Abstract / Synopsis
Mathematics is often presented as a neatly polished finished product, yet its development is messy and often full of mis-steps that could have been avoided with hindsight. An experience with a puzzle illustrates this conflict. The puzzle asks for the probability that a group of four and a group of two are seated adjacently within a hundred seats, and is solved using combinatorics techniques.
DOI
10.5642/jhummath.BDZK3303
Recommended Citation
Peter J. Rowlett, "Seating Groups and 'What a Coincidence!': Mathematics in the Making and How It Gets Presented," Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Volume 14 Issue 1 (January 2024), pages 229-238. DOI: 10.5642/jhummath.BDZK3303. Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/vol14/iss1/12
Terms of Use & License Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Included in
Arts and Humanities Commons, Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons
