Watch along with MATM: Flatland

It's been a long time coming, but we're finally back on track. Next Friday will be our 8th episode where we discuss and watch Flatland: The Movie.

Once again we have a star-studded cast of voice actors including Martin Sheen, Kristen Bell and Michael York.

You can buy a DVD copy from the company behind the film, or Amazon does stock imported US versions. However, they are quite expensive and will take a little while to arrive.

For those of you who do not want to seek an illegal online streaming copy (which we do not condone here at Maths At) there is always the possibility of reading the book by Edwin A. Abbott, which sticks pretty close to the movie, except for one or two plot points. The book also goes into much more detail about the Flatland universe.

Be there or be square.

Maths at: Christmas

It's the most wonderful time... of the year.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of our listeners. 

Join us as we discuss (amongst other things):

• our favourite Christmas films (not really mathematical);
• the differences between a mathematicians office Christmas party and an actual Christmas party (slightly mathematical);
• the number of presents your true is giving and how many legs they'll have (quite mathematical).

So fill your boots with Turkey and in your after dinner stupor enjoy our CHRISTMATHS! We're better than the Queen's speech.

GUEST INTRO AND OUTRO: Ma Woolley.

As festive as Ben can get!

Further reading links:

• It's a Wonderful Life (Ben's favourite Christmas movie), Muppet's Christmas Carol (Liz' favourite Christmas movie) and Batman Returns (Thomas' favourite Christmas movie);
• Sheffield University's Maths Society's formulas for a perfect Christmas tree;
• A nice discussion on the Travelling Santa Problem.

Subscribe via iTunes.

Follow us on twitter @PodcastMathsAt, as well as @ThomasEWoolley and @benmparker.

A very merry christmas to all our listeners!

 

A very merry Christmas  to all our listeners. We're hoping to record one more seasonal themed podcast before Santa comes, so let us know your Christmas mathematical questions in the comments below.

Christmas card with apologies to Hilbert, all major churches, and humour in general.

MATM Appendix: Boy born on a Tuesday

During Maths at the Movies: The Imitation Game Ben introduced the following puzzle:

I have two children. One of them is a boy.

What is the probability that both children are boys? 

Although counter-intuitive, it can be shown that the solution is 1/3.

He also posed a similar, but different question:

I have two children. One of them is a boy who was born on a Tuesday.

What is the probability that both children are boys?

Although very similar, the answer turns out to be 13/27, which is quite different. However, Ben got confused when giving the answer during our pi podcast and paid penance by making a video

 

However, there is still some debate about the answer.

Join us this week as we record all from the same location and try and tease apart the complexity of weird conundrum.

Yup, we really are altogether!

Maths at the Movies: Moneyball

In this (Hallowe'en themed?) episode we watch the movie Moneyball.

The story of a young mathematician, played by Jonah Hill, struggling to be heard amongst the angry men that make up baseball. And I think Brad Pitt was in there somewhere as well.

• Can Jonah produce a winning team by redefining how statistics are used?
• Why does Thomas keep saying the phrase "dick swinging"?
• Where did Ben get a hold of those baseball sounds?

All of these questions and more are not answered in our Moneyball podcast.

If you're interested in watching Moneyball you can follow the Amazon link below.

Further reading links:

• a really interesting sabermetrics talk at google;
• the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon;
• pi after shave.

Subscribe via iTunes.
Follow us on twitter @PodcastMathsA, as well as @ThomasEWoolley and @benmparker.