Mathematics is the sense you never knew you had | Eddie Woo | TEDxSydney

Eddie Woo explains that he was an outsider to mathematics, despite eventually becoming a teacher of the subject. He recounts how, in school, he excelled in English and history, and struggled with math, often appearing at the bottom of school-wide math competition lists. A chance encounter with a university professor, who recognized his perseverance despite his struggles, encouraged him to pursue teaching mathematics due to a critical shortage of educators in that field.

Woo likens his initial perception of mathematics to his early, joyless experience with piano lessons, which felt like rote learning without creativity. He later rediscovered music through playing the guitar, finding engagement and creativity. Similarly, at university, he realized mathematics was not just about formulas, but about practical problem-solving, asking the right questions, and combining insight with imagination. He describes mathematics as a 'sense' for patterns, relationships, and logical connections.

Woo illustrates mathematics as a sense by showcasing fractals—recursive patterns found throughout nature. He points out similarities in the shapes of a river delta, a tree, lightning bolts, and even the human circulatory system. These natural occurrences demonstrate a mathematical reality woven into the fabric of the universe, highlighting how fractals are prevalent everywhere once one learns to perceive them.

Woo challenges the notion that some people are simply 'not math people,' arguing that all humans are wired to see and create patterns. He emphasizes that the universe itself is ordered and patterned (cosmos), not chaotic. He connects this pattern-making ability to art, citing Islamic art's intricate geometric designs as a prime example of mathematical patterns creating beauty. He goes on to discuss the rotational symmetry in flowers as another instance of inherent mathematical aesthetics.

Woo explains that the beauty and efficiency of flower growth, such as the sunflower, are governed by a specific mathematical angle of 137.5 degrees, which emerges from the golden ratio. He concludes by stating that this mathematical reality, like fractals and the golden ratio, can be found everywhere, from human anatomy to ancient architecture, reinforcing his pride in loving mathematics and encouraging others to perceive this hidden sense.