A place to explore the amazing world of maths

Be curious!

Something to wonder about

Flag of IraqWhere does the word “algebra” come from?

It comes from al-jabr, part of the title of a book written by the mathematician al-Khwarizmi in Baghdad around the year 820. His name also gave us the word “algorithm”.

Flag of IndiaZero was a late arrival

For a long time zero was only a placeholder. In the 7th century the Indian mathematician Brahmagupta wrote down rules for adding, subtracting and multiplying with zero as a number in its own right.

The shared birthday surprise

In a room of just 23 people there is about a 50% chance that two of them share a birthday. It feels too small, but there are 253 different pairs of people to compare.

Beyond the lesson

Puzzles and articles

Brain-teasers and short reads about maths in the real world.

Browse puzzles

Maths around the world

Stories of mathematics from every continent, from ancient bones and clay tablets to Japanese temple puzzles.

Explore the stories

Book picks

Maths books that are good to read for fun, from stories to big ideas.

See the shelf

Maths news

Fresh reads from magazines and newspapers, plus people and programmes worth following.

See the latest

Competition maths

Problem-solving strategies and practice for maths competitions.

Start solving

How to learn and revise maths

Practical ways to study, fix mistakes, plan revision and get unstuck, with extra guidance for the Diploma.

See the methods

Maths anxiety and resilience

Feeling stuck or nervous about maths is common. Find ways to build confidence, for students and parents.

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