Calculating with No Numbers, No Formulas
Tadashi Tokieda, Stanford University
MAA Invited Address

Friday, August 8
MAA MathFest 2025

Abstract: People tend to assume, because of the schooling they received as children or of the practical life they lead as adults, that ‘calculation’ means manipulating numbers or formulas — and often that this is what mathematicians do day in, day out. With a magic routine that you can share later with friends and family, I shall show that there is a world beyond this.

Biography: Tadashi Tokieda grew up as a painter in Japan, became a classical philologist (not to be confused with philosopher) in France, and has been a mathematician in Europe and the USA.  He is also active in outreach, especially via the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the Youtube channel Numberphile.