25th February 2017
Dungeon Master's Dice (and other probability problems) - Ian Thompson
Very few events in life are certain. For some, the probability is close to zero (you are going to win the National Lottery next week); for others, it is close to one (if you play Andy Murray at tennis, you will lose). However, it is often said that only two things are certain (death and taxes!). In this class, we will introduce some of the main ideas from probability using simple exercises involving cards and dice. We will see that probabilities can be counter-intuitive, and can appear difficult to calculate, but we will also see that thinking about probability in the correct way usually makes things (fairly) straightforward. Finally, we will examine a situation in which failure to think carefully about probability can (and does) lead to tragic consequences.
The Seven Bridges of Konigsberg and other Networks - Lonnie Readioff
Networks are all around us, most noticeably in the road or railway networks. This presentation looks at the most celebrated use of networks and uses the Dijkstra method to find the shortest path between two points.