Book:Rob Eastaway/How Long is a Piece of String?

Contents

 * Acknowledgments
 * Introduction


 * 1 Why Does Monday Come Round So Quickly?
 * How the numbers of the moon combined to make our week
 * 2 How Do Conmen Get Rich?
 * Tricks and scams that make people part with their money
 * 3 What Makes a Hit Single?
 * Patterns and variations that everyone likes
 * 4 Why Won't the Case Fit in the Boot?
 * How to squeeze things in or keep them apart
 * 5 Should I Phone a Friend?
 * How to make the big decisions in game shows
 * 6 Is it Quicker to Take the Stairs?
 * How to reduce waiting times for lifts
 * 7 How Long Is a Piece of String?
 * The curious world of fractals
 * 8 Why Do Weather Forecasters Get it Wrong?
 * Unpredictability and chaos
 * 9 Will I Catch Flu Next Winter?
 * Epidemics and how they spread
 * 10 Am I Being Taken for a Ride?
 * The formula behind the taximeter
 * 11 Will I Ever Meet the Perfect Partner?
 * The chances and choices behind coupling up
 * 12 Is It a Fake?
 * Number tests that can detect the fraudsters
 * 13 Will the Underdog Win?
 * The maths behind memorable sporting moments
 * 14 Why Do Karaoke Singers Sound So Bad?
 * How waves and fractions make good and bad harmony
 * 15 How Can I Be Sure?
 * The art of proving things
 * 16 Can I Trust What I Read in the Papers?
 * How spin doctors conjure with figures


 * References and Further Reading
 * Index