Charles Ford, Ph.D., spoke Tuesday about the intricacies of the “Monstrous Moonshine,” a fifth-degree of polynomials. (The term polynomial refers to an abstract mathematical equation that includes specified variables.)

The lecture was held in Ritter Hall Room 237. The Math and Computer Science Club at Saint Louis University sponsored the lecture.

Ford is a computer science professor at SLU. He has been interested in the “monster” since his undergrad years at University of Chicago, when the faculty at the university published a study of the “Solubility of Groups of an Odd Order.”

The “monster group” is a group of fifth-degree polynomials, a mathematical representation of the finite group, that were hypothesized in the early 19th century. Trying to solve polynomials led to finite group theory, of which the “monster” is a part.

The “Monstrous Moonshine” describes unexpected connections between the monster group (and several other of the 26 sporadic symbol groups) and the elliptic module function, an important mathematical function from classical 19th century.

There is an intimate connection between how the groups and matrices play a role in both the study of finite groups theory and its applicability, especially in physics, Ford said.

In quantum mechanics, the use of group theory is used in the study of modern physics. In the finite group, mathematicians strive to solve mathematical concepts, and they had no clue that there was any connection with physics.

“What makes math so interesting is these unexplained connections,” said Ford.