Dara Ó Briain: School of Hard Sums

{{Infobox television

| name = {{nowrap|Dara Ó Briain: School of Hard Sums}}

| image = School of Hard Sums.png

| caption =

| alt_name =

| genre = Comedy

| creator =

| developer =

| writer = Sarah Morgan
Ged Parsons
George Sawyer
Colin Swash

| director = Mike Bradley
Samuel Wilkinson
Richard Valentine

| creative_director =

| presenter = Dara Ó Briain

| starring = Marcus du Sautoy

| judges =

| voices =

| narrated =

| theme_music_composer = Marc Sylvan

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| composer =

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

| num_series = 3

| num_episodes = 24

| list_episodes =

| executive_producer = Richard Watsham
Katherine Parsons
Phil Morrow

| producer = Mike Bradley
Samuel Wilkinson
Helen Younger

| editor = Simon Hornbrook
Malcolm Finch

| location = BBC Television Centre, London

| cinematography =

| camera =

| runtime = Series 1: 30 minutes
Series 2: 36 minutes
Series 3: 45 minutes

| company = Fujisankei Productions
Wild Rover Productions

| channel = Dave

| first_aired = {{Start date|2012|04|16|df=y}}

| last_aired = {{End date|2014|04|22|df=y}}

| related =

}}

Dara Ó Briain: School of Hard Sums was a British comedy game show about the subject of mathematics, based on the Japanese show Comaneci University Mathematics.{{Cite web |url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/dara_o_briain_school_hard_sums/ |title=Dara O Briain: School of Hard Sums |publisher=British Comedy Guide |accessdate=24 April 2012}} The programme was broadcast on Dave, was presented by Dara Ó Briain, and starred Marcus du Sautoy. Each episode was themed and Ó Briain, along with a guest or guests, attempted to solve various conundrums set by du Sautoy. At the end of each episode, Ó Briain set homework questions for viewers; the answers could be checked on the show's website.{{cite web|title=Dara O Briain's Homework Puzzles|url=http://uktv.co.uk/dave/homepage/sid/9132|publisher=Official Website|accessdate=1 September 2012}}

Transmissions

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
1	16 April 2012	4 June 2012	8
2	1 May 2013	19 June 2013	8
3	4 March 2014	22 April 2014	8

Episodes

A pilot episode was produced with the title Dara O'Briain's University of Practical Mathematics, but this was never broadcast.

The coloured backgrounds denote the result of each of the shows:

{{Color box\|#FFE6E6\|Brains \|border=darkgray}}	Dara O'Briain ("Brains") won
{{Color box\|#DDFFDD\|Brawn \|border=darkgray}}	Guests ("Brawn") won
{{Color box\|#E5EBF1\|Students \|border=darkgray}}	Maths students won (Series 1 and 3 only. In Series 2, the maths students were on the Brains team.)
{{Color box\|#FFFFDD\|Draw \|border=darkgray}}	Draw

=Series 1=

class="wikitable"
width="20"\| # !width="380"\| Theme !width="120"\| Guests !width="70"\| Result !width="120"\| {{nowrap\|Original air date}}
{{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 1 \| RTitle = The Mathematics of Positioning \| Aux1 = {{nowrap\|David O'Doherty}} \| Aux2 = Brains \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2012\|04\|16\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFE6E6 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 2 \| RTitle = Location Location Maths \| Aux1 = Alex Horne \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2012\|04\|23\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 3 \| RTitle = How Maths Can Stop You Getting Screwed \| Aux1 = Jason Byrne \| Aux2 = Students \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2012\|04\|30\|df=y}} \| TopColor = E5EBF1 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 4 \| RTitle = You Can't Argue With Logic \| Aux1 = Andi Osho \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2012\|05\|07\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 5 \| RTitle = The Maths of Italian Restaurants \| Aux1 = David O'Doherty \| Aux2 = Students \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2012\|05\|14\|df=y}} \| TopColor = E5EBF1 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 6 \| RTitle = How Maths Saves Lives \| Aux1 = Alex Horne \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2012\|05\|21\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 7 \| RTitle = Finding Your Way with Maths \| Aux1 = Simon Evans \| Aux2 = Brains \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2012\|05\|28\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFE6E6 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 8 \| RTitle = The Maths of Sport \| Aux1 = Andi Osho \| Aux2 = Brains \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2012\|06\|04\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFE6E6 }}

class="wikitable"

width="20"| #

!width="380"| Theme

!width="120"| Guests

!width="70"| Result

!width="120"| {{nowrap|Original air date}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| RTitle = The Mathematics of Positioning

| Aux1 = {{nowrap|David O'Doherty}}

| Aux2 = Brains

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|04|16|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFE6E6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| RTitle = Location Location Maths

| Aux1 = Alex Horne

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|04|23|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| RTitle = How Maths Can Stop You Getting Screwed

| Aux1 = Jason Byrne

| Aux2 = Students

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|04|30|df=y}}

| TopColor = E5EBF1

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| RTitle = You Can't Argue With Logic

| Aux1 = Andi Osho

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|05|07|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| RTitle = The Maths of Italian Restaurants

| Aux1 = David O'Doherty

| Aux2 = Students

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|05|14|df=y}}

| TopColor = E5EBF1

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| RTitle = How Maths Saves Lives

| Aux1 = Alex Horne

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|05|21|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| RTitle = Finding Your Way with Maths

| Aux1 = Simon Evans

| Aux2 = Brains

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|05|28|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFE6E6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| RTitle = The Maths of Sport

| Aux1 = Andi Osho

| Aux2 = Brains

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|06|04|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFE6E6

}}

=Series 2=

class="wikitable"
width="20"\| # !width="380"\| Theme !width="120"\| Guests !width="70"\| Result !width="120"\| Original air date
{{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 1 \| RTitle = Does Crime Add Up? \| Aux1 = Andrew Maxwell Mark Watson \| Aux2 = Brains \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2013\|05\|01\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFE6E6 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 2 \| RTitle = How Maths Gets You More Bang for Your Buck \| Aux1 = Marcus Brigstocke Josh Widdicombe \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2013\|05\|08\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 3 \| RTitle = How Maths Can Keep the Peace \| Aux1 = Susan Calman David O'Doherty \| Aux2 = Draw \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2013\|05\|15\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 4 \| RTitle = How Maths Can Help You Find What You're Looking For \| Aux1 = Miles Jupp Stephen Mangan \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2013\|05\|22\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 5 \| RTitle = How Maths Can Get You Stuffed \| Aux1 = Marcus Brigstocke Andrew Maxwell \| Aux2 = Brains \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2013\|05\|29\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFE6E6 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 6 \| RTitle = Maths of the End of the World \| Aux1 = Josie Long Alex Horne \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2013\|06\|05\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 7 \| RTitle = How Maths Can Feel the Force \| Aux1 = Susan Calman Richard Herring \| Aux2 = Draw \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2013\|06\|12\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 8 \| RTitle = How Maths Can Take You All the Way \| Aux1 = Alex Horne Tim Key \| Aux2 = Draw \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2013\|06\|19\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFFFDD }}

class="wikitable"

width="20"| #

!width="380"| Theme

!width="120"| Guests

!width="70"| Result

!width="120"| Original air date

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| RTitle = Does Crime Add Up?

| Aux1 = Andrew Maxwell
Mark Watson

| Aux2 = Brains

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2013|05|01|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFE6E6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| RTitle = How Maths Gets You More Bang for Your Buck

| Aux1 = Marcus Brigstocke
Josh Widdicombe

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2013|05|08|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| RTitle = How Maths Can Keep the Peace

| Aux1 = Susan Calman
David O'Doherty

| Aux2 = Draw

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2013|05|15|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| RTitle = How Maths Can Help You Find What You're Looking For

| Aux1 = Miles Jupp
Stephen Mangan

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2013|05|22|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| RTitle = How Maths Can Get You Stuffed

| Aux1 = Marcus Brigstocke
Andrew Maxwell

| Aux2 = Brains

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2013|05|29|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFE6E6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| RTitle = Maths of the End of the World

| Aux1 = Josie Long
Alex Horne

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2013|06|05|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| RTitle = How Maths Can Feel the Force

| Aux1 = Susan Calman
Richard Herring

| Aux2 = Draw

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2013|06|12|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| RTitle = How Maths Can Take You All the Way

| Aux1 = Alex Horne
Tim Key

| Aux2 = Draw

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2013|06|19|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFFFDD

}}

=Series 3=

class="wikitable"
width="20"\| # !width="380"\| Theme !width="120"\| Guests !width="70"\| Result !width="120"\| Original air date
{{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 1 \| RTitle = Maths and Two Veg: How Maths Can Help You Eat Better \| Aux1 = Kevin Bridges Peter Serafinowicz \| Aux2 = Brains \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2014\|03\|04\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFE6E6 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 2 \| RTitle = Yo Ho Ho and A Bottle of Sums: Maths For Pirates \| Aux1 = Lee Mack Miles Jupp \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2014\|03\|11\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 3 \| RTitle = The Maths of Making and Breaking: Breaking Add \| Aux1 = Jon Richardson Sally Phillips \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2014\|03\|18\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 4 \| RTitle = Downton Abacus: The Maths of Wealth \| Aux1 = Mark Watson Marcus Brigstocke \| Aux2 = Brains \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2014\|03\|25\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFE6E6 }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 5 \| RTitle = Alfresco Arithmetic: The Maths of the Great Outdoors \| Aux1 = Josh Widdicombe Peter Serafinowicz \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2014\|04\|01\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 6 \| RTitle = The Maths of Balls: Lets Get Spherical \| Aux1 = Susan Calman Andrew Maxwell \| Aux2 = Brawn \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2014\|04\|08\|df=y}} \| TopColor = DDFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 7 \| RTitle = The Prime of Your Life: The Maths of Old Age \| Aux1 = Jon Richardson Stephen K Amos \| Aux2 = Draw \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2014\|04\|15\|df=y}} \| TopColor = FFFFDD }} {{Episode list \| EpisodeNumber = 8 \| RTitle = Maths of Sport: Maths of the Day \| Aux1 = Kevin Bridges Sally Phillips \| Aux2 = Students \| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date\|2014\|04\|22\|df=y}} \| TopColor = E5EBF1 }}

class="wikitable"

width="20"| #

!width="380"| Theme

!width="120"| Guests

!width="70"| Result

!width="120"| Original air date

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| RTitle = Maths and Two Veg: How Maths Can Help You Eat Better

| Aux1 = Kevin Bridges
Peter Serafinowicz

| Aux2 = Brains

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|03|04|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFE6E6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| RTitle = Yo Ho Ho and A Bottle of Sums: Maths For Pirates

| Aux1 = Lee Mack
Miles Jupp

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|03|11|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| RTitle = The Maths of Making and Breaking: Breaking Add

| Aux1 = Jon Richardson
Sally Phillips

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|03|18|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| RTitle = Downton Abacus: The Maths of Wealth

| Aux1 = Mark Watson
Marcus Brigstocke

| Aux2 = Brains

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|03|25|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFE6E6

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| RTitle = Alfresco Arithmetic: The Maths of the Great Outdoors

| Aux1 = Josh Widdicombe
Peter Serafinowicz

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|04|01|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| RTitle = The Maths of Balls: Lets Get Spherical

| Aux1 = Susan Calman
Andrew Maxwell

| Aux2 = Brawn

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|04|08|df=y}}

| TopColor = DDFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| RTitle = The Prime of Your Life: The Maths of Old Age

| Aux1 = Jon Richardson
Stephen K Amos

| Aux2 = Draw

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|04|15|df=y}}

| TopColor = FFFFDD

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| RTitle = Maths of Sport: Maths of the Day

| Aux1 = Kevin Bridges
Sally Phillips

| Aux2 = Students

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2014|04|22|df=y}}

| TopColor = E5EBF1

}}

Reaction

Readers of UKGameshows.com named it on a two way tie, the seventh best new game show of 2012 in their "Hall of fame" poll.[http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Poll_of_the_Year_2012 Poll of the Year 2012 – UKGameshows]

References

External links

{{Official website|https://dave.uktv.co.uk/shows/dara-o-briain-school-of-hard-sums/}}
{{IMDb title|2324215}}
{{British Comedy Guide|tv|dara_o_briain_school_hard_sums}}
{{UKGameshow|School_of_Hard_Sums}}

Category:2010s British comedy television series

Category:2012 British television series debuts

Category:2014 British television series endings

Category:Dave (TV channel) original programming

Category:British English-language television shows