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IntMath Newsletter: Math for plumbing, MS Math 4, SGD

By Murray Bourne, 21 Aug 2011

21 Aug 2011

In this Newsletter:

1. Learn math for plumbing?
2. Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 - now for $0
3. Singapore dollar - backed by gold
4. Friday math movies
5. Poll results
6. Puzzles
7. Final thought: Shaping our lives

1. Learn math for plumbing?

Math skills for plumbing

Who says you don't need math? Here are several math concepts needed for welding, plumbing and piping.

Learn math for plumbing?

2. Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 - now for $0

Microsoft Math 4.0 - paraboloid

MS Math 4.0 is a complimentary offering from Microsoft - and it's not bad.

Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 - now for $0

3. Singapore dollar - backed by gold

Singapore dollar coin - backed by gold

Once debt starts to spiral out of control, there's not much you can do. Here's one country that's in a healthy position.

Singapore dollar - backed by gold

4. Friday math movies

(a) The Rice Show

Wireless data from a light bulb

Using the scale of one grain of rice to one person, The Rice Show represents population statistics in a way you’ve never seen before.

Friday math movie: The Rice Show

(b) The surprising math of cities and corporations

The surprising math of cities and corporations

This video discusses some of the reasons – and solutions – for global warming. It’s all about scaling.

Friday math movie: The surprising math of cities and corporations

5. Poll results

The poll in Jul/Aug 2011 asked readers: "How many computers are used in your math classroom?".

The answer "none" is surprisingly high. Most math curriculums are still very conservative.

None: 62%

Most students use one: 20%

One: 12%

Two: 6%

Current poll: The latest poll asks if you "friend" your teacher (or students) on Facebook. You can respond on any page in Interactive Mathematics.

6. Puzzles

Last Newsletter I posed this question:

"My husband's age," remarked a lady the other day, "is represented by the figures of my own age reversed. He is my senior, and the difference between our ages is one-eleventh of their sum." How old are they?

Two readers (Bevan and VT) responded with the correct answer of 45 and 54.

New puzzle:

If the end of the world should come on the first day of a new century, what is the probability that it will happen on a Sunday?

7. Final thought: Shaping our lives

Anthony Robbins is an authority on leadership and peak performance. He also runs a non-profit Foundation helping inner-city youth, senior citizens and the homeless.

I felt this was a great quote - it applies to learning math, too!

It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives.  It's what we do consistently. [Anthony Robbins]

Until next time, enjoy whatever you learn.

See the 2 Comments below.

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