Welcome to Maths For Fun – where mathematical curiosity meets pure enjoyment for learners of all ages! Founded by a team of lifelong maths enthusiasts, we believe that numbers aren’t just for tests – they’re for exploration, discovery, and delight. Whether you’re eight or eighty, a beginner or a seasoned problem solver, you’ll find a growing collection of logic based games and puzzles that cover every corner of mathematics.
Unsung Math Heroes
When we think of maths, we often picture famous names like Pythagoras, Einstein, or Newton.
But behind the big theorems and well-known discoveries are hundreds of mathematicians whose work quietly shaped the world we live in today.
They may not appear in every textbook, but their ideas power the technology, science, and everyday conveniences we rely on.
This page celebrates those unsung heroes of maths – the brilliant thinkers whose contributions deserve a spotlight.
Ada Lovelace - The First Computer Programmer
Born in 1815, Ada Lovelace was fascinated by numbers from an early age. Working alongside inventor Charles Babbage, she saw something extraordinary in his design for the “Analytical Engine” – a mechanical calculator that could follow instructions.
Lovelace realised this machine could do more than just calculate; it could follow patterns, store information, and even create music – ideas that would become the foundation of modern computing.
While she wasn’t celebrated in her lifetime, Ada’s vision of programmable machines was decades ahead of her era. Today, she’s recognised as the world’s first computer programmer – a mathematical pioneer who turned numbers into something creative and intelligent.
Katherine Johnson - NASA’s Hidden Mathematician
When NASA began planning space missions, there were no digital computers – just teams of human “calculators.” Among them was Katherine Johnson, an African American mathematician whose extraordinary accuracy and problem-solving helped put the first humans into orbit and eventually onto the Moon.
Johnson’s calculations ensured safe trajectories for missions including John Glenn’s historic flight and Apollo 11. At a time when both racial and gender barriers were high, she broke through them with talent, precision, and persistence.
Her story, once hidden, is now rightly recognised as essential to space exploration – and proof that maths truly can take you out of this world.
Ramanujan - The Self-Taught Genius
Srinivasa Ramanujan grew up in India in the late 1800s, teaching himself advanced mathematics from a handful of old textbooks. Despite limited resources, he developed hundreds of original theorems – many of which were completely new to the mathematical world. His deep intuition for numbers was unlike anything mathematicians had seen before.
When his work reached Cambridge University, the mathematician G.H. Hardy recognised his extraordinary talent and invited him to England. Together, they published papers that still influence modern number theory and infinite series today.
Ramanujan’s story is one of pure genius and perseverance – proof that passion for learning can overcome any obstacle.
Maryam Mirzakhani - The Modern Trailblazer
In 2014, Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani became the first woman ever to win the prestigious Fields Medal – the “Nobel Prize of Mathematics.” Her research explored complex geometric shapes and curved surfaces, helping mathematicians better understand how space itself behaves.
Mirzakhani’s work was deeply theoretical, but its impact reaches across physics, geometry, and even data science.
She was known for her creativity, collaboration, and curiosity – a mathematician who didn’t just solve problems, but visualised them beautifully. Her legacy continues to inspire young mathematicians, especially women, to see maths as a field open to imagination and innovation.
Why These Heroes Matter
These mathematicians – and countless others like them – remind us that maths is not just a subject, but a story of human creativity. It’s built by thinkers who saw beauty in numbers, patterns in chaos, and potential in the impossible. Their names might not appear on every classroom wall, but their ideas are woven into every piece of technology, every scientific breakthrough, and every corner of modern life.
Celebrating unsung maths heroes helps us remember that brilliance can come from anywhere – from any country, any background, any mind that dares to ask “what if?”