New this week, my Much Ado About Numbers website which celebrates the links between maths, Shakespeare and Elizabethan history. Do have a go at the quiz - can you score more than 3 out of 10? Here's the website. Enjoy! www.muchadoaboutnumbers.co.uk cc @mathsjem.bsky.social

I love this from Hannah Fry and @standupmaths.bsky.social so much! I love Traitors and now it’s even better. youtu.be/twDvxNooI_4?...

How would Alan Turing have played the Traitors?

YouTube video by Hannah Fry

youtu.be

From the archives: this was our Sheffield show in 2015, probably the most 'celeb' line-up we'll ever have. Two of them had very popular Channel 4 shows linked to engineering. The other two are now even more famous. Who do you recognise?

I was on Jeremy Vine's Radio 2 show today to talk about the tactics of Rock Paper Scissors, which was used to decide the scheduling of next year's London marathon. I knew it would go well when Jeremy said "I love maths, my dad was a maths lecturer". Starts 1:33:15 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Jeremy Vine - Esther Rantzen and rock, paper, scissors - BBC Sounds

Jeremy discusses Esther Rantzen, prisoners, Parkinson's and rock, paper, scissors.

bbc.co.uk

Three reasons why I enjoy doing talks for the U3A: - they deliver big audiences - they ask great questions - they like buying books Full house of 80 in Wanstead this afternoon.

In December I’ll be delivering a three part history course about Elizabethan mathematics and Shakespeare, for 92NY in New York. It'll be live and online, and open to the public worldwide. Details here: roundtable.org/live-courses... @histassoc.bsky.social @amiemathematics.bsky.social @folger.edu

Shakespeare’s Numbers: Mathematics in the Elizabethan World

Join award-winning author Rob Eastaway for a lively exploration of the mathematics of Shakespeare's England, packed with fascinating historical nuggets and quotations. Discover how mathematics shaped ...

roundtable.org

In December I’ll be delivering a three part history course about Elizabethan mathematics and Shakespeare, for 92NY in New York. It'll be live and online, and open to the public worldwide. Details here: roundtable.org/live-courses... @histassoc.bsky.social @amiemathematics.bsky.social @folger.edu

Shakespeare’s Numbers: Mathematics in the Elizabethan World

Join award-winning author Rob Eastaway for a lively exploration of the mathematics of Shakespeare's England, packed with fascinating historical nuggets and quotations. Discover how mathematics shaped ...

roundtable.org

Our first autumn show was about the role maths plays in civil engineering, hosted by Aoife Hunt who introduced talks from three inspirational young engineers. The audience of Year 12s loved it. Our thanks to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) for their support.

Maths, Shakespeare and Elizabethan History in the West End! On 19th Nov I'm doing my one hour 'Much Ado About Numbers' show at the delightful Club for Acts & Actors in Covent Garden. Tickets are just £12 for non-members, details of the show and booking below. www.eventbrite.com/e/much-ado-a...

Much Ado about Numbers

“Brilliantly informative, witty and engaging. Stellar!” Patrick Spottiswoode, founder of Shakespeare’s Globe Education

eventbrite.com

The current #EngPak Test at Edgbaston is reminiscent of the famous 1981 Ashes match at Headingley. The odds on a Pakistan win have soared from 200:1 an hour ago to about 10:1 now. Incredible.

I'm doing some general public Maths & Shakespeare talks this autumn: 28th Sept - U3A Wanstead redbridge.u3asite.uk/u3a_events/m... 7th Oct - Manchester Lit & Phil www.manlitphil.ac.uk/events/much-... 19th Nov - Artists & Actors Club, Covent Garden www.eventbrite.com/e/much-ado-a...

It was an amazing experience to play cricket at the stunning first class ground at Arundel Castle yesterday. Not so amazing was being smashed around the ground by a top class batter on a lightning fast outfield. I thought I bowled OK. The figures suggest otherwise 😬

Maths, Shakespeare and Elizabethan History in the West End! On 19th Nov I'm doing my one hour 'Much Ado About Numbers' show at the delightful Club for Acts & Actors in Covent Garden. Tickets are just £12 for non-members, details of the show and booking below. www.eventbrite.com/e/much-ado-a...

Much Ado about Numbers

“Brilliantly informative, witty and engaging. Stellar!” Patrick Spottiswoode, founder of Shakespeare’s Globe Education

eventbrite.com

Many sixth formers studying maths want a career that involves helping the environment and working with people. Few of them think of civil engineering as an option. On 18th Sept we're putting on a special Maths Inspiration show about this very topic. Aoife Hunt hosts three great young speakers.

Maths Inspiration@mathsinspiration.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Sixth form teachers! On 18th September we're putting on a special FREE 75-minute show in Dulwich about maths and Civil Engineering. It's aimed at Year 12s. You MUST email to reserve places, see poster below. It'll be brilliant for students who are considering their options for university.

Well I've now seen The Odyssey. It was slightly spoiled by the fact that every time Odysseus told his soldiers to run away, all I could think of was Monty Python and the Holy Grail www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FPE....

monty python the holy grail Run away

YouTube video by BeautyWillSaveUs00

youtube.com

Astonishing that the happenings at a small cricket club in Durham are getting more coverage than England’s £multi-million cricket circus called #TheHundred - even the NY Times has picked it up: www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...

‘Clicky Ponting’: How a cricketer snapping his fingers sparked a global sporting scandal

Online sleuths have exposed apparent cheating in an amateur cricket league, sparking widespread outrage

nytimes.com

I've added mine and @robeastaway.bsky.social 's upcoming appearance at British Congress of Mathematics Education's #BCME10 conference in October to the #HaMiEN's events page: historyand.mathsy.space/events Should be fun! #History #Maths #MathsToday

Are you interested in how maths and history connect? On Oct 23rd I'm co-presenting a session with Tom Briggs at #BCME10 on how the two subjects can enrich each other. @tombriggs.bsky.social. www.bcme.co.uk/programme-v2...

Is there enough pub capacity in England for watching tomorrow's match? I discuss on this evening's BBC Radio 4 PM. My back of envelope research: at lunch I checked 8 local pubs*: 7 will show the football, most are fully booked. Visibility of screen is a limiting factor. *pub crawl with no beer!

If you need cheering up, listen to this. I heard a sixth former play a saxophone version of it at a school prize-giving event last night, and was humming it all the way home. [Apologies, the ads at the start won't cheer you up] www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj35...

Darius Milhaud - Suíte scaramouche - 3º mov. Brazileira (Duo Pace Roma, 2 pianos)

YouTube video by Instituto Piano Brasileiro - IPB

youtube.com

What if....? (image courtesy ChatGPT)

Who needs arithmetic when everyone now has instant access to calculators and AI? Actually we all do, if we want to make sense of the figures being thrown at us. My article for AB Magazine about why numeracy skills are still a great asset. abmagazine.accaglobal.com/global/artic...

Maths will always matter

Accountants’ natural numeracy stands them in good stead in the age of automation

abmagazine.accaglobal.com

On 18 Sept 2:15-3:30pm we're putting on a Year 12 show in Dulwich called 'The Civil Engineering Show'. It'll be FREE. It's not part of the formal MI programme, we won't put it on the website, but if you think your school might want to come email sarahATstandupmathsDOTcom to register your interest.

In what might be a first for maths communication, on 1st August I'll be a plenary speaker at a national Shakespeare conference - next to Sydney Harbour Bridge! Alas they have no travel budget so I'll be presenting online at midnight from my kitchen. www.bellshakespeare.com.au/2026-nationa...

2026 National Teacher Conference Sessions

Jjackstarkey-gill THE CLASSROOM VOICE  Friday 31 July, 9:15 -10:15am  Jack Starkey-Gill   Voice Director, Bell Shakespeare  What happens when a…

bellshakespeare.com.au

Thrilled that I’ve been offered a ticket for the World Cup final!!! Now I just need to sort transport. (I’m talking about the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s tomorrow, of course.)

At a teacher conference in Blackburn this morning I revealed the secret of how ANY CHILD can become one of THE TOP 1% MATHEMATICIANS in the country. Spoiler alert - all they have to do is travel back 450 years to the time of Elizabeth I.

At 2pm on Tuesday 7th July I'm doing a Much Ado talk for the general public, at the wonderful Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot near Liverpool. (I'm guessing a mainly adult audience, though it's advertised for "age 8+"). shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/event/much-a...

Much Ado About Numbers | Shakespeare North Playhouse

In this highly acclaimed tour and talk, award-winning author Rob Eastaway reveals the surprising connections between Shakespeare and the fascinating world of numbers.

shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk

At 2pm on Tuesday 7th July I'm doing a Much Ado talk for the general public, at the wonderful Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot near Liverpool. (I'm guessing a mainly adult audience, though it's advertised for "age 8+"). shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/event/much-a...

Much Ado About Numbers | Shakespeare North Playhouse

In this highly acclaimed tour and talk, award-winning author Rob Eastaway reveals the surprising connections between Shakespeare and the fascinating world of numbers.

shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk

Yesterday I did a Y9/10 show about game theory. I talked about penalty-taking and how strikers should aim straight more often. Last night 22 penalties were taken in the #WorldCup. Only 12 of them were scored, 4 saved, 6 missed the target! Not one was aimed straight. robeastaway.com/blog/penalty...

Back in 2022, I wrote a blog criticising FIFA's decision to increase the number of playing nations from 32 to 48 in the USA tournament. My opinion hasn't changed. #WorldCup robeastaway.com/blog/world-c...