Category Archives: General Mathematics

Sewer Math

Posted on 15-February-2014 by mathscinotes

Quote of the Day A startup is a temporary organization searching for a repeatable and scalable business model. - Steve Blank Introduction A good friend of mine is an entrepreneur and I caught him doing some math the other day. … Continue reading →

Posted in General Mathematics | 6 Comments

Proofs Without Words

Posted on 1-February-2014 by mathscinotes

I love proofs without words. Usually, I see them in discussions of mathematical concepts like the Pythagorean theorem (examples). While reading about home construction at the Journal of Light Construction, I saw a nice graphical look at the difference between the gross margin on a product and the markup on a product. Continue reading →

Posted in General Mathematics | Comments Off on Proofs Without Words

At What Fuel Tank Level Should I Refuel?

Posted on 1-February-2014 by mathscinotes

It is cold in Minnesota right now and I hear the local motorheads warning people not to run their gas tanks down to empty. During winter, I hear this warning because of concerns that water vapor in the gas tank may freeze and cause the vehicle to stop. I also hear concerns about running on a low fuel tank during the heat of summer because the fuel is need to cool the fuel pump, which is often mounted in the tank. Some folks also say that there is corrosion at the bottom of the gas tank that get sucked into the fuel pump when running the tank near empty. Continue reading →

Posted in General Mathematics, Personal | 3 Comments

Tire Pressure Math

Posted on 6-January-2014 by mathscinotes

Quote of the Day Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. — Sir Winston Churchill Introduction I woke up this morning to a rather brisk temperature … Continue reading →

Posted in General Mathematics, General Science | 10 Comments

Mathcad Example Using Decibels

Posted on 23-December-2013 by mathscinotes

Quote of the Day I learned filmmaking by studying the Old Masters - and by that I mean John Ford, John Ford and John Ford. — Orson Welles Introduction I have been working on a software requirements document that involves … Continue reading →

Posted in General Mathematics, optics | 7 Comments

T-Shirt and Cotton Fiber Math

Posted on 7-December-2013 by mathscinotes

I was listening to a radio program called Planet Money today that was discussing how how intricate the infrastructure is for making something as simple as a T-shirt. They were making a T-shirt that they would sell to raise money to help the garment workers in Bangladesh (see Figure 1). The money required for this effort was raised on Kickstarter. Continue reading →

Posted in General Mathematics | 3 Comments

Physical Interpretation of a Model Parameter

Posted on 26-September-2013 by mathscinotes

Introduction I frequently get very specific questions on my posts. Normally, I simply reply directly to the question. One recent question required an answer that I thought might be interesting to a broader audience. Background Here is the question that … Continue reading →

Posted in Ballistics, General Mathematics | 7 Comments

Radio Communication Between the Stars

Posted on 29-August-2013 by mathscinotes

Introduction A phone call from a cancer epidemiologist a few months ago got me thinking radio communication over long distance. This researcher was a sharp guy who immediately saw the dynamic range issues associated with cell tower communication -- the … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, General Mathematics | 7 Comments

Whale Math

Posted on 23-June-2013 by mathscinotes

Introduction A reader asked a question that I answered in a comment response, but others may be interested so I will include my response as a post. One of my most read blog posts is about the amount of vertical … Continue reading →

Posted in General Mathematics, General Science | 3 Comments

Distibution of Catholics Around the World

Posted on 17-March-2013 by mathscinotes

Introduction I am showing one of my sons how to use Excel pivot tables, so I am looking for good data analysis examples that illustrate the power of pivot tables. The election of a pope has put Catholicism in the … Continue reading →

Posted in General Mathematics | Comments Off on Distibution of Catholics Around the World