Happy New Year!
This month's theme is optimising - rarely a moment goes by without us
trying to optimise our efforts, chances or time. Today, as nearly
everyday, Jenny woke up and put the kettle on, judging how much water to
use to ensure that it is just boiling as she got out of the shower!! Sad
but true. Then she decided how late she could leave the house and still
catch the train...
The article on high jumping and pole vaulting
(<http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=2742&part=index&refpage=m
onthindex.php>) is a very revealing description of optimisation ? are any
of you high jumpers? Really worth a read if you are.
Of course there are some excellent problems to be found, including:
negotiating the cheapest route
(<http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=2648&part=index&refpage=m
onthindex.php>),
to making the most of the post
(<http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=2650&part=index&refpage=m
onthindex.php>),
and on to seeing how high up the wall you can reach
(<http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=2637&part=index&refpage=m
onthindex.php>).
Why not improve your game-playing strategies with Last Biscuit
(<http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=2656&part=index&refpage=m
onthindex.php>)? We also return to Oware
(<http://www.nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=2747&part=index&refpa
ge=monthindex.php>) to investigate whether the "best" variations of a game
become the ones that are remembered.
We wish you the best for the coming year and look forward to receiving your
solutions.
The NRICH Team
Liz Pumfrey
NRICH Primary Teacher Research Associate
University of Cambridge Centre for Mathematical Sciences
Wilberforce Road
Cambridge
CB3 0WA
01223 764246
www.nrich.maths.org
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