The Story of Maths

Season 1

TV-G

The history of mathematics from ancient times to the present day. Narrated by Oxford mathematics professor Marcus du Sautoy, the series covers the seminal moments and people in the development of maths.

Where to Watch Season 1

4 Episodes

The Language of the Universe
E1
Episode 1The Language of the UniverseThis program traces the development of mathematics in the Medeteranean region beginning with the Egyptians through the formalized geometry of the Greeks. Along the way a few remarkable methods emerged that predated formal mathematical methods by a thousand years.
The Genius of the East
E2
Episode 2The Genius of the EastIn India Marcus du Sautoy discovers how the symbol for the number zero was invented and in the Middle East he looks at the invention of the new language of algebra and the spread of Eastern knowledge to the West.
The Frontiers of Space
E3
Episode 3The Frontiers of SpaceHow Europe took over as the world's mathematical powerhouse by the 17th century.
To Infinity and Beyond
E4
Episode 4To Infinity and BeyondMarcus du Sautoy examines unsolved problems that confronted 20th-century mathematicians.