Pop quiz – what’s one half divided by one quarter?
No, you’re not allowed to use a calculator, or or phone a friend…
Stuck? OK, it’s 2.
“What?” I hear you cry, “But that doesn’t make sense. We’ve divided something small by another small thing, that should make an even smaller thing, surely.”
And, of course, you’d be wrong. If you already knew the answer, or you’ve already seen this February’s Channel 4 documentary The Kids Don’t Count, then read on with a smug smile. If you were genuinely stuck by the question, let us demystify division for you.
[Subtitled: How to Throw Good Money After Bad Maths]
It is a truth not acknowledged universally enough* that Maths Is Good For You. By this I mean basic numeracy will give you skills for life and work, and develop mental rigour that will benefit you in ways you might never have appreciated.
Good outfit. Bad maths.
The God of Whizz is a cheerleader for maths, not least because of his role in making the fantastic online maths tutor called Maths-Whizz, but he’s inclined to be positive about maths and science skills in general, because he’s that kinda guy.
Something called ‘Hon-Sho‘ caught the God of Whizz’s attention last year, and to his dismay it’s still on the Interwebs in 2010. I’ll let their website explain:
Hon-Sho means “Your true character”. Rooted in mysticism and philosophy, Chinese oracle reading can be traced back over 4,000 years. Hon-Sho uses your personal and unique Digital-DNA to produce a character profile and daily oracle readings which enable you to make decisions regarding your fate.
The GoW came across the Gresham College YouTube channel earlier today, featuring some interesting clips from a lecture by cosmologist and Gresham College Geometry professor, John Barrow, on everyday maths.
The Gresham College is a venerable London institution devoted to providing free lectures and events for the public, in the best of traditions.
The venerable Gresham College
In the clip below, Barrow shows the maths behind bank numbers and what’s known as the ‘Luhn Test’.
The God of Whizz doesn’t care about maths this morning, he just wants a Lego Space Shuttle.
5...4...3...2...1.. Lift off!
Check out a gallery of this geektastic device (click the picture above), or watch one of the design team explain how the Lego Space Shuttle is put together, below.
