Peter Rowlett
@peterrowlett.net
I teach maths and computing at a UK university and work as a maths communicator. Sheffield/Nottingham based. Editor, The Mathematical Gazette. Aperiodical blog, Mathematical Objects podcast. Part of http://finitegroup.co.uk
peterrowlett.net
peterrowlett.net
Reposted by Peter Rowlett
We wrote a book!
My forthcoming book with @alexcorner.bsky.social has a cover!
Game Theory and Recreational Mathematics: A Playful Approach to Problem Solving and Inquiry
Game Theory and Recreational Mathematics views mathematics through a lens of puzzles and games, with a strong focus on creative problem solving. The book sets the scene for discrete mathematics by int...
www.routledge.com
September 15, 2026 at 6:02 PM
We wrote a book!
My forthcoming book with @alexcorner.bsky.social has a cover!
Game Theory and Recreational Mathematics: A Playful Approach to Problem Solving and Inquiry
Game Theory and Recreational Mathematics views mathematics through a lens of puzzles and games, with a strong focus on creative problem solving. The book sets the scene for discrete mathematics by int...
www.routledge.com
September 15, 2026 at 10:19 AM
My forthcoming book with @alexcorner.bsky.social has a cover!
Reposted by Peter Rowlett
I finally remembered to but my ticket for this year's @bigmathsjam.bsky.social today. If you've not been before, it's an excellent weekend of maths fun and you should definitely come.
Details and ticket booking at mathsjam.com/gathering/uk/.
Details and ticket booking at mathsjam.com/gathering/uk/.
MathsJam UK Gathering | MathsJam
mathsjam.com
September 9, 2026 at 5:33 PM
I finally remembered to but my ticket for this year's @bigmathsjam.bsky.social today. If you've not been before, it's an excellent weekend of maths fun and you should definitely come.
Details and ticket booking at mathsjam.com/gathering/uk/.
Details and ticket booking at mathsjam.com/gathering/uk/.
Went to the Boole memorial in Lincoln. Boole is teaching two children some logic. One has a slate labelled “ALICIA”, his daughter’s name. Any ideas why the other is labelled “TAD”?
(It amused me that while Tad is copying from the board, Alicia, who became a 4D geometer, is drawing some geometry.)
(It amused me that while Tad is copying from the board, Alicia, who became a 4D geometer, is drawing some geometry.)
August 24, 2026 at 7:08 AM
Went to the Boole memorial in Lincoln. Boole is teaching two children some logic. One has a slate labelled “ALICIA”, his daughter’s name. Any ideas why the other is labelled “TAD”?
(It amused me that while Tad is copying from the board, Alicia, who became a 4D geometer, is drawing some geometry.)
(It amused me that while Tad is copying from the board, Alicia, who became a 4D geometer, is drawing some geometry.)
The new issue of The Mathematical Gazette has arrived! My second as editor. 😁
My editorial discusses what the journal is about and who reads it. It and six other articles from the issue are free to read online here:
www.tandfonline.com/toc/tmgz20/1...
@amiemathematics.bsky.social
My editorial discusses what the journal is about and who reads it. It and six other articles from the issue are free to read online here:
www.tandfonline.com/toc/tmgz20/1...
@amiemathematics.bsky.social
August 5, 2026 at 12:13 PM
The new issue of The Mathematical Gazette has arrived! My second as editor. 😁
My editorial discusses what the journal is about and who reads it. It and six other articles from the issue are free to read online here:
www.tandfonline.com/toc/tmgz20/1...
@amiemathematics.bsky.social
My editorial discusses what the journal is about and who reads it. It and six other articles from the issue are free to read online here:
www.tandfonline.com/toc/tmgz20/1...
@amiemathematics.bsky.social
You can trust quality that’s built on careful attention to detail.
July 27, 2026 at 9:01 AM
You can trust quality that’s built on careful attention to detail.
I continue to wonder about utility of #genAI. I gave Claude some text I wrote and asked it to find and add suitable references. In the response it gave some warnings that straight-up assumed I am a student cheating on an assignment. 🤯
July 23, 2026 at 6:17 PM
I continue to wonder about utility of #genAI. I gave Claude some text I wrote and asked it to find and add suitable references. In the response it gave some warnings that straight-up assumed I am a student cheating on an assignment. 🤯
Not exactly showing the power of the Approximation Day Bot, but it’s a biggy. Question is: what happens on the other days of the year? The answer is silliness - give it a follow and find out!
Happy π Approximation Day!
July 22, 2026 at 8:38 AM
Not exactly showing the power of the Approximation Day Bot, but it’s a biggy. Question is: what happens on the other days of the year? The answer is silliness - give it a follow and find out!
My son got a calculator for secondary school in the autumn, so we took it for a test. He drew a series of triangles and measured the sides, then worked out their ratios and plotted them. Then we tried some other buttons on the calculator and discovered sin, cos and tan make the same values! #tmwyk
July 19, 2026 at 7:33 PM
My son got a calculator for secondary school in the autumn, so we took it for a test. He drew a series of triangles and measured the sides, then worked out their ratios and plotted them. Then we tried some other buttons on the calculator and discovered sin, cos and tan make the same values! #tmwyk
Heading home from my last school visit of the year. Since Sept 25 I have delivered 10 events on campus, visited 9 schools & done 1 online talk, to over 1300 students from years 7-13. A mixture of maths careers talks & workshops on modelling, problem solving, cryptography, games and history of maths.
July 17, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Heading home from my last school visit of the year. Since Sept 25 I have delivered 10 events on campus, visited 9 schools & done 1 online talk, to over 1300 students from years 7-13. A mixture of maths careers talks & workshops on modelling, problem solving, cryptography, games and history of maths.
If you're looking for somewhere to start, the top episodes by downloads of Mathematical Objects are:
1. Low bridge sign with Adam Townsend
2. Mathematics in Theory and Practice, edited by Warwick Sawyer
3. Fingers with Ben Orlin
4. A sheep, at least one side of which is black
5. Towers of Hanoi
1. Low bridge sign with Adam Townsend
2. Mathematics in Theory and Practice, edited by Warwick Sawyer
3. Fingers with Ben Orlin
4. A sheep, at least one side of which is black
5. Towers of Hanoi
Mathematical Objects Podcast – list of episodes
Katie Steckles and Peter Rowlett chat about some aspect of mathematics using a mathematical object as inspiration. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Spotify | RSS. All episodes are available un…
aperiodical.com
July 7, 2026 at 9:18 AM
If you're looking for somewhere to start, the top episodes by downloads of Mathematical Objects are:
1. Low bridge sign with Adam Townsend
2. Mathematics in Theory and Practice, edited by Warwick Sawyer
3. Fingers with Ben Orlin
4. A sheep, at least one side of which is black
5. Towers of Hanoi
1. Low bridge sign with Adam Townsend
2. Mathematics in Theory and Practice, edited by Warwick Sawyer
3. Fingers with Ben Orlin
4. A sheep, at least one side of which is black
5. Towers of Hanoi
What is The Mathematical Gazette about? Who is it for?
I discuss this, drawing on words from previous editors, in my editorial for the new issue. Free to access here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
I discuss this, drawing on words from previous editors, in my editorial for the new issue. Free to access here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
July 3, 2026 at 1:46 PM
What is The Mathematical Gazette about? Who is it for?
I discuss this, drawing on words from previous editors, in my editorial for the new issue. Free to access here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
I discuss this, drawing on words from previous editors, in my editorial for the new issue. Free to access here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
What on earth happened here? This is earlier today. I was at a bus stop in a village about 7.5 miles from Nottingham and asked Google Maps for public transport directions to Nottingham.
July 2, 2026 at 6:07 PM
What on earth happened here? This is earlier today. I was at a bus stop in a village about 7.5 miles from Nottingham and asked Google Maps for public transport directions to Nottingham.
Reposted by Peter Rowlett
Can you solve this puzzle?
Robin McLean explores the algebra of constructing puzzles like this in a new #openaccess article in The Mathematical Gazette.
Read here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Robin McLean explores the algebra of constructing puzzles like this in a new #openaccess article in The Mathematical Gazette.
Read here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
June 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Can you solve this puzzle?
Robin McLean explores the algebra of constructing puzzles like this in a new #openaccess article in The Mathematical Gazette.
Read here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Robin McLean explores the algebra of constructing puzzles like this in a new #openaccess article in The Mathematical Gazette.
Read here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Peter Rowlett
Next Thursday 25th June, I'm doing a livestream with @Ayliean.bsky.social about aperiodic tilings - we'll be chatting about substitution tilings and matching rules, and chatting about the recent #BeachSpectres project! If you'd like to watch, simply join our Finite Group community: finitegroup.co.uk
Finite Group
Finite Group is a collective of cool maths people who want to have nice conversations about mathematical ideas.
finitegroup.co.uk
June 16, 2026 at 10:45 AM
Next Thursday 25th June, I'm doing a livestream with @Ayliean.bsky.social about aperiodic tilings - we'll be chatting about substitution tilings and matching rules, and chatting about the recent #BeachSpectres project! If you'd like to watch, simply join our Finite Group community: finitegroup.co.uk
Ooo, my piece has appeared online here
Mathematical Gazetteer of the British Isles
David Singmaster's Gazetteer, Green's Windmill, and more.
#MathsToday
Mathematical Gazetteer of the British Isles
David Singmaster's Gazetteer, Green's Windmill, and more.
#MathsToday
June 12, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Ooo, my piece has appeared online here
Mathematical Gazetteer of the British Isles
David Singmaster's Gazetteer, Green's Windmill, and more.
#MathsToday
Mathematical Gazetteer of the British Isles
David Singmaster's Gazetteer, Green's Windmill, and more.
#MathsToday
Maths on Holiday - new issue of the IMA members’ magazine, in which I wrote about David Singmaster’s Gazeteer, Green’s Windmill, that time Sam Hansen came to town, etc.
![Mathematical Gazetteer of the British Isles
Peter Rowlett Math FIMA, Sheffield Hallam University
What do you do to find places to visit when travelling? Consult a guidebook? Search Google Maps? Look at reviews on TripAdvisor?
Early in my career, when I used to travel a lot to visit universities around the UK, I would often look up the places I was visiting in the Mathematical Gazetteer of the British Isles. This is an alphabetical listing of place names, and each has some information about mathematical places of interest and the mathematicians who were born, died, worked or visited there.
These were collected and published by the late David Singmaster in the BSHM Newsletter of the British Society for the History of Mathematics. Singmaster explained that he had been collecting information 'for some years' already by the time of the first publication [1]. The series was published in 18 parts from](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2cztrl4zqdmevgscjlwmjw5k/bafkreidrxi7qscaknfqng267yjdikxpgtac25ugt2db2yqhhmhl5or5xqm)
June 11, 2026 at 8:26 AM
Maths on Holiday - new issue of the IMA members’ magazine, in which I wrote about David Singmaster’s Gazeteer, Green’s Windmill, that time Sam Hansen came to town, etc.
Quick update from #BeachSpectres from @ayliean.bsky.social - join Finite Group for free to access the video.
patreon.com/posts/beach-...
patreon.com/posts/beach-...
June 8, 2026 at 8:20 AM
Quick update from #BeachSpectres from @ayliean.bsky.social - join Finite Group for free to access the video.
patreon.com/posts/beach-...
patreon.com/posts/beach-...
Optimal play in ‘Guess Who?’ #openaccess in The Mathematical Gazette
Suggests using questions with an embedded paradox to produce three responses from your opponent - yes, no, or argh paradox head explodes - allowing you to narrow down the suspects more quickly.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Suggests using questions with an embedded paradox to produce three responses from your opponent - yes, no, or argh paradox head explodes - allowing you to narrow down the suspects more quickly.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Optimal play in ‘Guess Who?’
We prove an optimal strategy for the children's game Guess Who? assuming the official rules are in use and that both players ask ‘classical’ questions with bipartite responses. Applying a technique...
www.tandfonline.com
June 1, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Optimal play in ‘Guess Who?’ #openaccess in The Mathematical Gazette
Suggests using questions with an embedded paradox to produce three responses from your opponent - yes, no, or argh paradox head explodes - allowing you to narrow down the suspects more quickly.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Suggests using questions with an embedded paradox to produce three responses from your opponent - yes, no, or argh paradox head explodes - allowing you to narrow down the suspects more quickly.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Teachers! We're running a day of year 12 maths workshops on 25th June on campus in Sheffield city centre. Bring a group? They'll see the university campus and enjoy taking part in maths workshops run by university lecturers.
shuoutreach.com/event/explor...
#MathsToday #AlevelMathematics
shuoutreach.com/event/explor...
#MathsToday #AlevelMathematics
Exploring Maths Experience Day
Maths has always been a vital tool to understand the world around us, as well as a playful and creative way to engage our curiosity. Come along to our Exploring Maths days to glimpse the world that…
shuoutreach.com
May 21, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Teachers! We're running a day of year 12 maths workshops on 25th June on campus in Sheffield city centre. Bring a group? They'll see the university campus and enjoy taking part in maths workshops run by university lecturers.
shuoutreach.com/event/explor...
#MathsToday #AlevelMathematics
shuoutreach.com/event/explor...
#MathsToday #AlevelMathematics
Could we rely more on everyday intuitions when thinking about abstract ideas? Does the formalism seen when teaching match how mathematicians think about mathematics? Letters to the editor in response (in support or arguing against!) are welcome via [email protected]
Free paper available from The Mathematical Gazette:
Why do disjoint cycles commute? Or, why do mathematicians not like horsies and doggies?
by Douglas Hofstadter, author of 'Gödel, Escher, Bach' - which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980.
Read it here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
Why do disjoint cycles commute? Or, why do mathematicians not like horsies and doggies?
by Douglas Hofstadter, author of 'Gödel, Escher, Bach' - which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980.
Read it here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
Why do disjoint cycles commute? Or, why do mathematicians not like horsies and doggies?
by Douglas Hofstadter
www.tandfonline.com
May 12, 2026 at 9:08 AM
Could we rely more on everyday intuitions when thinking about abstract ideas? Does the formalism seen when teaching match how mathematicians think about mathematics? Letters to the editor in response (in support or arguing against!) are welcome via [email protected]
Reposted by Peter Rowlett
Free paper available from The Mathematical Gazette:
Why do disjoint cycles commute? Or, why do mathematicians not like horsies and doggies?
by Douglas Hofstadter, author of 'Gödel, Escher, Bach' - which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980.
Read it here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
Why do disjoint cycles commute? Or, why do mathematicians not like horsies and doggies?
by Douglas Hofstadter, author of 'Gödel, Escher, Bach' - which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980.
Read it here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
Why do disjoint cycles commute? Or, why do mathematicians not like horsies and doggies?
by Douglas Hofstadter
www.tandfonline.com
May 12, 2026 at 9:01 AM
Free paper available from The Mathematical Gazette:
Why do disjoint cycles commute? Or, why do mathematicians not like horsies and doggies?
by Douglas Hofstadter, author of 'Gödel, Escher, Bach' - which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980.
Read it here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
Why do disjoint cycles commute? Or, why do mathematicians not like horsies and doggies?
by Douglas Hofstadter, author of 'Gödel, Escher, Bach' - which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980.
Read it here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
Just spotted a new edition of the Comprehensive LaTeX Symbols List has been published and it contains my package customdice!
ctan.org/pkg/comprehe...
ctan.org/pkg/comprehe...
May 6, 2026 at 8:53 AM
Just spotted a new edition of the Comprehensive LaTeX Symbols List has been published and it contains my package customdice!
ctan.org/pkg/comprehe...
ctan.org/pkg/comprehe...