Why Do Buses Come in Threes?

by Eastaway, Rob; Wyndham, Jeremy

• ISBN13: 9780471347569
• ISBN10: 0471347566
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-03-01
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Summary

Whether you have a degree in astrophysics or havent touched a math problem since high school, this book sends you on a fascinating journey through the logic of life where Newtons laws explain bar fights, exploding rabbit populations, and why showers always run either too hot or too cold. Why Do Buses Come in Threes? is a delightfully entertaining ride that reveals the relevance of math in absolutely everything we do.

Author Biography

Rob Eastaway is a freelance writer and lecturer. One of his missions is to convince the world that math can be enjoyed by anyone. Jeremy Wyndham runs a market research company. He has a Ph.D. in physics and was a junior international bridge player. At various times in his life he has had an unhealthy obsession with recreational mathematics, origami, basketball, and juggling.

Table of Contents

Why Can't I Find a Four-leafed Clover?: Links between Nature and Mathematics.

Which Way Should I Go?: From Postmen to Taxi Drivers.

How Many People Watch Friends?: Most Public Statistics Come from Surveys, But How Reliable are They?

Why Do Clever People Get Things Wrong?: Sometimes Experience and Intelligence Can Be a Disadvantage.

What's the Best Bet?: Lotteries, Horses and Casinos All Offer the Chance of a Big Prize.

How Do You Explain a Coincidence?: Coincidences Aren't as Surprising as You Would Think.

What's the Best View of the Statue of Liberty?: Everyday Geometries, from Snooker to Statues.

How Do You Keep a Secret?: Code-making and Breaking Isn't Just for Spies.

Why Do Buses Come in Threes?: Travelling without a Car Leads to All Sorts of Conundrums.

What's the Best Way to Cut a Cake?: Why Four O'Clock Can Be the Time for Some Mathematical Headaches.

How Can I Win without Cheating?: Almost Everything in Life Can Be Analysed as a Game.

Who's the Best in the World?: The Mathematics Behind Sports Rankings.

What Happened to Chapter 13?: Can Bad Luck Be Explained?

Whodunnit?: Everyday Logic, From Murder Mysteries to Political Statistics.

Why Am I Always in Traffic Jams?: Motorways, Escalators and Supermarkets All Have One Thing in Common: Queues.

Why are Showers Always Too Hot or Too Cold?: From Squealing Microphones to Population Explosions.

How Can I Get the Meal Ready on Time?: Critical Paths and Other Scheduling Problems.

How Can I Entertain the Kids?: Numbers Can Be Magic.

References.

Index.