The physics behind Angry BirdsIs the launch speed in popular game Angry Birds constant? Rhett Allain examines the physics behind the bird launching and the mathematical equations involved. Nerd reading at its finest.
Mathematics
Should journalists be trained in mathematics?
A recent article published in the Columbia Journalism Review emphatically argued the importance of journos being trained in maths, particularly statistics. That argument has more than a little currently here, writes Jeremy Sear.
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The secret to winning at pool
A mathematician has developed equations for scoring the best shots in pool. And no, it’s doesn’t involve the amount of beers drunk increasing shot accuracy.
Who’s the “best party to manage”? Who knows
The media loves when pollsters ask “best party/leader to manage” questions, but, as Possum Comitatus explains (via graphs and words like “Coefficient Value”), they don’t actually tell us anything.
Graph nerds: when good trends go bad
“The trend is your friend” is usually a good rule of thumb when analysing polling, economic and demographic data. But for other types — say, oh, climate data — local trends can be deceptive. Possum Comitatis explains.
Curiouser and curiouser: Alice in Wonderland and algebra
What does Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland have to do with maths? Quite a lot, apparently. In fact, the entire thing is one big piss-take of abstract mathematicians. And you thought it was all a drug metaphor.
The serious science of pizza slicing
Scientists puzzle over the complex mathematics of pizza slicing: how do you make sure everyone gets an equal slice? It’s trickier than it sounds. And don’t even start them on calzones…
Are you geeky enough to work at Google?
Google’s latest hiring strategy: putting up signs around tech-geek mecca MIT with a code and the phrase, “If you can figure this out, you may have a future with Google.” No-one at the uni has cracked it yet — can you?
Why the supermarket express lane isn’t always the fastest
It’s called “express”, everyone in it has eight items or fewer, yet every other line is powering ahead of you. Why? Dan Meyer explains, using the power of maths.
Peeing in peace: how many urinals does it take?
What’s the optimal number of urinals to ensure men can pee as far from each other as possible without wasting ceramic? Webcomic Randall Munroe does the maths. Via Core Economics.
The complex mathematics of envy-free cake-cutting
Mathematicians have devised an algorithm for “envy-free” cake-cutting: a formula that divides it fairly amongst a number of people, even when each has a different opinion of the value of each piece. It takes 27 pages of explanation.
Doing the equations on girls and maths
The reason females don’t perform as well at maths as males has more to do with culture than biology, according to a new study.
