Series · Documentary

The Music of the Primes (2005)

Why an Unsolved Problem in Mathematics Matters

For more than 2,000 years, a mathematical riddle has baffled the world’s greatest minds. It’s a problem of such difficulty that it has tormented those brave enough to tackle it. Some have given up in despair. Others have been driven mad. Primes are fundamental to mathematics yet they seem to surface entirely randomly along the number line. But are the primes truly random or is there some hidden pattern? It’s the greatest unsolved problem of mathematics. In The Music of the Primes, Marcus du Sautoy investigates the fascinating story of great mathematicians who have all grappled with the problem of the primes

Creator

Marcus du Sautoy

Network

BBC Four

Country

United Kingdom

Language

English

First aired

September 28, 2005

Status

Ended