Calling all arithmomaniacs: vote for A Square - July 23, 2008
After encouraging you to vote up chemist Mendeleev in the ongoing Greatest Russian online poll, we have another question for you to ponder: Who is your favourite fictional mathematician?
Maths-mag Plus has compiled an impressive list of fictional number jockeys and currently leading the pack is Charlie Eppes from US cop-show Numb3rs, with 14% of the 150-odd votes.
Clearly a much better choice is A Square from Edwin A. Abbott’s Flatland, currently only one vote behind in second. A surprising percentage of people have voted Sherlock Holmes’s evil nemesis Professor Moriarty into third.
One commenter on the Plus blog points out a glaring omission though:
I have voted for 'The Square' but wonder if 'Count von Count' from Sesame Street should be included? He has certainly promoted the joy of numbers and counting to generations of kids around the world!
Sadly I have to report that Mendeleev is still languishing badly in the Greatest Russian’s poll, although Gagarin has moved up to 9th place. Take that Ivan the Terrible.
