Related papers: La Baguette Math\'emagique
We investigate Bertrand's probabilistic paradox through the lens of discrete geometry and old-fashioned but reliable discrete probability. We approximate the plane unit circle with $1/n$ times $1/n$ boxes and count the pairs of boxes…
We construct games of chance from simpler games of chance. We show that it may happen that the simpler games of chance are fair or unfavourable to a player andyet the new combined game is favourable -- this is a counter-intuitive…
We propose a new test statistic based on a score process for determining the statistical significance of a putative signal that may be a small perturbation to a noisy experimental background. We derive the reference distribution for this…
We propose a discrete approach to solve problems on forming polygons from broken sticks, which is akin to counting polygons with sides of integer length subject to certain Diophantine inequalities. Namely, we use MacMahon's Partition…
By making use of the greatest common divisor's ($gcd$) properties we can highlight some connections between playing billiard inside a unit square and the Fibonacci sequence as well as the Euclidean algorithm. In particular by defining two…
Using martingale theory, we compute, in very few lines, exact analytical expressions for various first-exit-time statistics associated with one-dimensional biased diffusion. Examples include the distribution for the first-exit time from an…
We study a large class of Bernoulli percolation models on random lattices of the half- plane, obtained as local limits of uniform planar triangulations or quadrangulations. We first compute the exact value of the site percolation threshold…
We explore the possibility of using machine learning to identify interesting mathematical structures by using certain quantities that serve as fingerprints. In particular, we extract features from integer sequences using two empirical laws:…
In this paper we report on an experimental test of Bertrand's question on the probability to find a random chord drawn inside a unit-radius circle with length greater than $\sqrt{3}$. In an experiment performed by tossing straws onto a…
We give three derivations of Polya's approximation for the expected range of a simple random walk in one dimension. This result allows for an estimation of the volatility of a financial instrument from the difference between the high and…
The Fr\'echet mean, a generalization to a metric space of the expectation of a random variable in a vector space, can exhibit unexpected behavior for a wide class of random variables. For instance, it can stick to a point (more generally to…
We use the martingale-theoretic approach of game-theoretic probability to incorporate imprecision into the study of randomness. In particular, we define several notions of randomness associated with interval, rather than precise,…
Fundamental mathematical constants like $e$ and $\pi$ are ubiquitous in diverse fields of science, from abstract mathematics to physics, biology and chemistry. For centuries, new formulas relating fundamental constants have been scarce and…
We introduce a variation on Kac's question, "Can one hear the shape of a drum?" Instead of trying to identify a compact manifold and its metric via its Laplace--Beltrami spectrum, we ask if it is possible to uniquely identify a point $x$ on…
We find a remarkable agreement between the statistics of a randomly divided interval and the observed statistical patterns and distributions found in horse racing betting markets. We compare the distribution of implied winning odds, the…
In this paper we modify the method of Nazarov, Peres, and Volberg "The power law for the Buffon needle probability of the four-corner Cantor set", arXiv:0801.2942, to get an estimate from above of the Buffon needle probability of the…
Some of the parameters we call ``constants of Nature'' may in fact be variables related to the local values of some dynamical fields. During inflation, these variables are randomized by quantum fluctuations. In cases when the variable in…
The paper describes the practical work for students visually clarifying the mechanism of the Monte Carlo method applying to approximating the value of Pi. Considering a traditional quadrant (circular sector) inscribed in a square, here we…
Mathematics has been used in the exploration and enumeration of juggling patterns. In the case when we catch and throw one ball at a time the number of possible juggling patterns is well-known. When we are allowed to catch and throw any…
Probability Theory and Statistics are two of the most useful mathematical fields, and also two of the most difficult to learn. In other science fields, as Physics, experimentation is an useful tool to develop students intuition, but the…