• Question: how do you use maths to help docters to find out about things in the body ?

    Asked by anon-181742 to Millie on 11 Jun 2018.
    • Photo: Camille Parsons

      Camille Parsons answered on 11 Jun 2018:

      I use an area of maths called statistics, which is the area of maths that deals with the collection, organisation, analysis and interpretation of numerical data. So in the context of medical research all information can be captured as data, for example height, weight, bone weight, skull size. This data can be used to investigate relationships, so for example I have used statistics to investigate whether what you eat makes your bones stronger in later life.

Comments

  • Photo: Damian

    Damian commented on :

    Great question! Maths is the basis of computing, and that’s the basis of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Across the world we are now starting to use AI to make diagnoses of skin cancers, and analyse X rays and CT scans, and we are about to apply AI to understand critical illness. thats just one way – but you’re going to hear a lot about it in the next few years!