Math Problem: pizza topping combinations
One of my favorite commercials is an old ad for Little Caesar's pizza. They were offering a deal for ordering 2 pizzas, with up to 5 toppings on each. The commercial emphasized how customers could order pizzas in many different possibilities. The question is: exactly how many distinct ways are there to order ...

A game theory problem that puzzled Marilyn vos Savant
Marilyn vos Savant is most known for being listed as the "Highest IQ" in the Guinness Book of World Records. She is also famous for her column "Ask Marylin" in Parade magazine (that she has written since 1986) that tackles interesting questions and puzzles, the most controversial being the Monty Hall ...

Mental Math: combining discounts and bonus quantities
The other day I found a great deal. A snack I like was now being packaged with 10 percent more food, AND it was being sold at a 20 percent discount. I had no hesitation in buying since it was clear I was getting a good price. But later I was curious how ...

The world’s best tortilla puzzle
This is a brain teaser that I have adapted from the pizza puzzle found in the book The World's Best Puzzles. You start out with a whole, circular tortilla as pictured above. Your job is to divide the tortilla into eight equal pieces, using only cuts made in a straight line. What is ...

Game theory in The Matrix – the mathematics of dueling
One of my favorite scenes in The Matrix is the subway fight scene (clip below). Rather than run away, Neo chooses to fight Agent Smith head on. The scene begins with a duel which I find particularly interesting due to the strategies they take.

Are Pillsbury Toaster Strudels tastier than Kellogg’s Pop Tarts – ads I overanalyze
Pillsbury Toaster Strudel commercials often state that people prefer its taste over Kellogg's Pop Tarts. But what evidence is that claim based upon? I did a little bit of digging to find out. (Also, a small side note: I have updated Friday's post about the infinite series on Glenn Beck. I learned ...

A math problem on Glenn Beck – can you solve it?
As I was flipping through the channels, I was surprised to see a math expression written on one of the chalkboards of the Glenn Beck program. And it wasn't something simple: the expression involved an infinite series. Can you solve the problem? (pictured below)