MATHS IN THE PAPERS – FEBRUARY
2003
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.
Children’s taste in reading changesA survey conducted by Bristol’s Treasure Island project has shown that classics in children’s literature are not being read by modern children. Only 3% of those surveyed have read Little Women, and 7% Wind in the Willows, but 81% have read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and 31% Lord of the Rings. Only 5% have read Treasure Island, which is set partly in Bristol.
78% of the 2000 parents surveyed complained that their children were not being introduced to classic stories.
The Treasure Island project is part of Bristol’s European culture capital 2008 bid.
The Guardian 1/2/03
Larger legacies predicted
Finance
The UK Household Survey 2001 suggests that about 5m pensioners own their own homes. With the average house worth nearly £116,000, billions of pounds in assets may pass to a new generation in the next decade or so.
This could have a real impact in the workplace, with more people able to decide to cut back on work, or to choose a less well paid, but more satisfying, job. This could mean that employers will have to work harder to attract and keep staff.
The Observer 2/2/03
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
Poor
understanding of charity issues
Finance
An opinion survey commissioned by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations shows that public understanding of what constitutes a charity is very poor. Three in 10 people think the Child Support Agency, part of a government department, has charitable status. NCVO is launching a coalition of groups to campaign for reform of Britain’s 400 year old charity law.
The Guardian 12/2/03
Wait for lottery win
Finance
An unemployed teenager in Romania had to wait for his benefit money to arrive before collecting his lottery winnings in Bucharest. He needed less than £20 for his train ticket, but had to wait nearly two weeks before he could collect almost £800,000 in winnings
Ananova 17/2/03
Brit
Awards plant trees
Entertainment
Organisers of the Brit Awards have calculated that 1443 tonnes of carbon dioxide, enough to fill 7000 double decker buses, will be produced as a result of the awards, mostly from travel to the event and production of cd and video spin-offs. So they are arranging for 3500 trees to be planted in Barabhaig forest on the Isle of Skye. These trees will mop up an equal amount of carbon dioxide over the next 99 years.
Ananova 18/2/03
Fat
cat
Statistics
Katy, a Russian cat, is being considered for the Guinness Book of Records. At five years old, with a 27 inch waist, she weighs 20kgs, and is thought to be the world’s fattest cat. She can eat sausages at the rate of one-and-a-half per minute.
Ananova 21/2/03
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
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 10th March rather than 1st March.
Ananova 22/2/03
Landfill sites affect house prices
Finance
Landfill sites are affecting the value of houses. According to a survey conducted recently to help the Treasury measure the loss of amenity value, 200,000 homes close to landfill sites are worth up to £5,500 less because of dust, noise, smell and vermin associated with landfill. This represents a 7% drop in price in the country as a whole, but in Scotland, the value of homes drop 41% if they are sited within a quarter of a mile of a landfill site.
The survey compared prices of properties near 11,300 landfill sites nationwide, and the sale of 592,000 houses over a ten year period.
The Guardian 22/2/03
Fewer children play sport
Health
A survey by Sport England has shown that the number of young people not participating in sports activities during school time has risen. In 1994, 15% of young people did not take part in sports activities. This has risen to 18% in 2002.
The survey also found that football is becoming more popular with girls, with 13% playing the game in 2002, compared with 7% in 1994. The survey was conducted among 3000 children and young people aged 6 to 16.
The Guardian 26/2/03
Council websites improve
Computers
The Better Connected survey, published by the Society of IT Management, shows that one third of UK councils have improved their websites significantly over the last 12 months. Of 467 councils, 10 have reached the top level of attainment, compared with four last year, and just 20% have the lowest ‘promotional’ rank, compared with 34% a year ago.
The Guardian 27/2/03
Congestion charge for ageing Daimler
Finance
A penalty notice for evasion of London’s congestion charge has been issued to a car which hasn’t been on the road since 1947. The 105- year-old Daimler, with the number plate Y99, has been on display in the Bristol Industrial Museum for the last 25 years.
Ananova 27/2/03
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
Dyslexia
figures
Education
The incidence of Dyslexia is higher in France and Britain than in Italy. With around 40 sounds and 1000 ways of spelling them, English is a notoriously complex language, with French having similar complexities. Italian, however, has a more standard phonetic framework of about 25 sounds and 33 spellings.
Dyslexia affects about 4% of the UK population, about 350,000 schoolchildren and almost 3m people in total.
TES 28/2/03
Vandal
dogs sought by German police
Crime
For no apparent reason, two dogs have vandalised parked cars in the centre of Munich. Police are still trying to find the culprits, after they left torn number plates, damaged bumpers, mudguards and wheel arches on six vehicles.
Ananova 28/2/03
Russians
spend billions on bribes
Finance
According to Pravda, the average Russian spends £7 per month on bribes, almost one tenth of the average wage. This amounts nationally to more than 19 billion pounds per year.
Bribes are offered to avoid fines and legal action over traffic offences, with smaller amounts offered to health care workers for good hospital care
Ananova 28/2/03