If you haven’t thought much about numbers much since that high school calculus class, you might not think about how they’re relevant to everyday life, aside from maintaining your bank account and doing your taxes. But Minds of Modern Mathematics, an app from IBM, shows just how important maths is in shaping and influencing our day-to-day lives.
What does it do?
It’s a re-imagining of an installation made by world-renowned designers Charles and Ray Eames for IBM’s 1961 Mathematica exhibition. The 15m wide project has been condensed in an interactive setting, with a timeline that spans about 1000 years. It lets you explore the maths realm, starting in 999 when Pope Sylvester II was accused of being a wizard based on his interest in science and maths.
Why do we like it?
Though it would take a while, with this app, you could travel step-by-step through the history of mathematics, and see how the subject influenced culture as a whole. It also includes profiles of tons of mathematicians, images of artifacts from the original exhibit, and nine educational short films from the Eames duo.
Minds of Modern Mathematics
Download this app for: iPad, Free
The best: tons of information
The worst: a bit buggy, long load times