Why Do Buses Come in Threes
The Hidden Mathematics of Everyday Life
- 170 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
"Deals in a very entertaining way with problems in normal life related to mathematics, luck, coincidence, gambling." - The Independent (London)
Why do your chances of winning the lottery increase if you buy your ticket on Friday? Why do traffic lights always seem to be red when you're in a hurry? Is bad luck just chance, or can it be explained?
The intriguing answers to these and other questions about the curiosities of everyday life can be found in this delightfully irreverent and highly informative book. Why Do Buses Come in Threes? explains how math and the laws of probability are constantly at work in our lives, affecting everything we do, from getting a date to catching a bus to cooking dinner. With great humor and a genuine love for the subject, Rob Eastaway and Jeremy Wyndham present solutions to such conundrums as how fast one should run in the rain to stay dry and who was the greatest sportsman of all time. Discover the mathematical explanations for the strange coincidence of two Presidents dying on July 4, the uncanny "accuracy" of horoscopes, and other not-so-coincidental coincidences. Eastaway and Wyndham also reveal how television ratings work, which numbers are more likely to be big winners in the lottery, and why bad things, just like buses, always seem to happen in threes.
Whether you have a degree in astrophysics or haven't touched a math problem since high school, this book sends you on a fascinating journey through the logic of life where Newton's 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.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- Foreword by Tim Rice
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Why can’t I find a four-leafed clover?
- 2 Which way should I go?
- 3 How many people watch Friends?
- 4 Why do clever people get things wrong?
- 5 What’s the best bet?
- 6 How do you explain a coincidence?
- 7 What’s the best view of the Statue of Liberty?
- 8 How do you keep a secret?
- 9 Why do buses come in threes?
- 10 What’s the best way to cut a cake?
- 11 How can I win without cheating?
- 12 Who’s the best in the world?
- 14 What happened to chapter 13?
- 15 Whodunnit?
- 16 Why am I always in traffic jams?
- 17 Why are showers always too hot or too cold?
- 18 How can I get the meal ready on time?
- 19 How can I entertain the kids?
- References
- Index