Maths in the Real World 12 short, story-driven reads that reveal the maths quietly running the world around you — from why one big pizza beats two small ones to how GPS finds you with the speed of light. Each one works a real example and links to the formula it uses.
Why one big pizza beats two small ones The deal that looks generous is usually a rip-off — and the reason is a square.
The "eighth wonder of the world" that quietly builds fortunes Why $10,000 left alone can become $76,000 — without you adding a cent.
Why a $300,000 mortgage costs you $647,000 The maths of amortisation — and why your early payments are almost all interest.
Why 23 people are enough to share a birthday It feels like you would need hundreds. You need 23 — here is the maths.
How casinos win even when you win The house never needs to cheat — it just needs a tiny negative average.
Technology
The maths of going viral Why "one person tells two" turns into a billion in a month.
Why your coffee cools fast, then slowly Newton worked out the cooling curve 300 years ago — and it rules your morning brew.
Why a magnitude 7 quake is not a bit worse than a 6 It is ten times the shaking — and about 32 times the energy. Logarithms hide the gap.
Why that afternoon coffee keeps you up at midnight Caffeine has a half-life — and the maths explains your restless night.
The hidden maths inside every octave Why the same note, higher up, is exactly double the frequency.
The weird law that catches fraudsters In real data, the digit 1 leads almost a third of the time. Fakers get it wrong.
How your phone knows exactly where you are GPS is just distance, time and a pinch of Einstein — accurate to a few metres.