A Problem Squared

🧺 Why is the cycle time on my washing machines always wrong? 🪙 How long will it take to sell 400 Lincoln memorial pennies for $20,000?  🔔 We have DINGS!  🧳 And the business briefcase is open!  Disclaimer: You may hear a slight change in tone on Matt's audio at points throughout, that's back up audio which sounds different. If you want to find out more about the IMO, or International Mathematic...

On this episode... 🐍If you pooled up all the snake venom in the world would it be enough to kill all the non-immune mammals? 👢Do dogs have 2 arms? Or do we have 4 legs? 📜And we open the business briefcase.  If you want to know more about lizard sampling, do that here: ‘Hierarchical distance sampling to estimate population sizes of common lizards across a desert ecoregion’: https://onlinelibrary...

🚘 What happens when tires get tired? 🧊 What is the equation for the curve on a spinning Ruibik’s cube? 📜 And there’s some pin related AOB! Find out more about the counting crows here: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0984 You can hear Bec on Ali Plumb’s podcast ‘Screen Time’ here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02r4zfx/episodes/downloads If you want to learn more about the EMF...

🧗 Is it possible to climb every mountain?  🌞 Can you simulate an eclipse if you miss the real thing?  📜 And some loose ends (and change), in AOB!  If you’d like to enter the very same gravel race as Matt Parker, you can find out more details here: https://sevengravelrace.com/the-race/ You can listen to ‘Climb Any Mountain’ from the Sound of Music soundtrack here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

🙏 Is this emoji praying hands or a high five?  🍚 What's the best present for celebrating a billion seconds? 💼 For the first time we have Any Other Business WITH SPECIAL GUESTS! If you want a collectable (and mistake-ridden) copy of ‘Love Triangle’, with a special, limited edition book cover designed by print-artist Paul Catherall. You'll get one free while stocks last. Head over to MathsGear! h...

🪙 How many coins would you need to sort through to collect all commemorative €2 coins in circulation?  📍How do you display enamel pins?!  💼 The Any Other Business briefcase is…mostly open.  Here’s the Coupon Collector’s problem video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BstloCx8KDk You can see more on the “Number of banknotes/coins returned from circulation in Euro Area, Euro area (changing composi...

In this episode... 🎂 Where did birthday cake come from?  🚗 How come my indicator is never in sync with other cars waiting to turn? 💼 And, as always, some business from the business briefcase. Nina, here’s that recipe for Greek Honey Cake: https://www.food.com/recipe/greek-honey-cake-428671 And for more cake from around the world, look no further than this infographic: https://i.imgur.com/lhhotI...

🌒 What’s the best place to see the next solar eclipse?  💤 Do animals dream?  💼 The Any Other Business briefcase is…half open.  Send your problems and solutions to our website: www.aproblemsquared.com . For a detailed look at the path of the 2026 eclipse, here’s the website referenced by Matt: https://eclipsophile.com/future-eclipses-2024-2028/ If you want to hear the full interview with David P...

🔔🚨 This is an emergency broadcast 🚨🔔 Unfortunately a bout of sudden food poisoning has got in the way of our latest recording session. Everyone's safe (now) but as you may have noticed, we're missing an episode. We've now got a new date in the diary but the podcast won't be back for two weeks - sorry about that everyone! SO in this episode, A Problem Squared presents... 🧙‍♀️ The first EVER ep...

In this episode... 🧺 What is lint?  👌 When does zero count?  💼 And, as always, some business from the business briefcase.  Please do send us your problems and solutions to the website: www.aproblemsquared.com. Bec’s got loads of gigs coming up! If you wanna go see her check out dates on her website: https://www.bechillcomedian.com/tour-gigs . Matt’s also got an Evening of Unnecessary Detail eve...

In this episode… 🥧 Can Pi ever repeat itself?  🪜 Is it impossible for cube-based stairs to be identical? 📈 And some Business of an Any Other Nature.  If you want to see the biggest hand calculation in HISTORY, you can! Just head over to Matt’s YouTube channel on the 14th of March: https://www.youtube.com/@standupmaths An Evening of Unnecessary Detail is BACK IN NEW YORK! On the 14th of April, a...

In this episode… 🍼 What’s the best method for naming a human child? 🎊 How do you turn 45^2=2025 into a birthday celebration? 📜 AYE-YOOO-BEEEE. Please do send us your problems and solutions to the website: www.aproblemsquared.com Bec’s got loads of gigs coming up! If you wanna go see her check out dates on her website: https://www.bechillcomedian.com/tour-gigs Matt’s also got an Evening of Unnec...

In this episode… ⤵ Is it faster to drive around Australia in an anticlockwise direction on the inside lane?  🐉 What were dragonflies called before there were dragons? 💼 Business of an ‘Any Other’ nature. New segment: Things Matt Needs Help With. If you can help with ANY of Matt’s ideas, get in touch!  If you’d like to see Matt’s diagrams and GP MOTO plot, head on over to Twitter or Patreon! The...

In this episode… 🇺🇸 A LAT of LA chat. ⭐️ If you visited each star on the Hollywood Walk of fame in alphabetical order, how far would you have to travel? 📜 And some sort of Any Other Businesses.  Send us your problems and your solutions to the Problem Posing Page: www.aproblemsquared.com If you want more from A Problem Squared, you can also find us on Twitter , Instagram , Discord and of course,...

In this episode… 🌏 How often do earthquakes take place in the same location, on the same date, in different years?  🔔 Dingletts, dingletts and more dingletts!  💨 A fundamental buoyancy error.  If you want to look into the data Matt used for his earthquake problem, you can find that here: https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/event-data . If you want to see the plots Matt menti...

In this first episode of 2024… 🍝 How long would human spaghetti be? 🏛 Do all roads actually lead to Rome? 📜 We have new old business for a new new year. P.S episode not intentionally Italy themed. If you want to go see Matt and Bec in LA get to the Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank on Sunday January 7th at 5pm! Bec and Matt will put on An Evening of Unnecessary Detail along with a few of their fri...

In this episode… 🏺 What is the biggest roman numeral word? 🎲 How do I get my friends to play D&D?  🪵 A Christmas Stumpdate! 💼 And the business briefcase is OPEN. If you'd like some extra listening over the next few weeks, have a listen to Bec on Dan Schreiber’s podcast ‘We Can Be Weirdos’ you can find the link here: https://tinyurl.com/mrymvb29 And if you'd like to see the Aunty Donna sket...

On this episode… 🍫 Can you prevent hot chocolate from clumping? 🖊 When is a vowel a vowel?  👾 We have some Discord news!  💼 And a small amount of Business, of Any Other nature.  The holidays have arrived early because, and APS DISCORD IS FINALLY HERE! Head on over using this link: https://discord.gg/pt4WsfhMCY You too can make your computer talk! Here's a link to the Praat vowel software Matt w...

In THIS episode… 💨 How low would gravity need to be for farts to lift you off the ground? 👖 Is there a solution to suboptimal trouser pockets?🔔 Ding ding ding! 📜 Business, fresh from the Any Other briefcase. If you want to participate in a MathsJam near you, you can find your local event right here: https://www.mathsjam.com/ And if you are a child, or an adult who has children who are fans of...

In this episode...  🎨 What's the best hypothetical paint set?  🧊 Can a single turning pattern return a Rubik's cube to where it started?  🛰 And some Any Orbital Business!  If you want to weigh in on the Reasonable / Unreasonable debate, and watch Bec in her element painting a wardrobe, follow this link:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyJwjphMesl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiN...

In this episode...  🃏 Is the probability in a game of snap changed if two packs of cards are used?  🧟 Can zombies ride bikes?  🥣 A commemorative plate-bowl update.  👻 And some Any Other BOoOoOosiness!  If YOU want this year's APS Christmas card be sure to sign up to the Wizard Level on Patreon by the END OF NOVEMBER.  You can do that here:  https://www.patreon.com/aproblemsquared/membership  ...

  In this episode... 📣 Which words sound rude in other languages? ✏️ Which letters go where most often? 🛩 And some any aeroplane-autobahn business! Tony has give us some fantastic Maths Decor. Platonic Solid doorknobs and how to make them: https://ko-fi.com/s/642d70ef7f A couple of brilliant listeners gave us some great more information on emergency landings on the Autobahn. You can find links to...

In this episode...   - What is the optimal maths based pattern to decorate a rented home?   - Is it possible to fly a plane on the autobahn?   - And some bloody brilliant Any Other Business   You can find more information about the Art Installation, or Zeitpyramide, Matt references in the catch up here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitpyramide   For more amazing tile patterns, check out Ayliean'...

Coming to you AS-LIVE from a tent at The Big Feastival! In this wet and festivally episode... - How green is cycling really?  - An update on Stawberry-gate.  Again, if anyone has any information about the Time Fun jumper, please do send it to the Problem Posing Page! Check out our social media to see it if you haven't already.  And finally, please send your problems and solutions to our website: a...

In this episode… 🙏 How often do the hands of time align? 📜What is the longest one syllable word? 💼And a very large serving of AAAOOOBBBBBBBBBBBBBB After such glowing recommendations, you’ve got to go listen to Confidence Man:  https://www.confidenceman.com.au/ Here’s Bec’s contribution to the Samaritvans exhibit: https://shop.sarahgraham.info/products/samarivan-bec-hill .   If you find yourself...