Google’s animated Doodle celebrates the quadratic equation and its role in physics, engineering and education (Photo: Pinterest)
The main page of Google India features an animated Doodle today, dedicated to one of the most famous formulas around the world as the quadratic formula, ax² + bx + c = 0. This interactive piece celebrates the enduring impact of the formula on science, engineering and economics while giving users a fun, visual way to consider its applications.
Suffice it to say that the quadratic equation is not something new and it had been in existence for several thousand years. Well before the modern form was developed, ancient mathematicians from Babylon, Egypt and India worked out methods of solving second-degree equations.
The Indian scholar Brahmagupta, in the 7th century, spelled out a systematic approach to finding the roots of these equations, a milestone in the history of mathematics.
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As Google illustrates, it is not just some bit of algebra in a textbook and it forms a part of everyday physics. The Doodle page notes, "If you've ever watched a basketball arc toward the hoop, you've seen the quadratic equation in action."
This equation models parabolic motion and shows how both gravity and velocity shape trajectories. In physics, it is used to calculate motion, in engineering, to design structures and in business for optimizing profit models.
Clicking on the Doodle takes them to Google Gemini AI, upon which a prompt suggests: “A basketball player’s shot follows a parabola. How does the quadratic equation fit in here?”
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Gemini explains how the equation maps the ball's motion: each term in it represents height, distance, and force. This feature merges education with interactivity as students visualize abstract math in a real-world context.
After making its first appearance in the US in September 2024, the Doodle will now roll out globally including India, coinciding with the back-to-school period, to make learning more accessible and fun for everyone.
With playful design, Google gives a nod to users with how fundamental mathematics comes into play throughout the digital and physical world alike.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. All details are based on publicly available information from Google’s official platforms.
