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Some of our technical (but not too technical) articles

On what day of the week were you born? by Burkard Polster and Marty Ross. Plus Magazine (March 2010). Recently we learnt a very impressive trick: tell us the date you were born and we will almost immediately tell you what day of the week that was. In this articles we show you how this is done. This article includes some nice Java applets that you can use for practicing.

Minimizing the footprint of your laptop (on your bedside table) by Burkard Polster. Mathematical Intelligencer (January 2010). Burkard often works on his laptop in bed. When needed, he parks the laptop on the bedside table, where the computer has to share the small available space with a lamp, books, notes, and heaven knows what else; it often gets quite squeezy. Being regularly faced with this tricky situation, it finally occurred to him to determine once and for all how to place the laptop on the bedside table so that its ``footprint'' - the area in which the laptop coincides with the bedside table - is minimal. In this note he gives the solution of this problem, using some very pretty and elementary mathematics.

Ringing the changes by Burkard Polster and Marty Ross, Plus Magazine 53 (December 2009). Do you prefer your maths in exotic locations? Then perhaps you should join a band of bell ringers, engaged in the grand old practice of ringing the changes. But what does bell ringing have to do with maths? As we explain in this article, a lot! If you are really keen on the maths involved, there is a fairly technical chapter about mathematical change ringing in Burkard's maths of juggling book book.

Juggling, maths and a beautiful mind by Burkard Polster, Plus Magazine 52 (September 2009). Learn about the mathematics of juggling. If you are really keen, check out the book.

Turning the tables: feasting from a mathsnack by Burkard Polster and Marty Ross, Vinculum, 42 (2005), 6-9. We investigate under which conditions a regular rectangular table can be turned on the spot to result in all four feet touching the ground. It turns out that under normal circumstances (continuous, not too slopy ground), this is always possible. So, the next time you are faced with a table or a chair that wobbles, you might try just turning it on the spot to stabilize it. One of our Maths Masters columns for The Age is also on tableturning (Too hot, too cold, just right, 6 August 2007)

Mathematical table turning revisited by Bill Baritompa, Rainer Löwen, Burkard Polster and Marty Ross, Mathematical Intelligencer, 29 (2007), 49-58. In this (much) more technical article, we really do turn the table in any conceivable way, elaborating on the Vinculum article above. This research was reported on TV, radio, and in newspapers around the world. You can watch a video clip of Marty being interviewed on the ABC news here.

How much is a $5 betting coupon worth? by Marty Ross, Math Horizons (September 2008). In this article Marty reports on a novel probablility paradox that he stumbled across in the Melbourne Casino. We also wrote a Maths Masters column on this.

What is the best way to lace your shoes? by Burkard Polster, Nature 420, 476 (5 December 2002). The two most popular ways to lace shoes have historically been to use "criss-cross" or "straight" lacing - but are these the most efficient? Burkard demonstrates mathematically that the shortest lacing is neither of these, but instead is a rarely used and unexpected type of lacing known as "bowtie" lacing. However, the traditional favourite lacings are still the strongest. Here is the file that was originally submitted to Nature. We also wrote a Maths Masters column on this topic. This paper was reported on TV, radio, and in newspapers around the world. You can watch a video clip of Burkard being interviewed on the ABC news here. If you are really keen, check out the book.

Mathematical ambigrams by Burkard Polster, Proceedings of the Mathematics and Art Conference 2000, Bond University, 10-12 December 2000, pp. 21-32. A brief introduction into the art of writing words such they can be read in serveral different ways. If you are really keen, check out the book (Eye Twisters). We also wrote a Maths Masters column on this.

Irrational Thoughts by Marty Ross, Mathematical Gazette (March 2004). An introduction to irrational numbers. This article was the Mathematical Gazette's "Article of the Year" in 2004.

Variations on a theme in paper folding by Burkard Polster, American Mathematical Monthly 111 (January 2004), pp. 39-47. In this article Burkard explores some simple variations on a really neat trick, to approximate rational angles by folding a strip of paper.

YEA WHY TRY HER RAW WET HAT by Burkard Polster, Mathematical Intelligencer 21 (June 1999), pp. 38-43. A pictorial tour of the smallest perfect universe.

Coming up: A joint articles, on planning the optimal conversion shot in rugby football in the Mathematical Gazette.

Also check out Burkard's books and Marty's articles on Maths education. You can find a list of most of Burkard's technical articles here.