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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 1047 Views
How is boy/girl different from girl/boy? - 25/05/2010 01:05:15 AM 886 Views
I think it has to do with sequence - 25/05/2010 08:37:05 AM 763 Views
The problem doesn't state the sequence, so there's no reason to assume it. - 25/05/2010 08:56:09 AM 858 Views
Yes there is - 25/05/2010 10:36:02 AM 752 Views
Then see my response. - 25/05/2010 12:20:04 PM 696 Views
Faulty "logic". 2/4 - 25/05/2010 02:12:54 AM 930 Views
I was going to say. - 25/05/2010 02:48:38 AM 783 Views
Yeah - 25/05/2010 05:05:16 AM 739 Views
Re: Yeah - 25/05/2010 09:52:58 AM 971 Views
I don't know Python, but I think I know what went wrong there. - 25/05/2010 11:33:18 AM 800 Views
Re: I don't know Python, but I think I know what went wrong there. - 25/05/2010 01:53:01 PM 952 Views
Ah, I see now; sorry. - 25/05/2010 02:27:05 PM 758 Views
It's also playing off your mental biases - 25/05/2010 04:49:40 PM 721 Views
If you stop now I'll still be verbal. - 26/05/2010 10:58:27 AM 756 Views
I think I see where I went wrong. - 25/05/2010 07:44:25 PM 703 Views

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