A Mathematical Mystery Tour
Horizon attempts to explain some of the theories proposed by pure mathematicians over the ages
This is a 1984 BBC Horizon documentary looking at the greatest unsolved problems in mathematics. Featuring interviews with many modern mathematicians, this documentary also looks at the history of maths and some of if it’s major players from Euclid to Bertrand Russell.
Explores the world of pure mathematics and some of the classical problems that elude solution or proof, even after several hundred years. (Fermat’s last theorem and the Goldbach conjecture are among two discussed.) Mathematicians explain that new theorems are continually reshaping mathematics, including Gödel’s incompleteness theorems that showed an axiomatic system will always be incomplete and thus some statements can never be proved true or false wihout addition of more axioms. Difference of formalists and platonists is investigated. The impact of the computer is briefly examined, including the calculation of Pi to several million places.
