OLLI-MATH-5000 - Math Fun Galore: Powerball, Pi, Polls, Mega Millions & Buffon's Needle 

Course Description

How big does a jackpot have to be before the expected value of one ticket exceeds the cost of the ticket? How can the odds of winning the Powerball (Mega Millions) jackpot be 1 in 292.2 million (1 in 302.6 million)? How did George Buffon, using algebra and geometry in the 18th century, calculate the value of pi? Why do polling results differ, should they be believed, and can they be made better? These questions and more will be discussed and answered, with comprehensive handouts. N.B., these topics were covered in Spring 2016 during the presenter’s OLLI at UNH course “Are You Curious? More Math Fun” and in his Fall 2017 course “Polls, Powerball, Publishers Clearing House & More.”