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Recreational mathematics Camilla Send a noteboard - 24/05/2010 09:17:27 PM
I am not terribly good at maths. But recreational mathematics as a concept appeals greatly to my sense of ... I don't know, something. And it is not just that the Doctor lamented its rarity. I even bought a book about it from the 50s, once. I didn't understand most of it.

Anyway, here is a New Scientist article on it. An excerpt:

Gary Foshee, a collector and designer of puzzles from Issaquah near Seattle walked to the lectern to present his talk. It consisted of the following three sentences: "I have two children. One is a boy born on a Tuesday. What is the probability I have two boys?"

The event was the Gathering for Gardner earlier this year, a convention held every two years in Atlanta, Georgia, uniting mathematicians, magicians and puzzle enthusiasts. The audience was silent as they pondered the question.

"The first thing you think is 'What has Tuesday got to do with it?'" said Foshee, deadpan. "Well, it has everything to do with it." And then he stepped down from the stage.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
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Recreational mathematics - 24/05/2010 09:17:27 PM 986 Views
How is boy/girl different from girl/boy? - 25/05/2010 01:05:15 AM 830 Views
I think it has to do with sequence - 25/05/2010 08:37:05 AM 711 Views
The problem doesn't state the sequence, so there's no reason to assume it. - 25/05/2010 08:56:09 AM 804 Views
Yes there is - 25/05/2010 10:36:02 AM 700 Views
Then see my response. - 25/05/2010 12:20:04 PM 653 Views
Faulty "logic". 2/4 - 25/05/2010 02:12:54 AM 871 Views
I was going to say. - 25/05/2010 02:48:38 AM 734 Views
Yeah - 25/05/2010 05:05:16 AM 674 Views
Re: Yeah - 25/05/2010 09:52:58 AM 914 Views
I don't know Python, but I think I know what went wrong there. - 25/05/2010 11:33:18 AM 747 Views
Re: I don't know Python, but I think I know what went wrong there. - 25/05/2010 01:53:01 PM 909 Views
Ah, I see now; sorry. - 25/05/2010 02:27:05 PM 714 Views
It's also playing off your mental biases - 25/05/2010 04:49:40 PM 678 Views
If you stop now I'll still be verbal. - 26/05/2010 10:58:27 AM 710 Views
I think I see where I went wrong. - 25/05/2010 07:44:25 PM 657 Views

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