Tom Rocks Maths

Hosted by Tom Crawford

Wednesdays 19:00 - 20:00

Tom is a maths tutor at St Hugh's with a passion for public engagement. As part of his mission to make everyone love maths as much as he does, Tom will be combining his two favourite things: maths and rock music, into the fortnightly show Tom Rocks Maths. There will be puzzles, stories from the past, special guests and an overview of what's currently big news in the world of numbers. Mix all that in with music from artists such as Blink 182, A Day to Remember and Bring Me the Horizon and you've got yourself the perfect Half Hour of Power (x2)...

All of tom's outreach material can be found on his website tomrocksmaths.com and you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube @tomrocksmaths.

SEASON 01

The first ever episode of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio. Featuring Pokémon, raising the Titanic with ping-pong balls, punishment by drowning and the weekly maths puzzle for you to solve. Plus music from Blink 182, Billy Talent and A Day To Remember. It's maths, but not as you know it...

Episode 3 features special guest Marie who talks about bringing dinosaurs back to life, asks me to explain the fourth dimension and tests out her mathematical knowledge with a dinosaur-themed quiz. Plus the weekly puzzle, the chaotic world of Funbers and music from Muse, Stereophonics and Bowling for Soup. It's maths, but not as you know it...

The fourth and final episode of Tom Rocks Maths this term on Oxide. Featuring my favourite shapes, cannibals with a hat fetish, the golden ratio and the weekly maths puzzle for you to solve. Plus, music from Foo Fighters, Green Day and Sum 41. It's maths, but not as you know it...

Tom Rocks Maths is back on Oxide radio with the usual eclectic mix of great maths and great music. This episode features the largest number in the world, Archimedes running naked through the streets of Ancient Greece and a conundrum involving apples… Plus music from Biffy Clyro, the Strokes and Alexisonfire. This is maths, but not as you know it...

Episode number 6 from Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide radio features travel into outer space, the numbers that are illegal to know, and the four (or should that be six?) Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Plus, the usual maths puzzle and great music from Linkin Park, Four Year Strong and American Hi-fi. This is maths, but not as you know it…

The latest episode from Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio features pirates that can't count, the best way to carry a bundle of sticks, and special guest Toby, who talks about his favourite part of maths, his taste in music and tries out one of the infamous Tom Rocks Maths quizzes! Not forgetting the usual maths puzzle and great music from the Arctic Monkeys, Paramore and All Time Low. This is maths, but not as you know it...

The final episode in season 1 of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio – Oxford University’s student radio station – with very special guests Jon and Nick discussing everything from the number of stickers needed to cover the Earth, to different types of infinity, via a new name for the world’s smallest number. Plus, a mammoth quiz to end the season in style and music from Nirvana and Soundgarden. This is maths, but not as you know it…

SEASON 02

Tom Rocks Maths is back on Oxide radio for a second season. The old favourites return with the weekly puzzle, Funbers and Equations Stripped. Plus, the new Millennium Problems segment where I tell you everything that you need to know about the seven greatest unsolved problems in the world of maths, each worth a cool $1 million. And not to forget the usual selection of awesome music from artists such as Rise Against, Panic at the Disco, Thirty Seconds to Mars - and for one week only – Taylor Swift. This is maths, but not as you know it…

The second episode of season 2 of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio - Oxford University’s student radio station. Featuring the numbers behind the sub 2-hour marathon world record attempt, P versus NP and the battle for control of the world, and the usual dose of Funbers with my super sweet 16. Plus, music from Blink 182, Billy Talent and Hollywood Undead. This is maths, but not as you know it…

Season 2 of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio continues with maths and rock aplenty as we delve into the quantum realm to uncover the third Millennium Problem worth a cool $1 million… Plus the usual puzzle, fun facts about numbers you didn’t realise you’ve secretly always wanted to know, and brilliant music from Blink 182, My Chemical Romance and Asking Alexandria. This is maths, but not as you know it. 

The final episode of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio for 2018 goes out with a bang. We’ve got another million-dollar maths problem, a healthy dose of nakedness, and we try chopping up traffic cones with a saw. Plus, music from Jay-Z/Linkin Park, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Foo Fighters. This is maths, but not as you know it…

Tom Rocks Maths is back on Oxide Radio for Hilary Term 2019 with the usual eclectic mix of maths and music. Learn more about the only million-dollar Millennium Problem that’s been solved so far, fun facts about the number 6, and a nursery rhyme themed puzzle. Plus, music from Bring me the Horizon, Queen and Papa Roach. This is maths, but not as you know it…

Another fun-filled hour of your favourite two things - Maths and Rock music – courtesy of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio. This week I’m joined by two of my students from Teddy Hall, Fran and Tom, who will be explaining their favourite mathematical topics, taking part in a bumper numbers quiz, and sharing some of their music tastes. Plus, the usual dose of Funbers, and excellent music from Panic at the Disco, Sum 41 and Muse. This is maths, but not as you know it…

With thanks to Alice Taylor for production assistance.

More great music and great maths from Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio – Oxford University’s student radio station. Featuring special guest Yuxiao who explains the Monty Hall problem, tackles the infamous numbers quiz, and sets us not one, but THREE problems in a bumper edition of the weekly puzzle. Plus, music from ACDC, Gym Class Heroes and The Offspring. This is maths, but not as you know it…

With thanks to Alice Taylor for production assistance.

Another fantastic guest joins me in the latest episode of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio as my student Bonnor explains the Bridges of Koenigsberg and their link to Topology and Graph Theory. Plus, news from the Royal Society, a prime puzzle, and a numbers quiz featuring everything from the Simpsons and owls, to counting to one billion using only 10% of our brains. All interspersed with amazing music from Paramore, Linkin Park and Bring me the Horizon. This is maths, but not as you know it…

With thanks to Alice Taylor for production assistance.

Tom Rocks Maths launches into Hilary Term on Oxide Radio with the continuation of the million-dollar Millennium Problems series, an explanation of how Tom's PhD research can be used to help clean-up our oceans, and conspiracy theories aplenty with Funbers 11. Plus, music from Kings of Leon, Biffy Clyro and New Found Glory. This is maths, but not as you know it...

Episode 10 of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio sees the conclusion of the million-dollar Millennium Problem series with the Hodge Conjecture, a mischievously difficult number puzzle, and the answer to the question on everyone's lips: how many people have died watching the video of Justin Bieber's Despacito? Plus, the usual great music from the Prodigy, the Hives and Weezer. This is maths, but not as you know it...

A special edition of Tom Rocks Maths on Oxide Radio with music inspired by Tom's recent visit to Slam Dunk Festival. We've also got Pokemon and drinking games, a mind-bending Einstein Puzzle, and news of Tom's antics running around the streets of Oxford in his underwear... This is maths, but not as you know it.

Season 2 comes to a close with stories from my (rather eventful) trip to China, a new video series with BBC Maths Guru Bobby Seagull, and the number of calories needed by a Charizard per day to survive. That's all on top of the usual puzzle and fun facts about the numbers 0 and 1. Plus, music from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, System of a Down, and Limp Bizkit. This is maths, but not as you know it...

Season 03

Tom Rocks Maths returns for a 3rd season on Oxide Radio with the usual eclectic mix of rock music and maths. This time I’m joined by Joshua – one of my second year students at St Edmund Hall – who brings along an amazing puzzle involving square numbers and explains the magic of Fourier Series, as well as taking part in the usual guest numbers quiz. Plus, music from Blink 182, Bring Me The Horizon, Sum 41 and an ABBA cover (Joshua’s choice)… This is maths, but not as you know it.

Another week, another guest. This time one of my 4th year students, Davide, joins me on the show to talk Topology, Measure Theory and the infamous Banach-Tarski Paradox. With music from Feeder, Bloodhound Gang and Davide's favourite Italian group Calcutta - Tom Rocks Maths goes international...