Categories
Recent Comments
- tpc on Mathematics and poetry
- tpc on Discovery
- tpc on Dear Maurits
- Twin corrections | eon on Mathematics and Coffee
- tpc on Prime (Car) Number
Links
Archives
- December 2017
- November 2017
- August 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- December 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- June 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- January 2014
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
Meta
Category Archives: Probability
What are the chances that a bird will poop on my car?
This question was posed as a scenario of mathematics in everyday life. Some googling led to Randall “XKCD” Munroe’s post here. Borrowing similar ideas leads to my own computation below. I park at an open air carpark for work. The … Continue reading
Posted in Fun Stuff, Probability
Leave a comment
The broken stick problem
A slick solution to the broken stick problem or otherwise known as the uncooked spaghetti problem
Posted in Geometry/Topology, Probability, Problems
Leave a comment
Is 0 even?
I first saw this from BBC news. The aftermath of hurricane Sandy resulted in a shortage of fuel and New York City had to implement an odd-even system. The following is taken from their press release: 1) Vehicles with license … Continue reading
Posted in Number Theory, Probability, Teaching
Leave a comment
Of Dice and Math
With apologies to steinbeck. An article by Posamentier on how he taught arithmetic of fractions through applications to dice games. There is often talk of making mathematics relevant to students. This is important, but only when it relates to the … Continue reading
Posted in Applications, Probability, Quotes/People, Teaching
Leave a comment
Binomial identity and probability
The identity [tex]\displaystyle \sum k \binom{n}{k} = n 2^{n-1} [/tex] is pretty standard, and one can prove it algebraically by cancelling the k in the sum with the binomial coefficient and then using the binomial theorem summation or a combinatorial … Continue reading
Posted in Combinatorics, Probability
Leave a comment
Sicherman Dice
We all know the possible outcomes of throwing two usual six-sided dice. Have you ever wondered if there are other possible types of dice, i.e. still six-sided but with different face values, which gives the same outcome? The answer is … Continue reading
Posted in Combinatorics, Probability
4 Comments
Reporter or reported innumeracy
In the midst of recession and oil prices falling from $145 to below $80, the ridiculous power company announced that electricity prices are going up by 21%, based forward oil pricing. The best thing is that our electricity are generated … Continue reading
Posted in Probability, Statistics
2 Comments
Coincidences or just bad luck
How many times have you tried to search for a particular item and find that the only thing missing is the one that you want? Two years back, I was searching for a 1995 article in the Rocky Mountain Journal … Continue reading
Posted in Fun Stuff, Number Theory, Probability
1 Comment