Maths EPQ ideas: maths and computer science
Encryption, algorithms, compression and machine learning: the mathematics inside the software you use every day.
Tip. If you write code, explain the mathematics it implements; code alone earns little.
9 ideas
- How RSA keeps payments secureHow does RSA encryption keep online payments secure, and what would it take to break it?
- Which sorting algorithm is fastest?Which sorting algorithm is fastest in practice, and does Big O notation tell the whole story?
- How search engines rank pagesHow can matrices and probability rank web pages, and how could the ranking be manipulated?
- How QR codes survive damageHow can a damaged QR code still be read? The mathematics of error-correcting codes
- How compression makes files smallerHow can a file be made smaller without losing anything, and what is the limit?
- How a neural network learnsHow does a neural network learn, and how much of it is calculus you already know?
- Quick routes for the travelling salesmanHow close can quick methods get to the best route in the travelling salesman problem?
- How computers fake randomnessHow can a computer, which follows rules, produce random numbers, and how random are they?
- Hash collisions and the birthday problemHow likely are two different files to share a hash, and what does the birthday problem say about security?
Frequently asked questions
Is maths and computer science a good area for a maths EPQ?
It can be, if you narrow it to one question you can answer with mathematics you understand and evidence you can find. If you write code, explain the mathematics it implements; code alone earns little.
Can I use one of these titles as it is?
Use it as a starting point. Change the case, the data or the comparison until the title is your own, and agree it with your supervisor before you start.
Other areas: Pure · Modelling · Statistics · History and philosophy · Economics and society · Physics and engineering · Biology and medicine · Music, art and sport · Artefacts
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