All posts by Yared Worku
Counterintuitive Math
There are several mathematical statements or problems that do not make sense at all at first glance, until closely scrutinized. A detailed examination then proves that the statements are true and shows that they are completely counterintuitive. Here are some of my favorite examples. The Monty Hall problem The Monty Hall problem is a puzzle […]
The Law of Conservation of Problems
In physics, there are conservation laws for quantities like mass and energy. When we say a certain quantity obeys a conservation law, we mean that the amount of that quantity in a given space and time (a given system if you will) remains constant. So, what is the law of conservation of problems? Well, it is more […]
The Pleasure of Reading Richard Feynman’s Life
I recently finished reading the autobiography of one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century, Richard Feynman, entitled Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman. My feeling from beginning to end was ‘why was I so late to read it?’ It was undoubtedly one of the best books I have read. It was fascinating to look […]
Mysteries Hidden in π
The ever increasing power of computers has enabled mathematicians to calculate $latex \pi$ to several decimal places. The current record stands at 13.3 trillion digits (as of October 8, 2014) and the computation took 208 days. Look here for a chronological list of the record computations. Then comes the inevitable question: why are so many mathematicians […]
Japan: Impressions from a Trip to the Far East
I always wanted to visit Japan. And no, that is not a cliché – I really wanted to. Growing up, there were many reasons that shaped my impression of Japan. Watching the TV series Oshin as a kid, for example, and observing the people, their houses, and how they did everything created my first image […]
Einstein’s Riddle
There is a logic puzzle which is claimed to have been written by Albert Einstein when he was a boy, even though there is no tangible evidence for that. There are different versions of the puzzle with the same idea. Here is one: The Puzzle There are 5 houses in 5 different colors in a row. […]
Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues
After recently reading The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, I wanted to share something that made him one of the most notable people that walked on our earth. He came up with his famous 13 virtues in what he called “a bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection.” The virtues and their precepts he […]
Today’s Top Techs We Will Laugh at Tomorrow
They say technology is 25 years ahead of what the public is told or knows. There is some truth to that statement when you closely look at the various researches undertaken by top tech companies or military academies. And, obviously, what we consider a state-of-the-art technology today was definitely under research some years ago. The […]
Visual Math
Pictures tell a story way better than words. And in the language of nature which is mathematics, words are often too few. Finding easier ways to explain abstract math concepts can be very helpful. There are a lot of visual illustrations for math concepts or proofs, which range from simple to very abstract, that make […]
Fractals, Nature and Design
Fractals are fascinating. A fractal is a self-repeating pattern of some sort which appears exactly the same at all magnification levels. Mathematicians are especially interested in fractals and have studied them over a long period of time. Several books have been written on fractals, for instance The Fractal Geometry of Nature and Fractals Everywhere. Looking […]