Math Mornings on Sundays: What’s the Biggest Number You Can Think Of?

For every number we can name there is a bigger one, so there must be a number bigger than the total number of atoms in the observable universe. And there must be some numbers that are so incredibly large, they have more digits than the total number of atoms. That means that there is not enough matter in the universe to write one of these humongous numbers digit by digit, even if we wrote small enough that each digit was the size of an atom! Do these huge numbers have names? How do we talk about them? Why would we even want to? In this lecture we’ll discuss how to think and talk about these kinds of numbers. Hopefully by the end, we’ll all have a deeper appreciation for just how many numbers are out there waiting for us. Join us for a talk from Brown University Mathematics Professor, Tarik Aougab. 
Mathematics is patterns & logic, imagination and rigor. It is a way of seeing and a way of thinking. Math Mornings is a series of lectures and demonstrations aimed at bringing the joy and variety of mathematics to students and their families. Come play math games for 30 minutes and then listen to an engaging talk about Math! Talks are usually accessible to 7th graders and up, but bring the whole family! Refreshments will be served. This series occurs three times each semester. 
You can see more about math mornings here. For past videos, go here.