video thumbnail 27:25
This open problem taught me what topology is

2024-12-24

[public] 275K views, 37.7K likes, dislikes audio only

4K

The inscribed square/rectangle problem, solved using Möbius strips and Klein bottles.

Playlist with more neat proofs: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHQObOWTQDPSKntUcMArGheySM4gL7wS

Instead of sponsored ad reads, these lessons are funded directly by viewers: https://3b1b.co/support

An equally valuable form of support is to simply share the videos.

This argument was originally by Herbert Vaughan, appearing for examples in this issue of the Topology Proceedings.

https://topology.nipissingu.ca/tp/reprints/v06/tp06107.pdf

The on-screen argument for why all closed non-orientable surfaces must intersect themselves in 3d is a slight variation on one I heard from Dan Asimov.

2020 Paper by Greene and Lobb:

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2005.09193

Nice Quanta article about this result:

https://www.quantamagazine.org/new-geometric-perspective-cracks-old-problem-about-rectangles-20200625/

Timestamps:

0:00 - Inscribed squares

1:00 - Preface to the second edition

3:04 - The main surface

10:47 - The secret surface

16:45 - Proving collision

22:38 - Why are squares harder?

25:10 - What is topology?

------------------

These animations are largely made using a custom Python library, manim. See the FAQ comments here:

https://3b1b.co/faq#manim

https://github.com/3b1b/manim

https://github.com/ManimCommunity/manim/

All code for specific videos is visible here:

https://github.com/3b1b/videos/

The music is by Vincent Rubinetti.

https://www.vincentrubinetti.com

https://vincerubinetti.bandcamp.com/album/the-music-of-3blue1brown

https://open.spotify.com/album/1dVyjwS8FBqXhRunaG5W5u

------------------

3blue1brown is a channel about animating math, in all senses of the word animate. If you're reading the bottom of a video description, I'm guessing you're more interested than the average viewer in lessons here. It would mean a lot to me if you chose to stay up to date on new ones, either by subscribing here on YouTube or otherwise following on whichever platform below you check most regularly.

Mailing list: https://3blue1brown.substack.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/3blue1brown

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3blue1brown

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/3blue1brown

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3blue1brown

Patreon: https://patreon.com/3blue1brown

Website: https://www.3blue1brown.com


Preface to the second edition
/youtube/video/IQqtsm-bBRU?t=60
Why are squares harder?
/youtube/video/IQqtsm-bBRU?t=1358
3Blue1Brown is creating videos animating math | Patreon patreon.com
patreon.com/3blue1brown
3Blue1Brown My name is Grant Sanderson. Videos here cover a variety of topics in math, or adjacent fields like physics and CS, all with an emphasis on visualizing the core ideas. The goal is to use animation to help elucidate and motivate otherwise tricky topics, and for difficult problems to be made simple with changes in perspective. For more information, other projects, FAQs, and inquiries see the website: https://www.3blue1brown.com
/youtube/channel/UCYO_jab_esuFRV4b17AJtAw
Neat proofs/perspectives by 3Blue1Brown
/youtube/video/OkmNXy7er84