Shaping Modern Mathematics
Polynomials and their Roots by Professor Raymond Flood. We are familiar with the formula for solving a quadratic equation where the highest power of the unknown is a square. The quest for a similar formula for equations where the highest power is three, four five or more led to dramatic changes in how this question was regarded. Powerful techniques in algebra were developed following work by Abel and Galois in the 19th century to show that there is no such formula when there are powers higher than four. (from gresham.ac.uk)
| Polynomials and their Roots |
Go to the Series Home or watch other lectures:
| 1. Ghosts of Departed Quantities: Calculus and its Limits |
| 2. Polynomials and their Roots |
| 3. From One to Many Geometries |
| 4. The Queen of Mathematics |
| 5. Are Averages Typical? |
| 6. Modeling the World |