MATHS IN THE PAPERS Maths and Statistics Jan-Mar 2003
Search our Site: sitemap	Back to Maths in Papers	Back to Mathemagic Home page

Commuting time increases
Statistics

A survey of 2,500 corporate Barclaycard customers has shown that the average car commuter wasted the equivalent of 10 working days last year stuck in traffic. Commuting time rose by 18%, with Britons spending an average 74 minutes a day travelling to and from work. This rose to 85 minutes a day for workers in London.

The Guardian 28/2/03

St David’s Day error
Statistics

15000 council tenants in Cardiff have received copies of their council’s annual report. Included is a free calendar, with St David’s Day listed with the wrong date. A Welsh county council has apologised for sending out a calendar to 15,000 people with St David's Day listed on the wrong date. Council officials have apologised for listing the patron saint of Wales’ feast day as 10^th March rather than 1^st March.

Ananova 22/2/03

Newton predicts end of the world
Statistics

Sir Isaac Newton, in little-known manuscripts unearthed in a library, predicted the world would end in the year 2060. The manuscript shows Newton’s attempt to decode the Bible, which he has interpreted to include a 1000 year reign by saints on earth - of which he would be one. According to some sources, Newton spent 50 years and wrote 4500 pages trying to predict the end of the world.

Ananova 22/2/03

Families spend more time in cars
Statistics

According to the RAC, British motorists are more dependent than ever on their cars, with 89% admitting that would find it very difficult to live without their cars. A recent survey carried out for Vauxhall has discovered that the average UK family spends nearly 13 hours a week together in a car.

The Guardian 12/2/03

February weather
Statistics

A mostly dry and very sunny month across the UK, with mean temperatures slightly above average.

Moderate and at times heavy snowfall caused widespread disruption across Northern Ireland on the 1st and 2nd. A high of 15.7 °C was recorded in Central London on the 26th.

England and Wales Mean Temperature Series (series began in 1961). The initial mean value for the month was 3.7 °C, which is 0.3 °C above the 1961-90 average, which is in the close to average category. Coldest since 1996, when 2.3 °C was recorded.

England and Wales Rainfall Series (series began in 1961). The initial total for the month was 38.5 mm, which is 61% of the 1961-90 average, which is in the below average category. Driest since 1998, when 22.7 mm was recorded

England and Wales Sunshine Series (series began in 1961). The initial value for the month was 3.47 hours per day, which is 152% of the 1961-90 average, which is in the exceptionally above average category. 2nd Sunniest in series, sunniest was 1988 with 3.64 hours per day.

www.metoffice.gov.uk February 2003

Officials in India have sent a woman to prison for trying to smuggle 240 tortoises in two bin bags. Tortoises are an endangered species.

Ananova 31/1/03

Haji Wakeel, from Afghanistan, has fathered 50 children from his four wives. Not satisfied with this, he is determined to set a world record by fathering another 50. His eldest son is 17, two of his daughters are now married, and he thinkls five of his children have died.

Ananova 31/1/03

Singapore woman scores four hole-in-ones.
Statistics

Christine Keung, who plays golf twice a week with her husband, has scored four hole-in-ones in four months. The odds of scoring a single hole -in -one are 42,000 to 1.

Ananova 28/01/03

The longest pool game ever?
Statistics

In Alberta, Canada, four men have possibly created a new world record for continuous pool playing, clocking up 103 hours.

Ananova 20/1/03

Canadian man gets to the point

A Canadian man claims he stuck 702 surgical needles into his legs and body in an eight hour bid to claim a world record. The previous record, set in 1999, involved only 200 needles. The Guiness book of records is awaiting evidence

Ananova 16/1/03

Survey shows most of us tell lies
Statistics

A recent Gallup poll has found that only 8% of people claim never to have told a lie, and a quarter of those interviewed admitted lying every day. Secretarial staff, it emerges, are expected to lie for other people - especially for the boss, according to another survey by Gordon Yates recruitment, with 79% of interviewees claiming they had been asked to invent stories on behalf of their bosses. But an unhappy 31% said that being asked to lie affected their personal integrity.

The Guardian 13/01/03

Surveys on proposed war in Iraq
Statistics

The Princeton Survey Research Associates poll show that 62% of interviewees were in favour of US military action in Iraq.

A survey in Turkey has shown that 83% of people are opposed to Americans using Turkish bases to attack Iraq.

The Observer 12/01/03

Stars found beyond Milky Way

Astronomers have announced the discovery of evidence suggesting that a vast ring of stars may completely encircle the Milky Way. Two teams of researchers have discovered parts of what could be up to a billion stars beyond the Milky Way’s spiral arms.

New Scientist 6/1/03

Odd numbers
Statistics

77% of New Year’s resolutions are adhered to for a week or less.

The earliest record of New Year’s Resolutions was in Babylon - in 2000 BC.

16 UN resolutions have been ignored by Iraq.

69 UN resolutions have been ignored by Israel.

Observer Magazine 5/1/03

January weather
Statistics

Aboyne recorded a temperature of 18.3 deg °C on the 26th January. Aviemore recorded a low of -18.6 °C on 7/8th January. The maximum temperature of 18.3 °C at Aboyne equals the previously highest maximum temperature for January any where in the UK, which was at Aber (Gwynedd) on both the 10 January 1971 and 27 January 1958.

www.metoffice.com Jan 2003