Analysis Meets Arithmetic by Ken Jacobs, Northwestern University

One of the first things we learn about in arithmetic is that every real number can be written in decimal expansion. Years later, we learn in calculus that lots of functions can be written as Taylor series. These two topics, typically learned years apart, are strikingly similar, and the analogy between them motivated Kurt Hensel to introduce p-adic numbers. In this talk, we'll explore Hensel's construction and the beautiful mathematics that have since unfolded.

Enjoy tea and cookies at the Math and Statistics Lecture Series every Wednesday at 4PM.