We Use Math Blog

A math professor at Dartmouth College has found an interesting way to bring two of his interests–math and art–together. Using mathematical problem solving techniques, Daniel Rockmore is helping to detect art forgeries. Read the story from NPR.

An 1801 letter written to then-president Thomas Jefferson has drawn recent attention. The letter, written by University of Pennsylvania professor Robert Patterson, "was devoid of capital letters or spaces and scrambled in a way that left no readable segments, " according to a Physorg article. A mathematician helped break the 200-year-old code in 2007, helping us understand more about the secret message sent to the president.

Researchers in Alberta are using mathematics to predict driving patterns in order to understand the science of traffic jams. Their studies are helping to understand how the actions of one driver can amplify as a wave of behavior on a busy road. The behavior, researchers say, is similar to wave patterns caused by detonation explosions. A greater understanding of these patterns can help city planners to set safe speed limits and create a smoother commute for hundreds of thousands of people.

Was 2009 a good year for you? It was for French computer scientist Fabrice Bellard, who on December 31 claimed the world record for calculating pi to 2.7 trillion digits.

As the world’s volatile economic situation fluctuates from day to day, a degree in a high-demand field provides an added security benefit. This Wall Street Journal article profiles a young math grad. in California whose job as an actuary is among the top jobs in the nation, based on environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress.

While the nation faces its highest unemployment rates in decades, a little job security can go a long way.