gained 17 points in the process of taking a maths degree, I'm not sure if this is a good thing).

[Kirk Bevins]

I'm not a fan of that test really although 1728 and 1729 do mean things to me!

[Conor]

39 for me.

[Joseph Bolas]

I'm not a fan of that test really although 1728 and 1729 do mean things to me!

I don't know what the numbers are but 1729 sounds like a cube to me, is that right?

[Charlie Reams]

1729 = 9³ + 10³ = 12³ + 1³. It's the smallest number that is the sum of two cubes in two different ways, which is the subject of a story about Ramanujan which has been retold so many times that most mathematicians want to scream and smash things when they hear it. Here it is, as told by another great mathematician, G. H. Hardy:

I remember once going to see [Ramanujan] when he was ill at Putney. I had ridden in taxi cab number 1729 and remarked that the number seemed to me rather a dull one, and that I hoped it was not an unfavorable omen. "No," he replied, "it is a very interesting number; it is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways."

[JimBentley]

I only got 28, but I imagine I might've scored a bit higher twenty years ago. I can still be a geek, though, right?

[Joseph Bolas]

1729 = 9³ + 10³ = 12³ + 1³. It's the smallest number that is the sum of two cubes in two different ways, which is the subject of a story about Ramanujan which has been retold so many times that most mathematicians want to scream and smash things when they hear it. Here it is, as told by another great mathematician, G. H. Hardy:

I remember once going to see [Ramanujan] when he was ill at Putney. I had ridden in taxi cab number 1729 and remarked that the number seemed to me rather a dull one, and that I hoped it was not an unfavorable omen. "No," he replied, "it is a very interesting number; it is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways."

I knew it was something to do with a cube, so was close .

I only got 12 on this test, so must be really bad at maths now .

[Ben Pugh]

5.

[Dinos Sfyris]

I'm a chem and maths undergrad and even I thought those questions were bizarre. I've never heard of the term "Mathmo" and had no idea what those games were in the first section of the test. Are they American? Nevertheless I got 24.

[Michael Wallace]

I'm a chem and maths undergrad and even I thought those questions were bizarre. I've never heard of the term "Mathmo" and had no idea what those games were in the first section of the test. Are they American? Nevertheless I got 24.

Mathmo is slang for someone studying maths at university, although primarily only heard in Oxbridge (it seems). I'm surprised you haven't heard of the games in the first section though I made an educated guess that the 'Let's make a Deal' reference is the cabbages/goats thing made (more) famous by dog in the nighttime.

[Jon O'Neill]

I got 19, but I know my times tables.

[Jon Corby]

I got 19, but I know my times tables.

I got 19 too. What does this mean?

[Conor]

I got 19 too. What does this mean?

It means you got 19.

[Jon O'Neill]

I think it means we are mathematical soulmates. I'll bring the graph paper, you bring the lube.

[Chris H]

I got 25. 17 years as a Maths teacher obviously count for nothing.

The mental skill I am most proud of is being able to see a 12 digit number onscreen for 1 second, then retype it. There is a game on http://www.mymaths.co.uk called 'I'm Sinking Fast' that tests this memory skill (it starts with 3 digit numbers and increases by one digit after every eighth number). If you want to try it, use the username 'deacon', and password 'transform' and go to games>memory games.

Chris

[David O'Donnell]

I think it means we are mathematical soulmates. I'll bring the graph paper, you bring the lube.

We have to have a recommendation system where I can rec posts of this quality!

[James Hurrell]

13 scored. Not sure if I am pleased or a tad disappointed! Never heard of most of this stuff.

[Michael Wallace]

perhaps I should clarify that this isn't meant to be a test of how good a mathematician you are :p (in case that wasn't obvious...)

more it's a list of things that are stereotypical of uber-maths-geeks - it's quite possible that the lower you score, the better (from your point of view, at least!)

[Kevin Thurlow]

Strangely I scored 19 as well - obviously the chess questions helped....

Kevin

[Jon Corby]

Strangely I scored 19 as well - obviously the chess questions helped....

Kevin

19 definitely appears to be the optimal score for coolness. I think I remember reading that somewhere.

[Joseph Krol]

I got 36.

[Ryan Taylor]

I got 16 and must still be considered cool.

[Ian Volante]

22.

[JackHurst]

7. I win.

[Michael Wallace]

7. I win.

'fraid not, 48 > 7.

(they should have taught you that last term)

[Peter Mabey]

27 (It's over 60 years ago that I was granted my degree in maths )

[Rhys Benjamin]

29.

[Dave Preece]

32 for me, is that good or bad though? I think bad!

[Zarte Siempre]

13.

[Thomas Carey]

52... Compared to the other scores in this thread (remember that this is a Countdown forum) I'm very scared.

[sean d]

22. I have a maths degree and had considered myself fairly geeky but it appears I'm a Conference level maths geek ( see, a football reference, points away for that)

[Andy Platt]

Ten

[Graeme Cole]

21.

[Conor]

39 for me.

22, having since done a maths degree.