The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets by Simon Singh

It should be noted that Singh focuses on more than just The Simpsons as the book is also about the show’s not-as-popular cousin, Futurama, which has just as many math references (including Keeler’s Theorem, which was created to solve a predicament involving character’s minds switching bodies on an episode of the show).

Singh excels at making the math in the book readable and alive, holding that perfect balance of not talking down to the reader like they’re Ralph Wiggum but mindful that they aren’t Professor Frink either. Naturally, the writers predilection for math has worked its way onto The Simpsons repeatedly over the years and Singh uses the many math references on the show as a springboard to give the reader a whirlwind tour of mathematics, ranging from prime numbers to Euler’s identity. The book gives some background on the writers of the show, revealing that many of them hold PHDs in Mathematics and Computer Science from Ivy League universities. Simon Singh, a great popularizer of math and science, aims to turn that misconception on its head for readers of his excellent book, The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets. But steady source of ingenious math references? It’s safe to say that the majority of viewers would say, unequivocally, no. For everyone who has watched it, The Simpsons means a lot of things: long running animated show, brilliant social satire, pop culture phenomenon, an amazing cast of characters, irreverent humour.

The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets by Simon Singh