Mathematics

As we’ve just had income tax time in the U.S., I’ve been hearing a bunch of silliness associated with it. I thought I’d talk about two of my favourite (well, for some value of “favourite”) tax fallacies. It doesn’t pay for me to get a raise! It’ll just pu ...

Blog Post - Barry Leiba - Apr 19 2010 - 2:11pm

Mathematics For Amphibians

One of the disappointments experienced by most mathematics students is that they never get a course in mathematics. They get courses in calculus, algebra, topology, and so on, but the division of labor in teaching seems to prevent these different topics f ...

Article - Robert H Olley - May 3 2010 - 10:11am

Win Money With Game Theory: Kuhn Poker

Two players share a deck composed of three cards: Jack, Queen, and King. The highest card wins. You each ante one. You each get a card. The third card remains unseen. There's one standard round of betting, with a max bet of one chip each, giving the ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Sep 12 2010 - 10:29am

Kuhn Poker Solved: Win Money With Game Theory

Yesterday I posted the rules of the very cool Kuhn poker. Here's optimal play: Playing first: Interestingly, you can either check or bet a King or a Jack—this is poker, after all and in this case bluffing/slow-playing is as good as playing your cards ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Sep 12 2010 - 10:31am

Game Theory Solves The Date-Night Dilemma: Battle Of The Sexes Puzzle

Can't decide between the opera and a football game? (If needed, replace these bland stereotypes with specifics from your own relationship). Game Theory's got your back. Imagine the possible outcomes: football together, football alone, opera toget ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Oct 16 2010 - 9:59am

Game Theory Solves The Date-Night Dilemma: Battle Of The Sexes Puzzle (Solution)

Yesterday I posted how Game Theory solves the date-night dilemma: opera or the football game. Actually, I posted the problem but not the solution. For all of you who scratched your heads on Saturday night, here's the answer: Mathematically, the cleane ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Oct 17 2010 - 6:02am

Really, Should You Go To The Bar? Game Theory's El Farol Problem

Everyone loves the El Farol Bar in Santa Fe, New Mexico (especially W. Brian Arthur, who wrote this puzzle in 1994). That is, everyone loves the El Farol as long as it's not too crowded. If it's less than 60% full, it's more fun to be at th ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Oct 24 2010 - 10:20am

Really, Should You Go To The Bar? Game Theory's El Farol Problem (Answer)

Yesterday, I posted Game Theory's El Farol Bar problem, with a couple questions. (If you haven't read it yet, go back—the answer's no good without the puzzle.) And the truth is there's no answer, or more precisely, there's no pure ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Oct 24 2010 - 10:19am

Holiday Math: A Simple Equation Decides How Much To Spend On Any Gift

It's worth dusting this off: a simple, accurate equation that decides to the penny how much you should spend on anyone's gift this holiday season. Get cracking you slacker. ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Dec 21 2010 - 10:59am

You, Retaliator!

The safe deposit in front of you is wide open. Twenty stacks of one-hundred dollar bills stare you in the face. Each stack a hundred bills thick. So many Benjamins. All for Jude, the other remaining contestant. That is... provided you don't touch the ...

Article - Johannes Koelman - May 19 2010 - 4:01pm