In this series of posts, we’ll be featuring mathematical video and streaming channels from all over the internet, by speaking to the creators of the channel and asking them about what they do.
We spoke to Ravi Boppana about his channel, Boppana Math.
Channel title: Boppana Math
Link: youtube.com/@BoppanaMath
Topics covered: Pure mathematics, with a focus on discrete mathematics
Average video length: 15 to 25 minutes
Recommended videos: How Paul Erdős Cracked This Geometry Problem
What is your channel about, and when did it start?
My channel, Boppana Math, explores a variety of challenging problems in pure mathematics. I posted my first video in January 2024. I realised that I could reach way more people by creating YouTube videos than by writing research papers.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
My name is Ravi Boppana. I received my PhD in Computer Science from MIT at age 22, and I was a professor for a dozen years at Rutgers University and New York University, where I received a couple of teaching awards. I co-authored a prealgebra textbook for the Art of Problem Solving.
Who is the intended audience for the channel?
As my channel banner says, I try to help mathematics lovers explore beautiful results in mathematics. The topics are typically around undergraduate level, but bright high-school students can enjoy the videos, and so can those who have graduated from college.
What is a typical video like?
A typical video introduces an intriguing problem, and then gently guides the viewer to discover its solution. I narrate a scripted voice-over while stepping through a slide presentation in LaTeX. My videos are usually between 15 and 25 minutes long. I publish one video every three months or so.
Why should people watch your videos?
I try to make difficult topics feel accessible, and I have been told that my presentation style is calm and clear. I try to discuss topics that haven’t been covered much in other videos.
What are some highlights of the channel so far?
One of my videos, on Hypergraphs and Acute Triangles, received an Honorable Mention at the Summer of Math Exposition in 2024! The most recent video was my first to be viewed more than 100,000 times: How Paul Erdős Cracked This Geometry Problem.
What exciting plans do you have for the future?
I am currently working on a video about the card game SET, and I have been talking with a video editor to hopefully increase the video quality and video frequency. Mathematics is inexhaustible, so I will never run out of fun topics.
Awesome work, Ravi! Your Boppana Math channel is a gem for math lovers, making complex discrete math problems clear and engaging. The Erdős geometry video hitting 100,000 views is huge—congrats on the Summer of Math Exposition nod too! Your calm, accessible style shines.
Thank you so much for the kind words!