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Elegance and beauty have always been unequivocal facets of mathematics, and what has drawn me further into it over the last few years is its ability to construct complex theories from a simple idea. For me, continuing on this journey of intellectual discovery that I have only just begun is something that I am tremendously passionate about.
Curiosity is inherently part of my character and this is particularly true when it comes to mathematics. This enthused me to read up on mathematical concepts far more challenging than anything I was learning at the start of the AS Maths course, the first being Taylor series and subsequently Euler’s formula. This concept will always fascinate me, both due to its significance in Euler’s identity and its variety of applications in complex analysis and other fields of mathematics; the most mathematically pleasing, in my opinion, is its application in the solution of the Fresnel integrals.
I recently came across the Basel problem, finding the sum to infinity of the reciprocals of the square numbers. Seeing the solution to the problem involving the circle constant ‘π’ led me to the notion that there are connections in mathematics so intrinsic that they can’t help but be regarded as art. Euler’s approach to the problem was my first look at a solution and its ingenuity yet simplicity has driven me to want to further explore the problem and learn about the Riemann zeta function.
As much as I am captivated by the pure, theoretical side of mathematics, finding applications of it to solve real world problems is often just as satisfying; this triggered me to look into the mathematics of economics, one of my newly acquired passions, over the summer. Learning about the Black-Scholes model to price equity options and the primary differential equation that it is derived from was a brilliant insight for me into the world of econometrics and the modelling of stochastic processes; it was thought-provoking for me to delve into the mathematics of financial theory and learn about such a famous equation that many in the financial sector have regarded as a significant factor in the global financial crash.
I noted an interesting standpoint in the book ‘In Pursuit of the Unknown: 17 Equations That Changed the World’ by Ian Stewart, where he clearly asserts that ‘the Midas Formula’ wasn’t itself the problem but rather its abuse which was the largest contributor to the crisis. The conflicting views of Stewart and some of those in the financial sector, along with my inquisitive nature, led me to embark upon my Extended Project Qualification, where I shall evaluate the possibility of formulating a purely mathematical model to forecast the long term trends in the USD/JPY exchange rate; I chose this topic with the hope that researching mathematical methods in financial analysis first-hand will allow me to draw my own conclusions on the extent to which they can be used and where human instinct might play a greater role than a mathematical approach alone.
Aside from mathematics, music has always been a prominent influence in my life ever since I discovered that I have absolute pitch, and I find that music and mathematics are inextricably linked in so many ways; the mathematician Vi Hart’s video on YouTube entitled ‘What is up with Noises?’ opened my eyes to an amazing relation between the two in the harmonic series; in recent years, electronic music has inspired me to produce my own music using computer software. My recent stay with a French family along with a successful week of work experience in the payroll department of Autogrill in Marseille allowed me to experience the joy of competently conversing solely in another language.
Knowing that I will be rigorously challenging my mind is the greatest stimulus for me to pursue such a demanding course at university and succeed in excelling to the best of my ability; after I complete my degree, I aim to follow a research career in mathematical economics.
Universities Applied to:
- Cambridge (Mathematics) - Offer (A*AA and 1,1 in STEP II and III) Firm
- UCL (Mathematics with Economics) - Offer (A*A*A or A*AA and 1 in any STEP paper) Insurance
- LSE (Mathematics with Economics) - Rejection
- Warwick (Mathematics and Economics) - Offer (A*A*A and 2 in any STEP paper) Declined
- Bristol (Economics and Mathematics) - Offer (A*AA) Declined
Grades Achieved:
- Mathematics (A2) - A*
- Further Mathematics (A2) - A*
- Chemistry (A2) - A
- Economics (A2) - A
- French (A2) - B
- Additional Further Mathematics (AS) - A
- STEP II - 1
- STEP III - 1
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