From Zocalo, a series on the Great Algebra Debate: Math mavens ask whether we all need to know that X + Y = Z (and more); and you’re not too dumb for algebra — so get ready for a lot more of it in school. Can there be an algorithm for every human desire? In The Golden Ticket: P, NP, and the Search for the Impossible, Lance Fortnow finds deep implications for our future in an esoteric mathematical problem. Maths genius Mary Cartwright was a modest soul and one of the early founders of chaos theory — it's time we recognised her massive contribution, says Lisa Jardine. What did Turing establish about the limits of computers and the nature of mathematics? Marshall Poe interviews Leila Schneps and Coralie Colmez, authors of Math on Trial: How Numbers Get Used and Abused in the Court Room. Is mathematics a criterion for truth in the natural world? William Grassie on mathematics and the Game of Thrones. Don’t listen to E.O. Wilson: Math can help you in almost any career.
