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Mathematics In Movies Trivia Quiz

This quiz is about movies that include scenes involving math, or movies about a mathematician. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by jessesky1969. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
jessesky1969

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
107,654

Updated
Nov 16 23

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
772

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In 'Infinity' what type of math did Richard Feynman (Matthew Broderick) use to compute the cube root of 1729.03? Hint

Trigonometry

Differential Equation

Algebra

Calculus

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Question 2 of 10

2. In 'Stand and Deliver', which East Los Angeles High School did teacher Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) prepare his students to take the AP Calculus exam? Hint

Montebello High School

Roosevelt High School

Garfield High School

Wilson High School

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Question 3 of 10

3. In 'Rushmore', Max Fisher (Jason Schwartzman) solves what his teacher calls 'just about the hardest ________ problem in the world.' What type of math problem was it? Hint

Trigonometry

Geometry

Algebra

Topology

4. In 'Little Big League', Billy Haywood (Luke Edwards) needed help to solve a rate problem for his algebra homework. The question was, 'Bill can paint a house in five hours and Mary can paint a house in three hours. How many hours did it take both to paint the house?' What was the answer? Hint

2 5/32 hours

12 hours

1 1/2 hours

1 7/8 hours

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 'Bedazzled' starring Brendan Fraser (Elliot Richards) and Elizabeth Hurley (The Devil), there was a scene where The Devil was the teacher for a group of boys. When she put an assignment on the blackboard, there was a very unique math problem. The question was Xn + Yn = Zn for n greater than 2. Is this a math problem that can produce a proof?

Yes

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Question 6 of 10

6. In the movie 'The Wizard of Oz', Dorothy, The Lion, The Tin Man and The Scarecrow wanted a gift from the great Wizard of Oz. The Scarecrow wanted a brain. When he finally got one, he pronounced, 'The sum of the square roots of any two sides of an isosceles triangle is equal to the square root of the remaining side.' What was The Scarecrow referring to? Hint

Pohlmeyer-Lund-Regge Equation

Lichnerowicz-Weitzenbock Formula

The Pythagorean Theorem

Dirichlet Beta Function

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which movie is about a mathematician who made significant contributions to the game theory in the 1950s, which became the basis for much of modern economics? Hint

Kingpin

Good Will Hunting

A Beautiful Mind

Cube

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which movie was based on a young man who had a troubled life but had a hidden yet incredible talent for mathematics? Hint

Good Will Hunting

Fermat's Last Tango

A Beautiful Place

Proof

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Question 9 of 10

9. In which independent film does Maximillian Cohen (Sean Gullette) become an obsessed mathematician searching for patterns within the infinite decimal places of pi?

Answer: (1 word - The answer is in the question)

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Question 10 of 10

10. In 'Cast Away', Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is marooned on an uninhabited Pacific island. There was a scene where Noland is computing the search area where rescuers must search. He made a circle where the center was the point of last radio contact. He assumed the cargo jet was traveling at 400 mph, we saw him make the calculation of 160,000 mi = (400) square x 3.14. What was the calculation? Hint

106,990 square miles

232,600 square miles

502,400 square miles

774,480 square miles

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 'Infinity' what type of math did Richard Feynman (Matthew Broderick) use to compute the cube root of 1729.03?

Answer: Calculus

During the dual with the abacist, Feynman computed the cube root of 1729.03 using calculus to get the answer of 12.00238426.

2. In 'Stand and Deliver', which East Los Angeles High School did teacher Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) prepare his students to take the AP Calculus exam?

Answer: Garfield High School

Escalante motivated and taught his students to overcome great odds to be able to pass the AP Calculus exam.

3. In 'Rushmore', Max Fisher (Jason Schwartzman) solves what his teacher calls 'just about the hardest ________ problem in the world.' What type of math problem was it?

Answer: Geometry

The geometry problem was to find the area enclosed by an ellipse. Fisher solved the problem right on the mark.

Answer: 1 7/8 hours

To solve the problem, a common basis was needed to compare the painters. It was known that Bill paints a house in five hours and Mary paints a house in three hours. This means that Bill paints 1/5 house in one hour, Mary paints 1/3 house in one hour, and together they paint 1/5 + 1/3 house in one hour. The formula goes (1/5 + 1/3) n =1; 3+5 / 3x3 n = 1; n = 15/8 = 1 7/8 hours.

Answer: Yes

Fermat's Last Theorem was discovered by Pierre de Fermat (1601-1665). For three centuries, mathematicians attempted to solve the problem but could not carry out the whole proof. It wasn't until 1994 when Princeton mathematician Andrew Wiles, after a seven-year effort, produced a proof that shocked the mathematical world.

He relied on modern theory of elliptic curves and other subjects to carry out the proof.

Answer: The Pythagorean Theorem

The Pythagorean Theorem is: the sum of the squares of the legs of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse, 'a square + b square = c square'.

7. Which movie is about a mathematician who made significant contributions to the game theory in the 1950s, which became the basis for much of modern economics?

Answer: A Beautiful Mind

Russell Crowe was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of John Nash.

8. Which movie was based on a young man who had a troubled life but had a hidden yet incredible talent for mathematics?

Answer: Good Will Hunting

'Good Will Hunting' also starred Robin Williams, Ben Affleck and Minnie Driver.

9. In which independent film does Maximillian Cohen (Sean Gullette) become an obsessed mathematician searching for patterns within the infinite decimal places of pi?

Answer: pi

Cohen believed the patterns could be used to predict chaotic behaviors including that of the stock market.

Answer: 502,400 square miles

Noland mentioned the area is 'twice the size of Texas'.

Source: Author jessesky1969

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor rj211 before going online.
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