Geometry around us

Instructor: Anna Felikson

Winter-Spring 2026: The notes (hand-written notes in Russian):

1. Isoperimetric Problem:
- Dido and Isoperimetric Problem, by I.Sharigin (in Russian).
2. Map Projections:
- Mercator Projection, by Andrey Shetnikov (in Russian).
3. Braids:
- Braids and Knots, by Alexei Sossinsky (in Russian).
4. Hairy Ball Theorem:
- Global wind map, life wind map.

Autumn 2025: The notes (hand-written notes in Russian):

1. Goat, grass and cabbage: Notes and Turkish Lullaby (3-minutes long cartoon).
2. Where to dig a well?: Notes and Combodian Lullaby.
3. Illumination Problem: Notes and Lithuanian Lullaby.
4. Four Colour Theorem: Notes and Jewish Lullaby.
5. Shadows: Notes and Lullaby of Argentina.
6. Oranges: Notes and Polish Lullaby.
7. Seven Bridges of Königsberg: Notes and Japanese Lullaby.
8. Sandwich Theorem: Notes and French Lullaby.
9. Paper Snowflakes: Notes and Lullaby of Switzerland.

The videos above are cartoons from the series "Lullabies of the world".

1: Kempe's Universality Theorem:
- "Linkage that signs your name" by Yang Liu. .
- "Kempe's Universality Theorem" explained by Erik Demaine.
2: Geometric loci:
- Geometric Loci by A. Savin, Kvant magazine, 1995 (in Russian).
3: Illumination problem:
- The Illumination Problem - Numberphile video with Howard Masur.
- Illuminating a plane by projectors by V. Galperin and G. Galperin, Kvant magazine, 1995 (in Russian).
4: Four Colour Problem:
- p.290-291 in "What is Mathematics?" by R.Courant and H.Robbins (Russian translation). .
- Chapter 43 in "Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions" by Martin Gardner (Russian translation).
5: Shadows:
- How to make a cardboard sundial - instruction, by Inna Pishkina (in Russian).
6: Oranges:
- 3 minutes video with Maryna Viazovska (2022 Fields Medal) (in English).
- 5 minutes video by Evgeny Smirnov - on oranges, sphere packings and codings (in Russian).
7: Seven bridges of Königsberg:
- The seven bridges of Königsberg - Numberphile video with Cliff Stoll.
- Genome reconstruction by Ph. Compeau and P.Pevzner, Kvant magazine, 2014 (in Russian).
8: Sandwich Theorem:
- Ham Sandwich Problem - Numberphile video with Hannah Fry.
9: Paper Snowflakes:
- Snowflakes by Jane Kac.
- Mobius hearts by Jane Kac.
- Fractal Christmas Tree by Jane Kac.
- Mathematics with Scissors by Jane Kac (Video in Russian).
- "In one cut" a short article from journal "Kvantik", by Kseniya Pahomova (in Russian).
- A lecture on "Fold and one cut Theorem" by Erik Demaine