Math Extra Credit Blog #1 - 140 Year Old Problem Solved

There is a math problem that has defeated mathamaticians for over 140 years. However, recently, a man from London solved it. The problem is in an area of math known as Conformal Mapping which scientists use to make complicated and intricate shapes in to simple circular shapes. The article from ScienceDaily.com states "A formula, now known as the Schwarz-Christoffel formula, was developed by two mathematicians in the mid-19th century to enable them to carry out this kind of mapping. However, for 140 years there has been a deficiency in this formula: it only worked for shapes that did not contain any holes or irregularities." Professor Crowdy was also reported as saying "This formula is an essential piece of mathematical kit which is used the world over. Now, with my additions to it, it can be used in far more complex scenarios than before. In industry, for example, this mapping tool was previously inadequate if a piece of metal or other material was not uniform all over - for instance, if it contained parts of a different material, or had holes." Obviously, math is not completley figured out, and there are still some mysteries in the mathematics world.