Who’s Counting - interesting real-life math applications
By Murray Bourne, 01 Jul 2009
Who's Counting - John Allen Paulos examines the news through numbers gives a fascinating insight into the math behind current news events.
Paulos is a professor of mathematics at Temple University in Philadelphia and is well-known for his book Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences (1988) in which he said:
I'm distressed by a society which depends so completely on mathematics and science and yet seems to indifferent to the innumeracy and scientific illiteracy of so many of its citizens.
His monthly Who's Counting series is an attempt to address such innumeracy and scientific illiteracy.
The most recent articles (for Jan to Jun 2009) include:
- Problem With Drug Studies: The Patients?
- Seduce Me, Swindle Me With ... Logic?
- Now Boarding: A Better Way to Load a Plane
He addresses a range of issues in these articles. One that caught my eye: How to Calculate Chances of Doomsday.
Paulos is worth checking out.
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