This Is What An 11-Set Venn Diagram Looks Like

Most of us know Venn diagrams as something virgins use to tell married men they can’t possibly have sex because TV tells them so. But they’re actually mathematical tools.

The idea behind a Venn diagram was to demonstrate overlap between different sets of numbers and teach basic set theory. Instead of having to crunch the numbers, the layout was right there, right in front of you.

The problem is, however, it’s a tool of limited use. Once you get beyond three sets, especially three complicated sets, it’s hard to show relationships clearly.

Unless you’re Canadian, apparently.

Khalegh Mamakani and Frank Ruskey at the University of Victoria have hit across a Venn diagram that shows the overlap between eleven different mathematical sets. To give you an idea of just how incredibly complicated this happens to be, the previous record was seven.

This is really more geometers showing off than anything else: The computational techniques the researchers developed will be used to help represent other complicated geometric objects. Otherwise, this is pretty much just done for bragging rights.

And yes, it does happen to be incredibly pretty.

image courtesy the University of Victoria

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