This is a blog where a professor from Northeastern University's Math department posts mathematical comments on the television show "Numb3rs". To comment, write to bridger@neu.edu.
January 19, 2008
The main application of mathematics in last night's show "Power" is a very elementary one: set theory and "Venn" diagrams. Venn diagrams were used before in a Numb3rs show, coincidentally also about power, but a different kind. In that episode, a series of sabotage incidents black out various regions of the city, and Charlie attempts to find what commonality these regions have. Venn diagrams are a way of visualizing what two or more sets have in common... continued »
January 12, 2008
Well, it's nice to have a new episode. Although the Charlie has a central dramatic role in last night's "Breaking Point," there really isn't very much math involved in the show. At the beginning Charlie mentions to Colby that he is contemplating doing an "assymmetric threat assessment" on the enemies of the missing television reporter. "Asymmetric threats" are things we've been reading about a lot these days: it's what terrorism against the U.S. is all about... continued »
