Kill This Hydra's Multiplying Heads With Mathematics

Maybe your like

Newsletter
Pop Mech Pro
Subscribe
Home and DIY
Power Tools
Cars
Technology
Military
Science
Adventure
Sci-Fi
Airplanes
Space
Gifts
Deals
Visual Stories
Promotions
Shop
Follow
My Bookmarks

Skip to Contentsign inSubscribeSearch

sign inSubscribe

Science
Home & DIY
Technology
Gear Reviews
Military
Transportation
Culture & Curiosities
About

My Bookmarks
Newsletter

Privacy NoticeTerms Of Use

sign inSubscribe

Science
Home & DIY
Technology
Gear Reviews
Military
Transportation
Culture & Curiosities
About
More

PBS Infinite Series

Imagine you're battling the ancient Greek Hyra monster, a beast that regrows its many heads as you chop them off. It turns out, there's a mathematical equivalent to this scenario, as explained by Kelsey Houston-Edwards on PBS's Infinite Series YouTube show.

View full post on YouTube

This hydra grows heads out of its other heads, and to kill it, you need to cut off the shortest head branches, lest it regrow that entire section twice (which it does any time you cut off a head anywhere). The video provides the visuals to help you understand the process, but as Houston-Edwards explains, killing the hydra is actually inevitable, even if it looks like all your moves are just making it stronger. To learn why, you'll need to understand some badass mathematical theorems.

If only all our problems were inevitably solvable.

Source: PBS Infinite Series

Watch Next