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?
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Who says you don't need math? Here are several math concepts needed for welding, plumbing and piping. |
2. Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 - now for $0
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MS Math 4.0 is a complimentary offering from Microsoft - and it's not bad. |
3. Singapore dollar - backed by gold
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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. |
4. Friday math movies
(a) The Rice Show
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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. |
(b) The surprising math of cities and corporations
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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.
24 Aug 2011 at 4:19 am [Comment permalink]
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?
There are 7 days in a week. So, no. elements in the sample space is 7. There is one Sunday in a week. Hence the probability that it will happen on a Sunday is 1/7.
24 Aug 2011 at 1:54 pm [Comment permalink]
@P M. Your answer would appear to be correct, but sorry, it isn't!