Kyle and Chaim finally get back into the studio!

 

 Standard Podcast [11:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We first pose a quick question: If you drive fifty miles in fifty minutes, must there be some ten minute interval in which you drive exactly ten miles?

Of course there must — mustn’t there? Well prove it!

Our main feature this week is an interview with Michael Breen, from the American Mathematical Society, who came and hosted a game show “Who Wants To Be A Mathematician!” About a hundred high school students from all over northwest Arkansas came to cheer on their classmates; Kyle Strong of Har-Ber High in Springdale came in first, winning $1250, and Karan Batra, of Bentonville placed second with $250.

Our interview includes a few sample problems… I guess we shouldn’t list too many of them, in case Micheal wants to recycle them! Mike’s also responsible for the great series of Mathematical Moments posters— check them out!

PS: We opened with the Up To One Million Dollars In Prize Money May Be Given Away gag… Always fun!

 

 Standard Podcast [5:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

On April 29, 2004, we did a piece on the very first Bamboopalooza; (the segment BG. Bamboopalooza was a couple of years later) and Jenn Starr asks about the sequence 1 3 7 12 18 26 35 … 

(Incidentally, once you unlock the secret of the sequence, can you determine how fast, asymptotically, it will grow?)

We visit the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market, soliciting math questions, and pose a problem about funny walks.

 

 Standard Podcast [6:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Standard Podcast [12:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Now, really, tell me, what good is a podcast if you can’t promote your beautiful new book?

We are very very pleased to announce the publication of The Symmetries of Things, a comprehensive, modern account of the mathematics of symmetry, complete with over 1000 illustrations!

Frank Morgan chats about math and gives us the solution to his bubble puzzle. If you’re in the area, don’t miss his lecture, Thursday April 10, at 7:30 pm in POSC 211!

 

 Standard Podcast [5:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We discuss, among other things, whether all mathematicians are liars.

Send us your favorite paradoxes of this kind and we’ll report back on April 15.

 

 Standard Podcast [5:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A contestant for our Million-Dollar-Give-Away sent in Rayo’s Number, hitherto the largest number ever used for any real purpose: to wit, winning the

LARGE NUMBER CHAMPIONSHIP

Check out the article by Scot Aaronson that inspired them to duke it out! And this thread on the math forum is quite interesting as well.

 

 Standard Podcast [15:21m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We discuss the results of the fabulous Math Factor Million Dollar Giveaway. and confess this was an excuse to bring up Game Theory and how to talk about really big numbers.

 

  [14:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We take this week off to celebrate Pi Day (March 1)

Ok, that’s only π to one decimal place, and only in some countries, but somehow we got off a week in our radio version of the Math Factor and have to catch up.

 

  [0:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Up to $1,000,000 in Prize Money May Be Given Away! Whoever sends us the largest number wins the prize– a million dollars divided by the winning entry!

(So, if everyone could just hold it together and send in the number “1″, we’ll be out a lot of dough! Of course, if everyone else sends in “1″, you might consider being a rascal and sending in “2″… this is a slippery slope though…)

 

  [3:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download