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The Ministry of Silly Walks

Student-Run Research Seminar

Speaker: Thomas Mattman, CSU Chico
Location: 693 Kerr
Start time: Wed, May 11 2005, 12:10PM

The pattern your footprints leave when you walk along the beach is an example of a Frieze pattern. Using this idea, Conway has given the Frieze patterns names such as "jump" and "spinning hop". If you've ever tried performing "spinning sidle" for friends or students, you'll know that some of these walks are pretty silly. But are they REALLY silly? For this we turn to the masters of silliness, the British comedy troupe, Monty Python's Flying Circus. WE will analyse the "Ministry of Silly Walks" skit to understand which of Conway's walks are truly silly.