The date of November the fourth, 2025, our school has the great honour of welcoming Professor Sarah Hart, an eminent mathematician and celebrated scholar, Professor Emerita of Mathematics at Birbeck, University of London, Former President of the British Society for the History of Mathematics, and next President of the British Mathematical Association for a truly unforgettable academic visit. Professor Hart delivered a captivating talk titled “A Mathematical Journey Through Literature,” revealing the surprising and elegant ways Mathematics is woven into the fabric of stories, poems, and classical texts.
Our principal, Neil Mobsby, the Head of Faculty, Matthew Thomas, and head of Further Mathematics and Maths G&T teacher, Annie Zhou warmly welcomed Professor Hart to our school. To greet her together were the other two Maths G&T teachers, Mark Ostrowicz and Ting Kang, who were just excited as our G&T Maths students longing for her speech. A short coffee break after her arrival, Professor Hart took us onboard, teachers and G&T Maths students together, started a beautiful journey in Maths wonderland.
From the moment she began speaking, Professor Hart’s enthusiasm was unmistakable. She shared her fascinating discoveries about the hidden mathematical patterns embedded in literature—patterns that many of us had never noticed before. She uncovered how the structure of classical novels and ancient poems often reflects deliberate mathematical design and even explained how the number of words or characters in each chapter of certain beautifully crafted books follows geometric sequences that subtly shape the narrative and guide the reader’s emotional journey.
For example, in some novels, the number of words in one chapter is n, then its next chapter has , where r is less than 1, such that the chapters grow shorter and shorter, but they draw closer to the truth of the story. This clever structure not only shapes the narrative art with precision, but also subtly awakens the mathematician’s innate sensitivity and fascination with numbers that are written into our very genes. In this way, it subtly yet beautifully nourishes the mathematical soul that we science-minded readers possess. Ah, an utterly exquisite reading experience and enjoyment.
Professor Hart then treated our G&T Mathematics students, along with other passionate young Mathematicians, to a deeper exploration of the intersection between Maths, Science, and imagination. Drawing on logical reasoning, scientific data, and biological principles such as bone structure and physical constraints, she analysed the feasibility of giant creatures—human or animal—often depicted in films and fiction. While characters like King Kong or the Hulk spark excitement and wonder, Professor Hart showed, through clear mathematical reasoning, why such giants would be scientifically impossible to sustain on Earth. Her explanation seamlessly blended Mathematics with Biology and Physics, offering students a powerful example of analytical thinking applied to imaginative ideas.
Throughout the session, the interaction between Professor Hart and our students was lively and inspiring. The students were fully absorbed by her thought-provoking examples and her genuine love for literature—poems, stories, novels, and more. She encouraged us to read not only with our hearts but also with a mathematician’s curiosity, discovering structures and patterns that enrich the experience of reading.
As Professor Hart guided us through this journey, we found ourselves pondering, questioning, and marvelling at the elegance of mathematics hidden within the pages of literary works. Many students continued the conversation long after the official talk ended, eagerly asking questions and engaging in further discussion with Professor Hart.
We extend our warmest thanks to Professor Sarah Hart for bringing us this extraordinary opportunity to revisit literature through a mathematical lens. Special thanks to the head of student affairs in Green Oasis school, Mr. Frank, who introduced and accompanied Prof. Sarah Hart to our school with his colleagues, Rosita Li, Willa Lin, Hedy Yang, we appreciate your sharing and visit with Prof. Hart!
Pro. Hart’s visit has left our students inspired, enlightened, and deeply appreciative of the intertwined beauty of mathematics and the written words.
- Article / Annie Zhou
