Can social media make a math problem go viral? Ask Presh Talwalkar, a Stanford-educated mathematician, economist, and author who runs the popular Mind Your Decisions channel on YouTube. The channel teaches viewers how to solve tricky math problems and tackle delightfully maddening logic puzzles, riddles, and brain teasers. Popular videos on the channel address math challenges posed to Amazon interviewees, MIT admissions test questions, and those viral "IQ tests" everyone shares on Facebook. In the menu bar at the top of the channel page, viewers can click "Playlists" to access videos grouped by topics like mental math, solving a Rubik's cube, and game theory in the TV show Breaking Bad. The channel is a prime example of how social media can be used to engage the public in topics many might find intimidating or dull. Puzzle-solvers looking for more content can find it on Talwalkar's Twitter (@preshtalwalkar).
Comments