We consider the convergence of the random harmonic series
where 
Archive for July, 2016
Random Harmonic Series
Published July 28, 2016 Occasional ClosedTags: Analysis, Number Theory, Probability
Computers Speaking in Irish
Published July 21, 2016 Irish Times ClosedTags: Computer Science, Education, Ireland
Most of us use computer terminals, tablets and smart phones, absorbing information quickly and easily. How do the many thousands of Irish people who are blind or visually impaired manage to interact with computers? For them, entering data by keyboard or voice is easy, but special software is needed to convert the text on screen into a form for output to a loudspeaker or headphones, or to drive a refreshable Braille display [TM095, or search for “thatsmaths” at irishtimes.com].
Braille display (www.humanware.com)
You can put a square peg in a round hole.
Shapes between circles and squares have proved invaluable to engineers and have also found their way onto our dinner tables. A plate in the shape of a `squircle’ is shown in this figure .
Squircular plate: holds more food and is easier to store.
Lateral Thinking in Mathematics
Published July 7, 2016 Irish Times ClosedTags: Algorithms, Puzzles, Recreational Maths
Many problems in mathematics that appear difficult to solve turn out to be remarkably simple when looked at from a new perspective. George Pólya, a Hungarian-born mathematician, wrote a popular book, How to Solve It, in which he discussed the benefits of attacking problems from a variety of angles [see TM094, or search for “thatsmaths” at irishtimes.com].
ThatsMaths 