I only know one mathematics joke, and here it is: there are only 10 types of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don’t.
Matt Parker knew this joke - a version cropped up towards the end of his highly entertaining lecture/stand-up routine - and a whole lot more.
The Australian-born former maths teacher has calculated that the study of numbers, structure, space and change (thanks Wikipedia) is not only integral to almost every aspect of modern 21st century life, it can make you laugh too.
To prove the first part of his hypothesis he demonstrated how the photograph on your smartphone is nothing more than a mere Excel spreadsheet, while no one in the audience will ever tie their shoelaces in the same way again.
There was also beer and Borromean rings, and much of the former was needed to understand the latter.
With the second calculation, it could be said that he relied a bit too much on the humour inherent in the juxtaposition of a dry, complicated subject with mates-down-the-pub silliness.
However, the spontaneous, cheerful banter Parker effortlessly displayed with an enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience showed that his comedic wit was as sharp as the point of a Pythagoras triangle.
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