Culture Maths

Carl Friedrich Gauss

He was a child prodigy who amazed his teachers by solving a tricky maths problem when he was just 7.

He made important discoveries in algebra, number theory, and astronomy.

He also helped improve how we measure the Earth.

What was his nationality?

• French

• German

• British

• Brazilian

Ubiratan D’Ambrosio was a mathematician and educator who believed that maths should be connected to culture and everyday life. He wanted students to see that maths isn’t just numbers—it’s also about patterns, problem-solving, and how people live. Mathematics of note: He developed the idea of ethnomathematics, which studies how maths is used in traditional crafts, architecture, and daily life around the world. For example, how people use geometry in weaving or symmetry in art. What was his nationality?

• French

• Portuguese

• British

• Brazilian

Sofia Kovalevskaya had pages of calculus on her bedroom walls as a child and became the first woman in modern Europe to earn a doctorate in mathematics. She worked on complex equations and inspired many women to study science. Mathematics of note: She studied partial differential equations, which are used to describe things like how heat spreads or how waves move. What was her nationality?

• Russian

• Portuguese

• French

• Brazilian

Srinivasa Ramanujan had very little formal training in maths but discovered amazing patterns in numbers. He sent his work to a professor at Cambridge University, who was so impressed that he invited him to work together. Mathematics of note: He worked on infinite series and partitions—ways of breaking numbers into smaller parts. His formulas are still used in physics and computer science. What was his nationality?

• British

• Iranian

• Ghanaian

• Indian

Ada Lovelace

She was the daughter of a famous poet but loved maths more than writing.

She worked on an early design for a computer and wrote the first algorithm meant to be used by a machine.

What was her nationality?

• British

• Iranian

• French

• Swiss

Blaise Pascal

He built a mechanical calculator when he was just a teenager.

He studied geometry, probability, and fluids, and his work helped lead to the invention of computers.

What was his nationality?

• British

• Iranian

• French

• Indian

Hypatia

She lived in ancient times and was one of the first known female mathematicians.

She taught maths and astronomy in a famous library and helped keep important ideas alive.

What was her nationality?

• A – Greek

• B – Italian

• C – French

• D – Egyptian (of Greek Heritage)

Leonardo Fibonacci

He introduced a number sequence where each number is the sum of the two before it.

This pattern appears in nature, like in pinecones and flower petals.

What was his nationality?

• British

• Italian

• French

• Indian

Maryam Mirzakhani

She was the first woman to win the Fields Medal, the highest award in mathematics.

She studied shapes and surfaces that twist and curve in unusual ways.

What was her nationality?

• Greek

• Iranian

• Cuban

• Egyptian

Sun Yung Alice Chang

She is a modern mathematician who has worked on some of the most advanced areas of maths.

She has taught at top universities and has been a leader in encouraging more women to study mathematics.

Her work helps scientists understand shapes and spaces that are curved or stretched in unusual ways.

What is her nationality?

• A – Chinese-American

• B – Korean-American

• C – Cuban-Mexican

• D – British-American