Puzzles in the Pub Lissy Batt, Pierre-Philippe Dechant, Mary Garrison and Mia Jones
Event details
Just before the year 800, Alcuin of York sent Charlemagne a collection of arithmetical puzzles which he said were to be solved for fun. The puzzles he referred to are assumed to correspond to a collection of ‘Puzzles to Sharpen the Wits’ which survive in over a dozen medieval manuscripts.
The actual puzzles themselves are far older, however, and can be traced back to sources from Ancient Greece and Rome and beyond. The material would now be characterised as recreational mathematics. It includes problems that are still found in modern books of brain teasers.
Why not join us for puzzles at an informal session in the ancient and medieval arithmetical gymnasium?
Please note: While the venue is wheelchair accessible there are no accessible toilets.
About the speakers
Dr Pierre-Philippe Dechant is a Lecturer in the School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, where he lectures on the History of Mathematics and is setting up his second data science degree. His interest in science communication started with Pint of Science, where he was first City Coordinator for York and then Chapter Manager for Yorkshire & the Humber for many years. Early medieval historian Mary Garrison of the University of York got him interested in Alcuin's puzzles - many moons ago!
Dr Mary Garrison is a Lecturer in the History Department and at the Centre for Medieval Studies in York; she has published extensively on literature and learning in the early middle ages and has a mission to reintroduce Alcuin to York and vice-versa.
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