While filming herself getting ready for work recently, TikTok user @gracie.ham reached deep into the ancient foundations of mathematics and found an absolute gem of a question: How could someone come up with a concept like algebra? She also asked what the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras might have used mathematics for, and other questions that revolve around the age-old conundrum of whether mathematics is “real” or something humans just made up. Many responded negatively to the post, but others — including mathematicians like me — found the questions quite insightful. [Read: Three months after becoming CEO, Kevin Mayer quits TikTok]…

This story continues at The Next Web