What’s G103?

G103 is the code for a 4 year (MMath) undergraduate math program at British universities.

G103 is also the title of a short movie that was produced by the University of Warwick (pronounced, “Warrick”) Mathematics Institute.

It boasts a superb soundtrack, oddly high production value, and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. There’s a hilarious scene about a professor trapped in his room and eating the chalk, a homage to The Matrix and Kill Bill movies, and even some ballroom dancing thrown in for variety.

What about the math? Is it rubbish?

“How do you use that Hausdorff thing?” an unseen character asks.

“I dunno,” the star of the movie mumbles, “it’s probably about balls — it’s almost always about balls.”

Which is, of course, true. Everything — absolutely everything — in math is about balls.

Any movie about mathematicians is going to ride the stereotypes. You know, the hermit-like behaviour, the disorganization, neuroticism, and oddball quirkiness. And so it’s really a matter of striking the right balance between wacky humour and grudging truthfulness. And that’s a balance the movie manages to strike, obviously thanks to the fact it was shot and directed by math students.

And yes, most of us do have this intense fascination with chalk and blackboards.

But I’m just wasting your time. Watch it.

Just skip the cheesy classroom shootout scene.