Why Do We Solve For 'X'?
By
NPR/TED Staff |
NPR
Friday, March 6, 2015
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"A mathematical proof appears as a thing of beauty. It speaks of a higher truth. It speaks of a harmony to knowledge." - Terry Moore
James Duncan Davidson
/
TED
Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Solve for X
About Terry Moore's TED Talk
Polymath Terry Moore wondered why "X" is the universal unknown in algebra. He dove into the history of numbers to come up with an unexpected answer.
About Terry Moore
Terry Moore directs the Radius Foundation in New York, which explores the intersection of disparate fields such as religion, science, aesthetics and social action.
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