Edmund Harriss, sometime contributor to the Math Factor, makes his first appearance in this early segment, from February 29, 2004.

 

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How many ways can the astronauts link up to the space station?

 

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In the fourth Math Factor segment, airing February 15, 2004, we posed a question much like the later Bananas and Rockets puzzle. How do we cross the infernal desert with limited supplies of water, but unlimited porters?

 

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(We open with the theme to Bonanza and go out with a rendition of Cool Clear Water by the immortal Marty Robbins)

We never did pose the famous Monte Hall problem on the podcast, but we discussed it early on when we were just on the radio. Here is our third segment, from February 8, 2004.

We did discuss the difference between Let’s Make a Deal and Deal or No Deal in an earlier post…

(The opening tune is from Juan Garcia Esquivel’s brilliant Space Age Bachelor Pad Music )

 

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 We ask an old chestnut on the second Math Factor segment ever aired, from February 1, 2004: The Johnsons have two children; we’re told one is a boy. What is the probability they have two boys?

(Incidentally, the music is R. Crumb’s band, Les Primitifs Du Futur)

 

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We ask: What do Google, flutes and monopoly have in common? In fact, important principles behind this question apply to an astounding array of phenomena!

 

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(Since we’ve been offline for a week or so, due to a tremendous ice storm that has paralyzed the town, we add a special bonus: the very first Math Factor episode ever aired, from January 25, 2004.)