Can you help me figure out this math question related to probability? [more inside]
posted by jacquilynne on Dec 12, 2009 - 41 answers

How many combinations are possible in this grid? [more inside]
posted by rahnefan on Dec 1, 2009 - 12 answers

I'm being outsmarted by a personalized license plate (I think)! [more inside]
posted by ailouros08 on Nov 17, 2009 - 15 answers

Hi, I have a specific question about paired t-tests! [more inside]
posted by amethysts on Nov 13, 2009 - 13 answers

I am looking for a math typesetting style guide. By this I don't mean the kind of stylesheet for journal submissions that says "Be sure to use the blah-blah-blah LaTeX package and the XYZ equation environment, and our army of editorial assistants will tie up the loose ends and knock off the rough edges." (Why not? Because my advisor is involved in starting a new journal, and suddenly my labmates and I are that army of editorial assistants.) [more inside]
posted by nebulawindphone on Nov 4, 2009 - 11 answers

How do you animate a parameter in the OSX Grapher utility? [more inside]
posted by b1tr0t on Nov 1, 2009 - 3 answers

I've never seen this mathematical symbol used this way before. Can anyone tell me what it means? [more inside]
posted by mazniak on Oct 25, 2009 - 8 answers

Help me understand homogenous coordinates! [more inside]
posted by tickingclock on Oct 22, 2009 - 14 answers

InterviewPrepFilter: I need to brush up on my numerical reasoning. I'm looking for ways to master things like word/story problems (probability, work-rate, distance), and some math review. I have good logic skills, but basic math can be confusing for me, esp. under pressure. Tutoring is not really an option and anything that is cram-friendly is also good. Any books, resources, tips, general guidance from math-y people ?
posted by sidd.darko on Oct 22, 2009 - 4 answers

StatisticAnalysisFilter: I took (pretty close to) scientific observations of the general populace in a neighborhood for a few months (personal project, long story). I measured the number of people who had trait X (or did not have trait X) in two locations, A and B. Now, I want to test the statistical significance of these results. Is the chi-square test sufficient for this? Or is there a better option? [more inside]
posted by MoreForMad on Oct 11, 2009 - 7 answers

Is there an easy-to-use computer program (other than TI Interactive) I can use to draw graphs of functions when I'm writing my Algebra 2 tests? [more inside]
posted by junipero on Sep 15, 2009 - 6 answers

I have been attending graduate school in mathematics for the last 3 years, in hopes of getting a Ph.D. It hasn't exactly worked out - I'm taking my Master's and getting out of here. What can I do now? [more inside]
posted by Earl the Polliwog on Aug 9, 2009 - 13 answers

I want to calculate the mean of a matrix, but I don't want a value, I want co-ordinates. The following math question has lots of terminology that I'm not qualified to use i.e. most of it is wrong. I hope you can see through this and help me. I will be using the words matrix, mean and transformation without fully understanding them. For this I apologize. [more inside]
posted by handybitesize on Jun 8, 2009 - 6 answers

I'm reading Quantum: a Guide for the Perplexed and I'm enjoying the graphics, history and simplification of the math and science used to explain quantum mechanics. But I'm reasonably well versed in math and science - I took a year of college physics, linear algebra, and diff eq about ten years ago. Is there any chance of me learning to understand the equations and papers of Planck and Einstein that are the basis of QM? Are there any good books that could help walk someone like me through this stuff? Or am I stuck as a layperson unless I earn a degree in math or physics?
posted by Grundlebug on May 30, 2009 - 14 answers

I work for a company that sells professional sports souvenirs (e.g. Lakers, Dodgers, Raiders products). I'm trying to come up with a relatively simple formula to help me compute minimum reorder levels for each product/team. [more inside]
posted by edjusted on Apr 27, 2009 - 8 answers

I'm looking for an example of an alternating series: the terms of which are (-1)^n b_n, where b_n -> 0 as n -> infinity, but the sequence {b_n} is not decreasing, and the sum from n=1 to infinity diverges. [more inside]
posted by evinrude on Apr 15, 2009 - 25 answers

Totally naive math-filter. What is the relationship between percentage difference between two real numbers and the percentage difference between their squares? [more inside]
posted by awenner on Apr 5, 2009 - 8 answers

I've got a polygon of n points. How can I simplify out noisy edges? [more inside]
posted by soma lkzx on Mar 31, 2009 - 12 answers

Looking for resources regarding math in sports. [more inside]
posted by reenum on Mar 17, 2009 - 12 answers

How do I determine the trend of situations with multiple scenarios and states week by week? [more inside]
posted by daver on Mar 1, 2009 - 5 answers

I'm having trouble conceptualizing a Traveling Salesperson Problem that I'm interested in solving. [more inside]
posted by Chrishartley on Feb 27, 2009 - 10 answers

GISfilter -- I have a PostGIS table containing spatial data in the form of a few thousand shapefiles. Anybody know a quick way I can move *all* of them by about 40 metres? [more inside]
posted by genghis on Jan 10, 2009 - 11 answers

Please help me rectify my biggest regret from my high school and college days - - - not taking enough math! [more inside]
posted by shaun uh on Dec 19, 2008 - 17 answers

My wife was "let go" from her position as a high school math teacher in California, due to budget cutbacks. What should she do? [more inside]
posted by filthy light thief on Dec 2, 2008 - 17 answers

At the very last minute, I'm applying to grad school to get my PhD in English. Hooray! Except that I'm abysmal at math. How much will that hurt my chance at top PhD programs in English? Because I've got two weeks to A) teach myself basic algebra for the GRE, and B) stop psyching myself out to the point of panic attacks. [more inside]
posted by zoomorphic on Oct 28, 2008 - 42 answers

Maximizing a function over orthogonal matrices, or: solving polynomial order 2 systems. Help me out or point me to a better forum / listhost. [more inside]
posted by a robot made out of meat on Oct 26, 2008 - 15 answers

It's late, I'm tired, and I have a probability and coding question that's fairly simple. [more inside]
posted by chrisamiller on Aug 13, 2008 - 10 answers

What makes sense as a summer job for a math and sociology major who does a little bit of everything? [more inside]
posted by thisjax on Feb 2, 2007 - 3 answers

I will be graduating with a B.A. in Math/C.S. in two years. What sort of job should I be looking for now? [more inside]
posted by philomathoholic on Jan 2, 2007 - 8 answers

Suppose there's a web form with 50 checkboxes (representing options or interests), and that checking one has no effect on any of the others. A user could select any two boxes, or a half dozen, or a different half dozen, or all 50. The only constraint on the form submission is that the user must check at least two boxes. How many possible combinations are there? [more inside]
posted by Tuwa on May 13, 2006 - 17 answers