The sine of the beast

18th December, 2008

Two things (one interesting, one very silly) that I have recently learnt about the sine function:

1. The sine rule, as most school-students know, says that in any triangle, \frac{A}{sin a} is constant, whichever side A and opposite angle a you pick.

Less well-known is that this quantity actually has a geometric meaning: it gives the diameter of the triangle’s circumscribing circle. The Math Less Travelled has pictures.

2.

sin (\frac{37 \pi}{10})=-\frac{1 + \sqrt{5}}{4}

This may seem an innocuous enough fact. But prepare to be amazed! If you convert \frac{37 \pi}{10} into degrees, you get 666o, which is of course the the Number of the Beast. And you might spot the ubiquitous Golden Ratio \phi=\frac{1+ \sqrt{5}}{2} lurking on the other side of the equation. So now our formula becomes:

sin(666^{o})=-\frac{\phi}{2}

The standard numerological-satanic interpretation of this fact, I am reliably informed, is that the Devil is the opposite of God (hence the minus sign), and only half as powerful. Where exactly the trigonometry fits in, I’m not sure…

Categories: Crankishness, Maths | Comments (0) | Permalink

Save the LMS?

10th December, 2008

The London Mathematical Society is a small but important institution which operates out of De Morgan House in London. It publishes a few (very high quality) books and journals, organises and supports conferences and symposia, and has small grants to give out for mathematical activities. The LMS also bestows highly regarded prizes and medals for mathematical research. Its focus is research into pure maths.

There is a firm plan to merge the LMS with the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), no doubt a fine institution, but one about which I must plead ignorance. Its focus is applied - or applicable - areas of maths.

There have been meetings around the country to discuss the proposed New Unified Mathematical Society, with the Presidents of both societies present (but me absent).

I can’t say that I have weighed the arguments carefully myself. But certainly several mathematicians are deeply concerned about this plan. If you have a view, you can follow the debate at their Save the LMS blog.

Categories: Maths, Politics | Comments (1) | Permalink