The annual ritual of buying a gift for a random recipient opens a window onto some fascinating mathematics.
- Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
Football is one of the hardest sports to predict – but there are some fascinating geographical clues when we look at the latitudes of past performers and their ultimate success.
A lottery jackpot being won by 433 people in the Phillipines has raised accusations of foul play. Then again – such outcomes usually do.
Critics say rule changes have made one-sided games more likely in the NRL. But statistics suggest it’s no more predictable than other major Australian competitions such as the AFL.
A look at the past results shows there is some advantage to a team playing at home and winning the first game in State of Origin.
Whether it’s a toss of the coin or a flip of the bat, can any method to decide who plays first in cricket be unbiased?
If any game comes down to a penalty shootout then there’s one spot a player should aim for to stand a better chance of scoring a goal.
There is no major sporting competition in the world that has enjoyed such a run without crowning back-to-back champions as the NRL.
Business Briefing: the science of business decision making
The Conversation14.3 MB (download)
Research shows paying people more can actually lead to worse decisions. Getting the best results from executives requires understanding our complex motivations
Sometimes statistics and probability can produce unexpected or counter-intuitive results. If we’re hoping to use numbers to make good decisions, we should be wary of the traps.
If you want to know who’s going to win the Oscars, your best bet is the bookmakers.
What are the consequences of negative gearing policy? We’ve created a board game to model how negative gearing affects housing distribution, based on modelling from Dr Stephen Woodcock.
If you’re looking to win your colleagues’ and friends’ respect in a footy tipping competition you can do a whole lot worse than simply tuning out of the countless hours of TV and radio analysis.
When a cricket match is cut short there’s a way to work out how many runs are needed in any reduced over game. That’s okay for the long form game but it doesn’t work for the shorter matches.
The Cowboys will have to deal with more than just the Dally M “curse” if they’re to beat the Broncos in this weekend’s all Queensland NRL Grand Final.
The award-winning mathematician gave his name to a concept in game theory that has many applications, from economics to the survival of meerkat colonies.
The planning for any new road should include plenty of mathematical modelling. But getting the right numbers can be a challenge and there’s the odd paradox to deal with as well.
The 2015 AFC Asian Cup is the biggest football tournament ever held in Australia, so what bearing does the host status have on the Socceroos’ chances of success? A lot more than you might think. When econometricians…
If you’re looking for a definitive answer on who will win the Melbourne Cup – the world’s most prestigious two-mile handicap – I’m afraid I’m going to leave you sorely disappointed. What I can offer is…
Former Parramatta and Australia fullback Jarryd Hayne is in the United States trying to swap his National Rugby League (NRL) colours for a chance to play in the National Football League (NFL). A two-time…
When the final siren sounds at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium on Sunday night either the South Sydney Rabbitohs or Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs will be crowned as 2014 National Rugby League (NRL) Premiers…
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