MATHS IN THE PAPERS - JANUARY 2003

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

Doctors set to leave direct patient care
Health

According to a British Medical Journal study, 22% of family doctors are prepared to leave direct patient care within the next five years. This figure has increased from 14% in 1998.

                                                Guardian 3/01/03

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

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

Teachers not staying in profession

A MORI survey has shown that one in three teachers expect to leave the profession within five years. The General Teaching Council estimates that this represents 28,500 teachers. 70,011 teachers participated in the survey. 56% of these say their morale is significantly lower than when they entered teaching. One third stated they would not choose teaching if they were just starting out on a career path.

                                                Guardian 7/01/03

Rise in gun crimes

In the last 12 months 9,900 offences involving guns were reported, according to official statistics, most of which are confined to large urban areas. Total recorded crime rose to 5.7million offences, although statisticians stated that this was partly due to changes in police recording procedures.   A 15% rise in drug offences is causing alarm, especially in view of recent more relaxed policies towards cannabis use.

The murder rate for England and Wales stands at 858, the highest level for 50 years.

                                                Guardian 10/01/03

Surveys on proposed war in Iraq

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

Survey shows most of us tell lies

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

Spot the ball

Managers from a casino in Velden, Austria are trying to work out how a roulette ball was switched by a gang who went on to win £250,000 at the roulette table. The new ball could be controlled by a nearby electro-magnet.

                                                Ananova 15/1/03

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

Tony who?

Letts Educational has recently published a survey showing that 50% of GCSE pupils interviewed did not trust Tony Blair, 46% said they did. 4% asked who he was.

                                                TES 17/01/03

The annual health survey for England, just published, suggests that people are still not eating enough fruit and vegetables. Department of Health guidelines suggest five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, a target currently being met by only one person in four. The survey shows that people in the most deprived areas of the country are most at risk from illness associated with low consumption of healthy food. Only 18% of men and 20% of women in deprived areas eats enough fruit and vegetables, compared with 30% of men and 35% of women in the most affluent areas of England. Findings are based on interviews with over 18,000 across England.

                                                Guardian 20/1/03

Top-up fees might affect university choices

According to a Mori poll of 1086 students, one in three students would not have opted for their first choice of university if it had charged top-up fees. 35% would have considered other universities, but would probably have gone for their first choice, while 24% said top-up fees wouldn’t have mattered.

                                                Guardian 20/01/03

The longest pool game ever?

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

                                                                                    Ananova 20/1/03

 New survey includes spending on drugs

The Office for National Statistics annual report of public spending has been broadened, under European rules,  to include prostitution and illegal drugs. On average, households spend £11.40 per week on alcohol, tobacco and narcotics, although the amount spent on drugs is seen as statistically insignificant, with a figure deemed unreliable if fewer than ten households replied.

The gap between high and low income families is growing - top earners spent $885 per week last year, an increase of £36 on the previous year, while low income spending remained the same at £127.

                                                Guardian 23/01/03

Student performance at risk

A new report shows that one in three college students works at least 15 hours a week, in conditions that may jeopardise their academic success. The survey, conducted among 1500 students by the education charity Examaid, revealed that 59% work more than 10 hours a week, 30% work more than 15 hours a week and one in ten works more than 20 hours a week. More than half earned less than £4 per hour.

                              TES 24/1/03

Singapore woman scores four hole-in-ones.

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 International Skating Union has adopted a new method of scoring, in an attempt to remove the incentive for bribery. Under the new system, not every judge’s score will be counted. Instead, scores are randomly selected by computer. Critics say there is a danger of collusion by a block of judges under the new system.

                                       Chronicle of Higher Education 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

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