Tom Rocks Maths

Screenshot from Tom Rocks Maths YouTube video on how many ping pong balls it would take to lift the titanic from the ocean floor.

Screenshot from Tom Rocks Maths YouTube video on how many ping pong balls it would take to lift the titanic from the ocean floor.

Maths is often seen as boring, serious and irrelevant to everyday life.

Dr Tom Crawford, lecturer at St Hugh's College, decided to tackle this issue and created a role model for young students online. On his YouTube channel 'Tom Rocks Maths', he presents himself as charismatic and outgoing. He is now also known as 'the Naked Mathematician', since he does maths in his underwear in the 'Equations Stripped' series, showing that maths is not as serious as many think.

Tom makes maths accessible, relevant and fun. In his videos, he answers interesting questions which his followers on social media send in. In this way, his online audience feels highly involved and therefore interested in the answers Tom gives. By choosing exciting questions, he also demonstrates the importance of maths in everyday life. As the comments on his channel show, his approach greatly increases enthusiasm for the subject and makes maths a lot more exciting.

 

I've always loved maths but never wanted to go to university, but [Tom] has made me want to go now.

– A student and follower of Tom Rocks Maths

I'm reading Maths (first year) and Tom's way of explaining is very helpful.

Undergraduate student and follower of Tom Rocks Maths

Case study


Making Maths accessible and relevant via YouTube and Social Media

READ THE FULL CASE STUDY (PDF)

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