In 2017 (Semester 1), a new broadening unit in mathematics (MATH1601) will be run for the first time.

From Handbook 2017: Cultural change has often been in tandem with progress in the development of art and science, and in particular, of mathematics. This unit examines some of the many influences of mathematics on abstract thought, conceptions of reality, the nature of truth and valid argument, and the development of science and technology. In everyday life, there are paradoxes and counter-intuitive phenomena that are best explained by mathematics, and we endeavour to take a journey that will explore the power of modern mathematical thinking in the modern world.

There are no specific prerequisites for this unit, and in particular, the content does not rely on the material taught in the last year of secondary school (e.g., calculus is not required).

Associate Professor John Bamberg will be teaching this new unit, and a sketch of the syllabus can be found below:

• Game Theory; the maths behind conflict and competition.
• Confusion between causation and correlation.
• Cryptography and secure communication in the modern world.
• Perspective in art and design.