Talking to Anna about Maths

It all started when Anna moved in next door for the summer, at the house of an old mathematician. Anna was one of those kids that loved to ask “why” and her new neighbour was not only able to answer her every question, but even to illicit further questions in her. Their conversations started by counting the stamens of the sunflower’s blossom and trying to discern what the nicks in some prehistoric bones mean. As each summer passes, the two unlikely friends begin their journey in maths: from the origins of the first numerations to practical geometry, until they finish – through progressive definitions of the essence of number and the ever-growing challenges of more complicated figures – with today’s open ended problems of theoretical and applied mathematics. The dialogue between the restless teenager and her occasional mentor will take the reader to a journey through the magical and, oh so, misunderstood world of mathematics, becoming aware of the fascination of the theoretical research as well as the impressive applications of mathematics in all aspects of our everyday lives. When, finally, Anna completes her studies and in search for the thesis of her PhD, she will be the one to become our mentor and welcome us to the contemporary and vibrant mathematical research.