Menu Fermer

Articles sur Mathematics

Affichage de 441 à 460 de 536 articles

Deadmau5: probably does his sums. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Smart DJs use maths to mix the perfect beat

People are very good at moving in time to a beat. When you listen to your favourite song, you will probably find yourself nodding your head or tapping your foot along almost instinctively. And when you’re…
Could you do without? Calculator via Shutterstock

In the classrooms of Singapore, calculators are not crutches

The upcoming ban on the use of calculators in most maths exams for 11-year-olds in UK schools reminds me of a persistent concern in education: when do the tools we use to learn become crutches we can’t…
Don’t blame the timetable. non-partizan

Explainer: what is the maths behind an exam timetable?

Sweaty-palmed and reciting facts over and over in their heads, the hordes of university and school students sitting down to exams this month will have precious little time to think about how their exam…
Mastered numbers? Let’s make it harder. Arenamontanus

Explainer: what is the mastery model of teaching maths?

Ever-envious of Singapore’s much-heralded success in teaching maths, politicians are keen to see its methodology arriving in UK classrooms. Education minister Elizabeth Truss explained some of the background…
Maths can help in the hunt for MH370. EPA/Australian Department of Defence

How statistics can help in the mission to find MH370

That the Malaysian government, with the help of the UK’s INMARSAT, was able to dramatically narrow down the search area for flight MH370, made it seem much more likely that the wreckage of the plane might…
Let’s do the 23 times table. Michael Reynolds/EPA

Explainer: what makes Chinese maths lessons so good?

Chinese students begin learning their maths facts at a very early age: maths textbooks begin with multiplication in the first semester of second grade, when children are seven years old. In order to understand…
Let’s paint a picture of ‘pi’. jakedobkin/Flickr (cropped)

We still can’t get enough pi … but why?

The number pi (π = 3.14159265358979323846…), unique among the pantheon of mathematical constants, captures the fascination of the public and professional mathematicians. Three years ago one of the authors…

Hand gestures help kids learn maths

Using hand gestures may help children learn mathematics better, according to a recent study. Researchers, led by Miriam A…
Once you get a taste, it’s hard to stop playing Candy Crush … but why? emi iemei/Flickr

Totally addicted to apps: difficulty makes Candy Crush so sweet

It’s been said that in a city, you’re never more than two metres away from a rat. But it seems more likely that you’re never more than two metres from someone playing the puzzle game Candy Crush Saga…
Mathematics is everywhere, from national security and genetics to public transport scheduling. Bonita Club/Flickr (cropped)

Optimising the future with mathematics

AUSTRALIA 2025: How will science address the challenges of the future? In collaboration with Australia’s chief scientist Ian Chubb, we’re asking how each science discipline will contribute to Australia…
The problem mightn’t be with the equations, but the language in the questions. www.shutterstock.com.au

Are our kids failing in maths because they can’t read?

There has been a lot of hand-wringing about mathematics lately. According to national and international testing we are not getting any better at it and plenty of good reasons have been offered for why…
Don’t worry, it’s better to fail first. demandaj

Failure can be productive for teaching children maths

Learning from mistakes, errors, and failure seems intuitive and compelling. Everyone can relate to it. But if failure is a powerful learning mechanism, why do we wait for it to happen? Why can’t we design…
Not so special anymore. fdecomite

After 400 years, mathematicians find a new class of solid shapes

The work of the Greek polymath Plato has kept millions of people busy for millennia. A few among them have been mathematicians who have obsessed about Platonic solids, a class of geometric forms that are…
A better grounding in mathematics is needed for a career in science. Shutterstock

A lack of maths just doesn’t add up for a career in science

Our future in science, technology and engineering relies on a foundation and understanding of mathematics. And while it is pleasing to see a growth in interest in our advanced mathematics course at the…
He is on a tour. artbystevejohnson

How to get ants to solve a chess problem

Take a set of chess pieces and throw them all away except for one knight. Place the knight on any one of the 64 squares of a chess board. Can you make 63 legal moves so that you visit every square on the…
Listen to it loud and clear. rthakrar

Numbers that become memes can be dangerous to society

Some numbers are both memorable and incorrect. Take the idea that we only use 10% of our brains. Despite there being no medical evidence for the remarkably low percentage, many still believe it. Part of…
Disabling a country’s electricity with the click of a button. usairforce

New cyber-attack model helps hackers time the next Stuxnet

Of the many tricks used by the world’s greatest military strategists, one usually works well – taking the enemy by surprise. It is an approach that goes back to the horse that brought down Troy. But surprise…
Chalk and talk maths classes are not going to cut it for modern students. Maths image from www.shutterstock.com

Who learns in maths classes depends on how maths is taught

Students who are ill-prepared in mathematics are entering university and creating challenges for mathematics departments. There are lots of ideas out there on what to do about this but little evidence…

Les contributeurs les plus fréquents

Plus