Original version

BBC World Service Australasia

Discovery

Documentaries

Factual: Science & Nature

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Discovery: The Supercalculators

The Supercalculators

17/12/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - Discovery, The SupercalculatorsSearch BBC

Alex Bellos meets the supercalculators taking part in the Mental Calculation World Cup.

Alex Bellos heads to Germany to meet the supercalculators taking part in this year's Mental Calculation World Cup. Prepare to be dazzled by some amazing mathematical feats.

Alex Bellos is brilliant at all things mathematical, but even he can't hold a candle to the amazing mathematical feats of the supercalculators. Alex heads to Wolfsburg in Germany to meet the contestants at this year's Mental Calculation World Cup. These men and women are the fastest human number crunchers on the planet, able to multiply and divide large numbers with no need to reach for a smart phone, computer or calculator. So how do they do it, and is it a skill that any of us can learn? Alex talks to Robert Fountain, the UK's two-time winner of this prestigious prize, about his hopes for this year's competition and the mathematical magicians of the past who have inspired him. He also meets Rachel Riley, Countdown's number queen, to find out what it takes to beat the countdown clock.

Picture: The Supercalculators, Credit: Alex Bellos

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Discovery

The Supercalculators

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Australasia

About BBC World Service