Timothy Gowers

Should Alice marry Bob?

Introducing a new ‘real world’ maths course, designed to engage every sort of pupil

issue 03 November 2012

Two problems:

1. You are in an airport and are walking from the main departure lounge to a rather distant gate. On the way there are several moving walkways. There is a small stone in your shoe, which is annoying enough that you decide that you must remove it. If you want to get to the gate as quickly as possible, and if there is no danger of your annoying other passengers, is it better to remove the stone while on a moving walkway or while on stationary ground, or does it make no difference?

2.

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