On Tuesday, 7 March, the mathematicians Julian Pfeifle and Marc Masdeu gave a talk to about sixty third-year and fourth-year ESO students at the Escola Petit Plançó. With the aid of a video in English, which gave an overview of some fields of mathematics, they talked about their own experiences and personal views on the work of mathematicians in general.

With regard to mathematics, they talked about basic concepts behind the different sizes of infinity. To the teachers, they suggested some classwork on the reason why there were as many rational numbers (fractions) as natural numbers (0, 1, 2, 3…), bearing in mind that there are infinitely more real
numbers.

Furthermore, topics such as the importance of considering individual abilities and preferences when choosing a future profession, as well as the wide range of fields of application of mathematics.

Faber would like to thank everyone who made this talk possible: Julian Pfeifle and Marc Masdeu—for their flexibility and availability—, mathematics teacher Marc Coma, and the entire staff of the Petit Plançó, for making it so much easier for us to organise this activity.