Column

  1. Math

    Travels of a Shopper

    Shoppers tend to be a lot less efficient than they could be when picking up groceries at the supermarket.

    By Ivars Peterson
  2. Math

    Scripting Boffo Box Office

    A computer model can help select movie scripts that lead to success at the box office.

    By Ivars Peterson
  3. Math

    Geometry in Court

    The Pythagorean theorem and geometric series played leading roles in two legal disputes.

    By Ivars Peterson
  4. Math

    Form Plus Function

    Numbers, lines, squares, and shadows add up to an intriguing set of artworks rooted in mathematical concepts.

    By Ivars Peterson
  5. Math

    Quark Park

    Math-inspired and science-related artworks enliven an imaginatively landscaped sliver of parkland.

    By Ivars Peterson
  6. Math

    Designer Decimals

    Fractions can yield amazingly familiar decimal expansions.

    By Ivars Peterson
  7. Math

    Mining the Yesternet

    Digital records allow social scientists to study online communities and the diffusion of innovation.

    By Ivars Peterson
  8. Math

    The Great Tile Debate

    For subway flooring, why switch from hexagonal to square tiles?

    By Ivars Peterson
  9. Math

    Knots in Proteins

    Knotted proteins are rare but more than just random occurrences.

    By Ivars Peterson
  10. Math

    The Eclipse That Saved Columbus

    An eclipse prediction in a book of astronomical tables helped Columbus out of a jam.

    By Ivars Peterson
  11. Math

    Math Factor Radio

    Listen in on some math radio and browse for science songs.

    By Ivars Peterson
  12. Math

    Euler’s Bridges

    A well-known puzzle about bridges led to a pioneering paper in topology.

    By Ivars Peterson