About the lecture

In this mini-lecture, we give an introduction to solving equations. In particular, we think about: (i) the types of everyday problems that require solving equations; (ii) what is means to ‘solve’ an equation, such as x + 5 = 7, that is what number can we substitute in for x to make the equation true; and (iii) how to solve equations systematically using inverse operations.

About the lecturer

Keith Ball is a Professor of Mathematics and the University of Warwick. His research interests are in functional analysis, high-dimensional and discrete geometry, and information theory. From 2010-14, Professor Ball served as the scientific director of the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS) based in Edinburgh. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2013 and awarded the Whitehead Prize by the London Mathematical Society in 1992. Professor Ball is the author of Strange Curves, Counting Rabbits, and other Mathematical Explorations (2006), a recreational maths book aimed at those familiar with basic calculus.