How Long Is a Piece of String?: A Compelling Guide to the Mathematics of Everyday Decision Making

Why do weather forecasters get it wrong? What are the best tactics for playing"Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" and "The Weakest Link"? And what is the linkbetween a tin of baked beans and a men's urinal? These and many otherquestions are answered in this book. It is for anyone wanting to remindthemselves – or discover for the first time – that maths is relevant to almosteverything we do. Dating, cooking, travelling by car, gambling and rankingsportsmen all have links with intriguing mathematical problems that areexplained in this book. It reveals the secrets behind some of the best con tricksand the hidden workings of the taxi meter, and explains how epidemics startand stop.