The Math Dude Quick and Dirty Tips to Make Math Easier

300 TMD Math Is a Playground…So Play! Feb 24, 2017

What’s the point of learning math? Why is it so important that kids are exposed to mathematical thinking? And what do parents and teachers need to know about learning real math? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2mINl8z

077 TMD How Are Distances and Absolute Values Related? Feb 18, 2017

Learn how to use absolute values to find distances between numbers and places. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2lPuJQ7

299 TMD How to Use Math to Fly Rockets to Space Feb 10, 2017

What does it really mean for a satellite to orbit the Earth? What’s the math behind it? And what’s the math behind the rockets that get those satellites into orbit? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2l9sIAz

227 TMD Polygon Puzzle: How Many Degrees Are In a Polygon? Feb 03, 2017

How many degrees are in the interior angles of a pentagon? Or a hexagon? An octagon? Or any polygon? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to learn how to solve this polygon puzzle! Visit the website: http://bit.ly/1IF5Uu1

298 TMD The Simple Math Behind Crunching the Sizes of Crowds Jan 27, 2017

How large was the crowd at the recent U.S. presidential inauguration? Or the inauguration 8 years ago? Or at last Saturday’s Women’s March in Washington D.C.? Keep on listening to find out how crowd sizes are estimated. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2kAq43R

226 TMD Math Tips for Smart Shopping Jan 20, 2017

Would you rather get a 33% bigger coffee for no extra charge or pay 33% less for the regular size? Do you know how to avoid being tricked into buying more than you need? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to learn about the numbers behind savvy shopping. Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1FiHHNz

250 TMD How to Measure Time Without a Stopwatch Jan 13, 2017

How can you measure time without using a stopwatch? You could use the movement of the Sun across the sky, you could watch a pendulum swing, or you could burn some very special string. Keep on listening to find out how it works! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1E8ZcuF

297 TMD 4 More FAQs About Percentages Jan 06, 2017

How do you quickly calculate 25% of a number? Or 33% of a number? Or 50%? And how can you quickly calculate percentage increases? Keep on listening to learn the answers to these frequently asked questions about percentages. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2i46GPA

193 TMD The 5 Steps of Problem Solving Dec 30, 2016

Do "word problems" make you cower in fear? Do you ever find yourself stuck on math problems before you even get started? If so, keep on listening because Math Dude's simple 5-step method for solving math problems can help! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2hZORNn

296 TMD How Many Gifts Are In the 12 Days of Christmas? Dec 23, 2016

How many gifts should one's true love be given on each of the 12 Days of Christmas? If you stick to the recommendations from the classic song, the answer can be calculated using a bit of clever math. Keep on listening to find out how. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2hDDkm7

179 TMD Christmas Math 101 Dec 16, 2016

How long does Santa have to hang out when he's dropping presents off at your house? And how fast do his reindeer fly? Keep on listening to find out about the incredible math behind Santa's magical night! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2iEKwAa

295 TMD What Is the Probability that Alien Life Exists? Dec 09, 2016

Are we alone in the universe? If so, why? If not, where is everybody? Thankfully, math can help us with these astronomically profound questions. Keep on listening to learn all about the probability of extraterrestrial life. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2isqx83

127 TMD How to Quickly Calculate Percentages Dec 02, 2016

Learn a quick and dirty tip to help you calculate pesky percentages in your head. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2h6A1rU

294 TMD How Are Turkeys and Extraterrestrials Related? Nov 25, 2016

How many turkeys are consumed each year in the U.S. on Thanksgiving? And how many extraterrestrial civilizations might exist in the universe? Umm…wait…what?! Although these seem like unrelated questions, they’re not. As we'll soon find out, they’re united by math. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2fUBPnD

134 TMD What Are Mixed Fractions? Nov 18, 2016

Learn what mixed fractions are and find out how they're related to regular fractions.

293 TMD Why Were the 2016 U.S. Presidential Polls Wrong? Nov 11, 2016

The 2016 U.S. presidential election is over. And if you'd been following the polls, the results might have been surprising. What went wrong with those polls? It has to do with statistical and systematic uncertainties. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2gnNRpX

206 TMD How Big Is the Universe? Nov 04, 2016

The solar system is big, the distances between stars bigger, and the distance to the center of the galaxy in which we live is even bigger than that. But all of that is tiny compared to the distance to the edge of the known universe! Just how big is that? The Math Dude breaks it all down. Visit the website to read the full transcript: http://bit.ly/UBERxy

292 TMD How to Think About the Size of the Earth Oct 28, 2016

Do you have a good feel for the size of the Earth? If you’re like most people, you know that it’s big but you don’t have a sense for exactly how big. Today we’re going to change that! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2eVwubz

210 TMD 5 More Tips for Understanding Weights and Measures Oct 21, 2016

How much is a gram? An ounce? Or a ton? If you don't have an intuitive feel for exactly how much mass these quantities represent, keep on listening! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2dWyR0G

291 TMD How Does Geometry Explain the Phases of the Moon? Oct 14, 2016

What causes the Moon to change phases throughout the month? Why is it sometimes visible only during the day and other times only at night? What’s the relationship between these times and the Moon’s phases? The answer in all cases is geometry. Keep on listening to find out how it works! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2ebEjeY

221 TMD What Are Polygons? (Reissue) Oct 07, 2016

What do a triangle, a rectangle, and a pentagon all have in common? They’re all polygons. What makes a polygon a polygon? And why do they matter? Keep on listening to find out! Visit the website: http://bit.ly/1ANCZEg

290 TMD How to Win Every Bet Sep 30, 2016

Richard Wiseman, author of 101 Bets You Will Always Win, joins Math Dude, to talk about how to use probability and mathematics to win bets. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2dkwBio

204 TMD What Is Angular Size? Sep 23, 2016

How good are your eyes at seeing really tiny things that are really far away? How much better is the Hubble Space Telescope at doing the same thing? What do these two questions have to do with the mathematical concept of angular size? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2d9FpGH

289 TMD How to Use Geometry to Calculate the Size of Earth Sep 16, 2016

Can you think of a way to measure the size of the Earth? Or the distance to the Sun? Or the nearest star? Want to know how ancient Greek mathematicians did exactly this over 2,000 years ago? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2duvgGw

257 TMD 3 Numerical Fun Facts About NFL Football Sep 09, 2016

What do uniform numbers tell you about NFL players? How can you estimate how fast a wide-receiver is running? Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Vc3ZZs

288 TMD What Is a Light Year? Sep 02, 2016

Do you know what a light year really measures? Do you know why so many people find it confusing? And why they shouldn’t? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2cRCALY

197 TMD What Are the Odds of Successfully Navigating an Asteroid Field? Aug 26, 2016

What are the odds of successfully flying through an astroid field like the one in the movie The Empire Strikes Back? Are they really 3,720 to 1 as suggested by C-3PO? Or are they much worse…or perhaps better? Keep on listening to find out. And May the 4th be with you! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2c4TRBc

287 TMD Why Are There Ties in Olympic Swimming? Aug 19, 2016

Did you notice all the ties in the swimming events of this year's Olympics? Did you wonder why they didn't (or maybe couldn't) simply use more precise timing to break the ties? Not surprisingly, the answer is math. Keep on listening to find out why! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2bpLSA4

229 TMD How FOIL Can Help Your Math Skills Aug 12, 2016

Have you heard of FOIL? Not the aluminum kind, but the one that can help your multiply faster? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to learn more! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1K6g33D

286 TMD 5 Numerical Fun Facts About the Olympics Aug 05, 2016

How fast do Olympic swimmers swim and Olympic sprinters sprint? How do these speeds compare to the speed at which you could race walk to the games? Or fly there in an airplane? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2aVf5MZ

205 TMD How Big Is the Solar System? Jul 29, 2016

How big are the planets of the Solar System compared to the enormous Sun at its center? How far would you have to travel to reach each of them? And how can you build your own scale model of the Solar System to see all of these relative sizes for yourself? Keep on listening to find out!

285 TMD What Are Polynomials? Jul 22, 2016

What are polynomials? How are they built? What can you do with them? And why are they important? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2alOY5e

235 TMD Phone Keypad Number Puzzle Jul 15, 2016

You know your phone’s keypad is arranged into three rows and three columns of numbers, but did you know there’s a pretty cool math puzzle hidden in there, too? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out how to solve it! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1LqGcjm

284 TMD 4 Numerical Fun Facts About the Juno Spacecraft Jul 08, 2016

Did you hear the exciting news that NASA just successfully put the Juno spacecraft into orbit around Jupiter? Want to learn 4 super-cool numerical fun facts about this mission? Then keep on listening! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/29EqQdy

211 TMD How to Use Google as a Calculator Jul 01, 2016

What's the cube root of 29? The sine of 55 degrees? Or the value of π/4? Do you need to search for your trusty calculator or pull out your phone to find out? No—you can just ask Google. Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out how. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/29L8kiU

283 TMD How to Solve the Famous Coffee and Cream Puzzle Jun 24, 2016

Summer is brain-teaser season in my house. And since summer has now officially arrived, it’s officially brain-teaser season for The Math Dude. What’s the puzzle for today? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/29spCmZ

231 TMD What Is a Nautical Mile? Jun 17, 2016

Have you ever heard of a nautical mile? Have you ever wondered what in all the world’s oceans that could be? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to learn about the math behind the nautical mile - and its close seafaring relative, the knot. Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1Cb0CTp

282 TMD How to Prove the Pythagorean Theorem Jun 10, 2016

What does the Pythagorean Theorem tell us about triangles? Is it always true? And how can you prove this famous theorem arts-and-crafts style? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/28OoVnq

234 TMD How to Estimate Hours Left Until Sunset Jun 03, 2016

Did you know that math can help you survive? I’m not talking about the jobs, money, and feeding yourself kind of surviving—I’m talking about the lost in the wilderness, life depends on it kind. How? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out. Read the transcript here: http://bit.ly/1GcVCUV

281 TMD How to Think About Division: Part 2 May 27, 2016

What does it mean to divide an integer by a fraction? Or a positive number by a negative number? Or even a negative number by another negative number? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1UjRl4y

216 TMD Why Does a Triangle Have 180 Degrees? May 20, 2016

How many degrees do the three angles of a triangle contain? They've got 180 of 'em, right? Why 180 and not some other number? And do all triangles really contain 180 degrees? Keep on listening to find out! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/11fbwwv

280 TMD How to Think About Division: Part 1 May 13, 2016

What does it really mean to divide two numbers? Or two variables? How can you visualize these processes? And how are they related to the process of multiplication? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Xqsr88

198 TMD The Equation for a Happy Mother's Day May 06, 2016

What's the most important holiday in May? Obviously it's Mother's Day. Did you know there's an equation that can help you celebrate? Keep on reading to find out what it is! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Og53su

279 TMD How to Think About Multiplication: Part 2 Apr 29, 2016

What does it mean to multiply a positive number by a negative number? What does it mean to multiply two negative numbers? How about two variables? Or lots and lots of variables? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1rqtjO9

129 TMD How to Simplify Fractions Apr 22, 2016

Learn how to simplify the fractions in your life. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1VGjSXN

278 TMD How to Think About Multiplication: Part 1 Apr 15, 2016

What happens when you multiply one number by another? Is there a right answer to this question? What does it tell us about how you should think about multiplication? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/21oazeO

030 TMD How to Use Math to Send Encrypted Messages Apr 08, 2016

Learn what one-time pad encryption is, how it has been used throughout history, and how to use math to send your own encrypted messages. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes! Read the full transcript: http://bit.ly/UZqPpb

277 TMD 3 Numerical Fun Facts About the NCAA Tournament Apr 01, 2016

How can you quickly figure out how many games are needed to determine the winner of a tournament? What are the odds of predicting the winner of each and every game? And how does this explain why your NCAA tournament bracket was so wrong? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1N9qjPU

213 TMD What Are the Odds of Winning the Lottery? Mar 25, 2016

What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions lottery jackpot and striking it rich? How long would you need to play before having a 50-50 chance of winning? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/21M7fZl

276 TMD How to Think About Subtraction: Part 2 Mar 18, 2016

Do you really know what subtraction is? By which I mean do you really feel it in your gut? Here's part two of the series that will help you do so! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1q7Pus0

190 TMD 3.14 Fun Facts About Pi Mar 11, 2016

Happy Pi Day 2014! What is pi? Why does it have its own holiday? And what are some fun (and useful) facts to know about this famous number? Keep on listening to find out! Read the transcript here: http://bit.ly/1MmsaKU

275 TMD How to Think About Subtraction: Part 1 Mar 03, 2016

What is subtraction? Like its close cousin addition, you no doubt “know" the answer to this question. But do you really feel the answer in your gut? Keep on listening to find out how you can! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1R1J5oQ

138 TMD How to Add and Subtract Like an Egyptian Feb 26, 2016

Learn how the ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphics to do math. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1XTw70S

274 TMD How to Think About Addition Feb 19, 2016

What is addition? Of course you know the answer to this question, but do you really feel the answer—do you feel addition deep down in your gut? Keep on listening to find out how! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1piyuyQ

196 TMD How Is Rainfall Measured? Feb 12, 2016

How is rainfall measured? What does it mean when it rains an inch? And how many gallons of water fall on your roof in a storm? Keep on listening to learn all about the math behind April showers and May flowers. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Tg26cZ

273 TMD How to Combine Like Terms Feb 05, 2016

Do you know what “like terms” in algebra are? Do you know the best way to think about them? And how to combine them? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1K72Y09

114 TMD How Many Grains of Sand are on Earth's Beaches? Jan 29, 2016

Learn to use math to quickly estimate tough-to-calculate numbers. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1NYWIlK

272 TMD What Does Half-Life Mean? Jan 22, 2016

What are half-lives? And what do they have to do with measuring the age of the solar system and predicting the effects of a morning cup of coffee? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1NzcdAN

271 TMD What Do Analog and Digital Mean? Jan 15, 2016

What do the terms “analog” and “digital” mean? What are some of the analog and digital things in your life? And what does this have to do with math? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1TmF6aC

270 TMD What Is a Pie Chart? Jan 08, 2016

Did you know that a lot of people in the world think that pie charts are a really terrible kind of chart? Keep on listening to find out why! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1K9DkHF

028 TMD How to Use Statistics to Understand Poll Results Jan 01, 2016

Learn how to use statistics to understand the significance of the latest political polling results and to keep yourself from being duped by misleading information. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

269 TMD How to Use Histograms to Fix Your Pictures Dec 25, 2015

Have you ever adjusted the exposure and brightness of a photo? Did you know you were really adjusting your picture’s photo histogram? Keep on listening to find out how it works! Read the full transcript here: bit.ly/1kNvSpN

268 TMD How to Use Histograms to Take Better Pictures Dec 18, 2015

What can a histogram tell you about a photo? How can it help you take better pictures? And how can it improve the pictures you’ve already taken? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: bit.ly/1ZOF9xJ

267 TMD What Is a Histogram? Dec 11, 2015

Do you know how to make a histogram? When to make one? And what you can learn from it once you do? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1RXVpKg

266 TMD What Is a Bar Graph? Dec 04, 2015

What are bar graphs? How do you make them? And what are they useful for? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript: http://bit.ly/22eO3GG

222 TMD Thanksgiving and Black Friday After-Math Nov 27, 2015

How much turkey do Americans eat on Thanksgiving? How fast can a turkey run? And how much money do Americans spend in the days following their big feast? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to learn all about the math behind Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Visit the website: http://bit.ly/1w47J2P

265 TMD How to Use Stem-and-Leaf Plots Nov 20, 2015

Why are stem-and-leaf plots useful? How are they related to the kind of stems and leaves that fall from trees this time of year? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1k7iUTj

264 TMD What Are Stem-and-Leaf Plots? Nov 13, 2015

How do you make stem-and-leaf plots? Why might you want to? How are they related to the stems and leaves that fall from trees? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Yn3YmQ

263 TMD How to Solve Archimedes’ Volume Puzzle Nov 06, 2015

Have you ever heard the story of Archimedes and his famous “Eureka!” moment? Want to know how to use his discovery to measure the volume of a pumpkin … or anything else? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1TV1juj

172 TMD Halloween Math and More Percentage Questions Oct 30, 2015

How can you figure out what number 200 is 17% of? How do you calculate the original price of something before a 30% markup? What math makes the Halloween holiday go round-and-round? Keep on listening to learn the answers to these frequently asked questions about percentages! Visit the website: http://bit.ly/1tEiypA

262 TMD How to Find the Volume of a Pumpkin Oct 23, 2015

How can you find the volume of a pumpkin? How is this related to finding the volume of an ellipsoid? And what does any of this have to do with Archimedes’ famous “Eureka!” moment? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1LF1vLp

261 TMD How to Resolve Zeno’s Paradox Oct 16, 2015

Who do you think would win a race between the mighty Greek warrior Achilles and a very clever tortoise? Obviously, Achilles would clobber the tortoise…or would he? The answer might surprise you. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/20ecKlM

260 TMD What Is a Mathematical Limit? Oct 09, 2015

Do you know what a limit is in math? Do you know how to define a circle using this idea? And do you know why you might want to? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1OGpDzn

259 TMD What Is Euler's Number? Oct 02, 2015

What makes an exponential an exponential? Are any exponentials more special than others? And what does Euler's number have to do with any of this? Stay tuned for the answers. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Q5YIft

258 TMD What Is Exponential Growth? Sep 25, 2015

Have you ever heard that something is growing exponentially? Or that it's accelerating at an exponential pace? Or that it's getting exponentially better? What does exponentially really mean? Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1OWNLPP

256 TMD Imaginary Numbers in the Real World Sep 11, 2015

Although every complex number has a so-called “imaginary" part, in many ways they're just as “real” as real numbers. And complex numbers have many real uses in the real world. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1UTHZx2

255 TMD What Are Vectors? Sep 04, 2015

Behind every acceleration you make and every press on the brake is a vector. Behind the arrangement of each limb on a tree and the flight of a bumblebee is a vector. So what are vectors? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1UTnshp

254 TMD What Are Complex Numbers? Aug 28, 2015

What do you get when you put a real and an imaginary number together? A complex number. No, not a complicated number (although it kind of is), we’re talking about an entirely new set of numbers dubbed “complex.” Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1JLrpJk

253 TMD What Are Imaginary Numbers? Aug 21, 2015

Have you ever heard of imaginary numbers? Have you always thought they must be some kind of made-up numbers that don't have anything to do with reality? Well think again! Keep on listening to learn where imaginary numbers come from. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1XdehXC

252 TMD How to Use the Stars to Find Your Latitude Aug 14, 2015

Have you ever wondered how people figured out their latitude back in the days before the Internet? Did you know you can use the same math trick they used to pinpoint your latitude today? Keep on listening to find out how it works! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1J81caV

251 TMD How to Calculate Density Aug 07, 2015

What does density measure? What are the densities of common things like air and water? How can you tell if something will float in a bathtub? Keep on listening to find out. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1hOOB3l

249 TMD 3 Tips for Calculating Percentages Jul 24, 2015

How quickly can you calculate 25% of 70? Or 40% of 50? Or 75% of 160? Keep on listening to learn 3 easy tips for calculating percentages. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1JPjawn

248 TMD 3 More Numerical Fun Facts About Pluto Jul 17, 2015

How big does the Sun look from Pluto? How bright would it be? And, if you could travel to Pluto, what would the sky look like? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1ON2WIh

247 TMD 5 Numerical Fun Facts About Pluto Jul 10, 2015

How far away is Pluto? How many years does it take to fly there? How long does Pluto take to orbit the Sun? How fast is it traveling? And how fast is the New Horizons spacecraft on its way to Pluto traveling? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1MyrUcY

111 TMD How to Find the Distance to Fireworks and Thunderstorms Jul 03, 2015

Learn how to find the distance to fireworks and thunderstorms.

246 TMD Martin Gardner's 3 Penny Puzzle Jun 24, 2015

Are you a fan of brain teasers? If so, you’ll love today’s probability puzzler. And if not, hopefully you will be a fan after today. Regardless, have fun! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1BVkwrx

245 TMD Why Does a Circle Have 360 Degrees? Jun 19, 2015

Where do the 360 degrees of a circle come from? When did this way of divvying up a circle come into common practice? Who made this choice? And why? Keep on listening to find out. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1C6qQNe

244 TMD What Are Combinations? Part 2 Jun 12, 2015

What amazingly clever trick can help you count combinations of objects? How does it relate to our quest to find the total number of hypothetically colored rainbows? Keep on reading to find out. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1LfmeUA

243 TMD What Are Combinations? Part 1 Jun 06, 2015

In math, sometimes order matters, and sometimes it doesn’t. When it comes to permutations and combinations, it matters a lot. Keep on reading to find out why. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1N0u4mo

242 TMD What Are Permutations? May 30, 2015

Combinations and permutations. Permutations and combinations. What's the difference between the two? And how do you calculate each of them? Keep on listening to find out! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Q4Sctq

241 TMD How to Solve the Famous Clock Puzzle May 21, 2015

How many times each day do the minute and hour hands of a clock cross? At precisely what time does each crossing occur? Keep on listening to learn how to solve this famous math puzzle! Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1K83N60

173 TMD You Are NOT Bad at Math May 15, 2015

What's the secret to being good at math? If you think it's all about being blessed with good math genes, think again. Keep on listening to find out what being good at math is really all about.

240 TMD How to Think About Small Numbers, Part 2 May 09, 2015

Now that we know how to think about size scale as small as 0.000001 meter, it’s time to shrink ourselves down even more and think about really, really small sizes. How small? Keep on listening to find out. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1BIYuTJ

239 TMD How to Think About Small Numbers, Part 1 May 02, 2015

How can you understand the sizes of numbers that are unimaginably minuscule? By shrinking yourself down to an equally unimaginable tiny size! How does that help? Keep on listening to find out. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1FSmc3L

011 - What are Numerators and Denominators? Apr 24, 2015

Learn a quick tip to help you understand exactly what the numerator and denominator of a fraction tell you.

238 TMD The Infamous “Cheryl’s Birthday” Puzzle Apr 18, 2015

Who is Cheryl? Why has the world suddenly become obsessed with finding her birthday? And when is it? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to learn how to solve this viral math puzzle and determine Cheryl’s birthday. Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1cSitcI.

237 TMD When Is the Next Leap Year? Apr 11, 2015

When is the next leap year? Why do we ever need to leap? And how much do we leap at a time? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out! Read the transcript here: http://bit.ly/1GE7AaJ

109 TMD How to Square Two-Digit Numbers in Your Head Apr 03, 2015

Learn how to quickly and easily calculate the square of any two-digit number in your head. Read the episode transcript here: http://bit.ly/1y9x5y0.

236 TMD A Perplexing Geometry Fun Fact Mar 28, 2015

A golf ball and the Earth walk into a belt shop and ask how much longer their belts would need to be if they gained an extra inch or two around the middle. The answer will almost certainly surprise you. Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out why! Read the transcript here: http://bit.ly/1CqsS7k

162 TMD 5 Tips for Faster Mental Multiplication Mar 20, 2015

Ever dreamed of being able to multiply numbers lickety-split…and completely in your head? Wouldn't it be great if you could quickly solve problems like 36 x 25 and 47 x 24? Good news—you can! Keep on reading to find out how. Check out the transcript here: http://bit.ly/1CWbJ9a

233 TMD How to Draw Perfect Angles Feb 20, 2015

If you were handed a piece of string and a pencil, could you draw perfect (or nearly perfect) 30 and 60 degree angles? Why might this be a useful skill? Keep on listening to find out! Read the transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Bo56M0

232 TMD Valentine’s Day Math Feb 13, 2015

How many grains of sand are on Earth? How many stars are in the universe? How many atoms does our planet contain? What do these numbers have to do with how much you love your Valentine? Keep on listening to find out! Read the transcript here: http://bit.ly/17ORfkZ

230 TMD How to Calculate Arc Length Jan 31, 2015

Do you know what an arc is? Do you know that an arc has a length? And do you know how to calculate that arc length - or why you might want to? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1z79wiw

228 TMD 3 Tips for Subtracting Quickly Jan 16, 2015

When can addition speed up subtraction? What’s the most important trick for lightning quick mental subtraction? And what’s the fastest way to check your work? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1xv1YGJ

180 TMD New Year Math Fun Facts Jan 02, 2015

How many different New Year's Eve countdowns are there around the world? When do astronauts celebrate New Year's? Who celebrates first? And last? Keep on listening to learn all about these New Year's math fun facts. Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1BF8zRE

225 TMD 2 More Tips for Adding Quickly Dec 20, 2014

What does subtraction have to do with lightning quick addition? And how can splitting numbers up into 2 or more smaller numbers make for faster addition? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1JKzQs2

224 TMD 3 Tips for Adding Quickly Dec 13, 2014

What do speed reading and speedy arithmetic have in common? What’s the fastest way to come up with approximate answers to addition problems? And how can multiplication help you add faster? Keep on listening to The Math Dude find out! Visit the website: http://bit.ly/1zuWHTY

223 TMD How to Find the Center of a Circle Dec 06, 2014

Ever needed to find the center of a circle? It’s one of those things that seems easy...until you need to figure out how to do it. But rest assured there is a trick, and it's indeed fairly simple. Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out more! Visit the website: http://bit.ly/1ud9CDc

220 TMD Martin Gardner’s Best Math Puzzles (Part 2) Nov 15, 2014

Want to learn a fun number trick? More importantly, want to learn the math behind why it works? Want to know how to figure out the arrangement of six marbles with only a single clue? Or the smallest number of cuts needed to turn one big cube into 27 smaller ones? Keep on reading to find out!

219 TMD Martin Gardner’s Best Math Puzzles (Part 1) Nov 08, 2014

If you’re into math and logic puzzles, you have probably heard of Martin Gardner. And if you’re not into those kinds of puzzles, you should be! The Math Dude highlights some of this math master's best teasers, for both novices and experts. Visit the website: http://bit.ly/14erBE1

218 TMD What Is a Great Circle? Oct 25, 2014

Have you ever heard of a great circle? How about a small circle? Do the lines of longitude on Earth form great circles? How about the lines of latitude? How do these ideas explain the routes that airplanes fly? Keep on listening to find out! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1tALfDt

217 TMD What Are Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometry? Oct 18, 2014

How many degrees are in the angles of a triangle? What’s the shortest distance between two points? Do seemingly parallel lines ever cross? Think you know the answers? Think again! Keep on listening to find out why. Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1ySDuw1

215 TMD All About Triangles Oct 04, 2014

What's the difference between equilateral, isosceles, and scalene triangles? How about obtuse, right, and little acute ones? Keep on listening to find out! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1CSnpWB

214 TMD How to Calculate the Area of a Triangle Sep 27, 2014

What's the area of a triangle? Half its base times its height, right? Indeed, that's the formula. But why? Keep on listening to learn the secret behind this famous formula for the area of a triangle. Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1CDTC3R

212 TMD 3 More Tips for Using Google as a Calculator Sep 13, 2014

Did you know that you can use Google to convert from miles to kilometers, and a bunch of other things? And did you know that you can use it to quickly graph functions? Keep on listening to The Math Dude to find out how!

209 TMD 5 Tips for Understanding Weights and Measures Aug 23, 2014

How much is a fluid ounce? How about a milliliter? Or a gallon? If you don't have an intuitive feel for exactly how much volume these quantities represent, keep on listening! Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1lw33ya

208 TMD How to Solve the Famous Birthday Problem Aug 16, 2014

What are the chances that two players on the same soccer team share a birthday? How about two students in the same algebra class? Both seem pretty unlikely, right? The answer might surprise you!

207 TMD Are Mass and Weight the Same Thing? Aug 09, 2014

Is your mass the same as your weight? If not, what's the relationship between these two ideas? And why do so many people get them confused? Keep on listening to find out! Visit the website to read the full transcript: http://bit.ly/1q8RPv4

136 TMD How to Add and Subtract Mixed Fractions Jul 18, 2014

Learn how to add and subtract mixed fractions like a math pro.

137 TMD How to Multiply and Divide Mixed Fractions Jul 18, 2014

Learn how to multiple and divide mixed fractions like a math pro.

203 TMD How to Think About Astronomically Large Numbers Jun 21, 2014

How big is the number 1 million? 1 billion? Or 1 million billion? How can you think about these and even larger numbers so that you actually comprehend their immense sizes? Keep on listening to find out!

202 TMD World Cup Math Jun 14, 2014

How many teams are playing in the 2014 World Cup? How many countries have ever won it? What are the odds that Brazil, this year's host country and 5-time winner, will win again? Keep on reading to find out and learn all about the math behind the World Cup.

201 TMD How to Prove There Are Infinite Prime Numbers? Jun 07, 2014

What's the biggest prime number? Is it the 17,425,170 digit prime discovered in January 2013? While that may be the largest prime number known today, it's certainly not the biggest...because there isn't a biggest! How do I know? Keep on listening to find out.

200 TMD What Is Math, Really? May 30, 2014

What is math? Numbers, shapes, logic, stuff like that, right? Sure, but what do all of these things have in common? In other words, what is math...really? Keep on reading to find out!

078 TMD How to Use Math to Land Your Dream Job May 23, 2014

Find out why graduating from college isn't an excuse to forget all the math you've learned.

199 TMD How to Prove That 1 = 2? May 17, 2014

Did you know that 1 = 2? Think that sounds ridiculous? OK, I'll prove it to you. Then I'll show you why this "proof" is indeed, as you suspected, ridiculous. And we'll see what it all has to do with the number zero.

195 TMD What Is the Famous Monty Hall Problem? Apr 19, 2014

Ever heard of the Monty Hall problem? If so, did the world famous brain teaser leave you flummoxed? If not, how does getting flummoxed—and then just as quickly un-flummoxed—sound? I hope you're up for the challenge (and the fun) because that's exactly what's in store for today!

194 TMD What Physics Recently Discovered About the Big Bang Apr 11, 2014

You've probably heard about the recent discovery made by scientists in the South Pole. But what was it exactly and what does it mean for us? Math Dude explains.

192 TMD What Do Sine Functions Look Like? Mar 29, 2014

What does the graph of a sine function look like? And how are sine functions related to the changing number of daylight hours throughout the year? Keep on listening to find out!

191 TMD How Many Minutes of Daylight Do We Gain or Lose Each Day? Mar 22, 2014

How many minutes of daylight does the northern hemisphere gain every day in March? How about in June? What's the astronomical reason for these changes? Keep on listening to find out!

189 TMD What Are the Odds of Predicting a Perfect NCAA Tournament Bracket? Mar 08, 2014

What are the odds of winning Warren Buffet's $1 billion prize for picking the perfect 2014 NCAA tournament bracket? Should Mr. Buffet be worried about his money? And how are the odds of winning related to the famous rice and chessboard problem? Keep on listening to find out!

188 TMD 3 Frequently Asked Questions About Modular Arithmetic Mar 01, 2014

How should you think about subtraction and negative numbers in modular arithmetic? How does the modulo operator work in terms of the order of operations? Keep on listening to learn the answers to these questions and more!

187 TMD What Are the Domain and Range of a Function? Feb 22, 2014

What are the domain and range of a function? What's the vertical line test for functions? And what's the best way to picture the meaning of a function in the first place? Keep on listening to find out!

186 TMD What Are Functions? Feb 15, 2014

What is y = 3x - 2? An equation? Or maybe a function? Could it possibly be both? Keep on listening to learn all about functions and to find out how they're different from equations.

185 TMD How to Use Trigonometry to Measure the Height of a Tree Feb 08, 2014

Have you ever wondered if sines, cosines, and tangents are actually useful in the real world? If so, wonder no more! Today we're going to learn how the wonderful tools of trigonometry can be used to estimate the height of a tree.

184 TMD 3 Super Bowl Fun Facts Feb 01, 2014

Want to amaze your friends at that Super Bowl party you're going to? All you have to do is hit 'em with some Super Bowl math fun facts. Keep on listening to find out what I mean!

183 TMD What Are Radians and Degrees? Jan 25, 2014

What's the difference between radians and degrees? Where did these units for measuring angles come from? And how do you convert from one to the other? Keep on listening to find out!

182 - What Are Sine, Cosine, and Tangent? Jan 17, 2014

What do sines, cosines, and tangents have to do with right triangles? And what are the "sin," "cos," and "tan" buttons on your calculator for? Keep on listening to find out!

181 TMD The World of Trigonometry Jan 11, 2014

You've probably heard of sine, cosine, and tangent before. But do you actually know what they are? While they sound like complicated ideas, they're really not. Keep on reading to learn more about the origins and uses of trigonometry.

178 TMD The Magic of Number 9 (Part 2) Dec 14, 2013

The number 9 is kind of amazing. How amazing? Listen for the exciting conclusion to Math Dude's story about the magical number 9.

177 TMD The Magic of Number 9 (Part 1) Dec 07, 2013

Have you ever noticed that the number 9 is kind of amazing? What's that…did I hear you say "NO?" Then prepare yourself to be amazed and keep on listening to learn all about the magic behind the mysterious number 9.

176 TMD 3 Frequently Asked Questions About Math Puzzles Nov 29, 2013

Think of a number, add 3, double it, now subtract 4, divide by 2, and finally subtract your original number from the result. You get 1, right? How do I know? And what are some other fun math tricks that you can use to amaze your friends? Keep on listening to find out!

175 TMD How to Make a Graph (Part 2) Nov 23, 2013

How do you turn a bunch of data into a super-handy graph? Keep on listening to learn the final 2 steps in my easy 4-step method for making graphs.

174 TMD How to Make a Graph (Part 1) Nov 16, 2013

What are graphs? When are they useful? And how do you make one? Keep on listening to learn an easy 4-step method for making graphs.

108 TMD Is There a Difference Between Odds and Probability? Nov 01, 2013

Grammar Girl joins us to ask two grammar-related math questions.

171 TMD How to Calculate with Significant Figures Oct 19, 2013

How do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division work when you're dealing with significant figures? Keep on listening to find out!

170 TMD How to Identify Significant Figures Oct 11, 2013

How many significant figures does the number 1.25 have? What about 1.255? Or 1.250? What's the quick and dirty method that you can use to find out? Keep on listening for Math Dude's significant tricks!

169 TMD What Are Significant Figures? Oct 04, 2013

Do you know what significant figures are? Or why they matter? And what do significant figures have to do with making measurements and calculating things like speed and miles per gallon? Keep on listening to find out!

168 TMD 3 Frequently Asked Questions About Percentages Sep 28, 2013

What's the percent increase in a population if it goes from 900 to 981? How can you figure out what 200 is 17% of? Keep on listening to learn the answers to these and more frequently asked questions about percentages!

167 TMD Accuracy Versus Precision Sep 20, 2013

Is there a difference between accuracy and precision? Is one more important than the other? When do the ideas of accuracy and precision show up in the real world? Keep on listening to find out!

166 TMD How to Round Numbers (Part 2) Sep 14, 2013

How do you round a number like pi = 3.14159 to the nearest thousandths place? Normally, the 5 means you round up, right? But are there ever times when you should round it down? Does any of this matter in the real world? Keep on listening to find out!

123 TMD What Is Pascal's Triangle? Part 1 Aug 23, 2013

Learn how to draw Pascal's triangle and find out what it has to do with the probability of tossing coins.

096 TMD How to Write Small Numbers with Scientific Notation Aug 09, 2013

Learn how scientific notation can be used to make reading and writing small numbers easier.

165 TMD How to Round Numbers (Part 1) Aug 06, 2013

How do you round an integer like 723 to the nearest ten? How about rounding a decimal number like 3.14159 to the nearest hundredth? Is rounding numbers ever actually useful in the real world? Keep on listening to find out!

164 TMD 5 Tips for Faster Mental Division (Part 2) Jul 25, 2013

Have you ever wished you could divide numbers quickly and easily in your head? Believe it or not, you can! Keep on listening to learn my final 2 tips for becoming a mental division maestro.

163 TMD 5 Tips for Faster Mental Division (Part 1) Jul 25, 2013

Have you ever wished you could divide numbers quickly and easily in your head? Believe it or not, you can! Over the next two weeks, listen and learn my top 5 tips to help you become a mental division maestro.

161 TMD How to Subtract Quickly Jul 11, 2013

Quick, what’s 212 - 22? If that’s too easy for you, how about something tougher like 212 - 77? Want to learn an easy way to perform lightning fast subtraction in your head? Keep on listening to find out!

160 TMD How to Square Numbers Quickly Jul 06, 2013

Quick, what’s 25 squared? If that’s too easy for you, how about something tougher like 37 squared? Or 111 squared? Want to learn an easy way to calculate these squares and the square of any other number? Keep on reading to find out!

159 TMD A 4-Step Guide to Solving Equations (Part 2) Jun 28, 2013

Learn how to solve equations in four easy steps.

158 TMD A 4-Step Guide to Solving Equations (Part 1) Jun 21, 2013

Learn how to solve equations in four easy steps.

157 TMD How To Solve Equations (Part 2) Jun 14, 2013

Learn the golden rule for solving equations.

156 TMD How to Picture the Meaning of Algebra Jun 07, 2013

Learn how to picture the meaning of the Pythagorean Theorem.

155 TMD What Is the Pythagorean Theorem? May 31, 2013

Learn what the Pythagorean Theorem is and why it's useful.

154 TMD Why Is Algebra Useful? May 24, 2013

Learn why algebra is useful in daily life.

153 TMD How To Solve Equations (Part 1) May 17, 2013

Learn how to think about and solve equations.

152 TMD What Are Equations? May 10, 2013

Learn what equations are and what they mean.

086 TMD How to Convert Between Fahrenheit and Celsius May 03, 2013

Learn how to easily convert temperatures from Fahrenheit to Celsius.

151 TMD What Are Algebraic Expressions? Apr 26, 2013

Learn how to use variables to write algebraic expressions.

150 TMD What Are Variables? (Part 2) Apr 19, 2013

Learn how variables work and how to work with variables.

149 TMD What Are Variables? (Part 1) Apr 12, 2013

Learn how variables work and how to work with variables.

148 TMD What Is Algebra? Apr 05, 2013

Learn the secret to understanding algebra.

147 TMD How Do Computers Add? (Part 3) Mar 29, 2013

Learn how computers and calculators add numbers.

146 TMD How Do Computers Add? (Part 2) Mar 22, 2013

Learn how computers and calculators add numbers.

145 TMD How Do Computers Add? (Part 1) Mar 15, 2013

Learn how computers and calculators add numbers.

097 TMD What is Pi? Mar 08, 2013

Learn what pi is with an arts-and-crafts project and find out why pi is celebrated on March 14.

144 TMD What Is Boolean Algebra? Mar 01, 2013

Learn how Boolean algebra works and find out why it's important.

143 TMD How to Add Binary Numbers Feb 22, 2013

Learn how to add binary numbers.

142 TMD What Are Binary Numbers? Part 2 Feb 15, 2013

Learn how to solve a few binary number brain teasers.

141 TMD What Are Binary Numbers? Part 1 Feb 08, 2013

Learn what binary numbers are and how to count in binary.

140 TMD How to Add and Subtract Roman Numerals Feb 01, 2013

Learn how to add and subtract like an ancient Roman.

139 TMD What Are Roman Numerals? Jan 25, 2013

Learn where Roman numerals came from and find out how to use them.

135 TMD How to Turn Mixed Fractions Into Improper Fractions Dec 28, 2012

Learn how to convert between mixed fractions and regular improper fractions.

133 TMD How to Compare Fractions Dec 14, 2012

Learn how to compare fractions and figure out which one is largest and smallest.

132 TMD What Is the Lowest Common Denominator? Dec 07, 2012

Learn how to find the lowest common denominator of two or more fractions.

131 TMD What Is the Least Common Multiple? Nov 30, 2012

Learn how to find the least common multiple of two or more numbers.

130 TMD How to Find Common Denominators Nov 23, 2012

Learn how to find a common denominator of two fractions.

128 TMD How to Factor Numbers Nov 09, 2012

Learn how to factor numbers and find prime factors.

126 TMD How to Quickly Add the Integers From 1 to n Oct 19, 2012

Learn how to quickly add all the integers from 1 to any number. SPONSOR: Try GotoMeeting with HDFaces Today Free for 30 Days!

125 TMD How to Quickly Add the Integers From 1 to 100 - Part 1 Oct 12, 2012

Learn to amaze your friends by quickly adding the integers from 1 to 100.

124 TMD What Is Pascal's Triangle? Part 2 Oct 05, 2012

Learn about the amazing patterns hidden within Pascal's triangle.

122 TMD How to Calculate Probabilities, Part 2 Sep 21, 2012

Learn how to solve last week's brain teaser and use probability trees to calculate probabilities.

121 TMD How to Calculate Probabilities, Part 1 Sep 14, 2012

Learn how to use probability trees to calculate probabilities.

120 TMD What Are Probability Trees? Sep 07, 2012

Learn what probability trees are and how to make them.

119 TMD What Is Probability? Aug 31, 2012

Learn how to understand probability by flipping coins and find out how it affects the world.

118 TMD What Are Moving Averages? Part 2 Aug 24, 2012

Learn about some of the different kinds of moving averages that you can use in daily life.

071 TMD How to Amaze Your Friends With Number Tricks Aug 17, 2012

Learn how number tricks work and how you can use them to amaze your friends.

117 TMD What Are Moving Averages? Part 1 Aug 10, 2012

Learn what moving averages are and when you should use them in your daily life.

116 TMD What Is the Circumference of a Circle? Aug 03, 2012

Learn how the equation for the circumference of a circle is used in the Olympic games.

115 TMD Olympic Math Boot Camp Jul 27, 2012

Learn the math behind the Summer Olympic Games.

113 TMD What is the Higgs Boson Particle? Part 2 Jul 13, 2012

Learn what a Higgs boson is and how statistics helped discover it.

112 TMD What is a Higgs Boson? Part 1 Jul 06, 2012

Learn what a Higgs boson is and why its discovery is important.

110 TMD What Are Prime and Composite Numbers? Jun 15, 2012

Learn some amazing facts about prime and composite numbers.

107 TMD The Math of a Solar Eclipse May 25, 2012

Learn about the mathematical coincidence responsible for solar eclipses.

106 TMD How to Work and Play with PEMDAS May 18, 2012

Learn a mnemonic to help you remember the rules of PEMDAS and play a fun game based upon those rules.

105 TMD What is PEMDAS? May 11, 2012

Learn how square roots are used in the real world and how you can easily estimate their value in your head.

104 TMD How to Calculate Square Roots in Your Head May 04, 2012

Learn how square roots are used in the real world and how you can easily estimate their value in your head.

103 TMD What are Square Roots? Apr 27, 2012

Learn what square roots are and what pitfalls to watch out for when calculating them.

102 TMD Why Math Isn't an Awful Nerd, Part 2 Apr 20, 2012

Learn how to solve a positively odd brain teaser puzzle and find out why math is most definitely not awful.

101 TMD How to Look for Patterns in Numbers Apr 13, 2012

Learn how to find patterns in sequences of numbers.

100 TMD Why Math Isn't an Awful Nerd, Part 1 Apr 06, 2012

Learn how to have fun with math by solving math puzzles and find out why math is definitely not an awful nerd.

099 TMD How to Estimate Pi with Monte Carlo Methods, Part 2 Mar 24, 2012

Learn about an amazing math technique called a Monte Carlo method and find out how you can use it to estimate the value of pi.

098 TMD How to Estimate Pi with Monte Carlo Methods, Part 1 Mar 16, 2012

Learn about an amazing math technique called a Monte Carlo method and find out how you can use it to estimate the value of pi.

094 TMD How to Memorize Numbers, Part 3 Feb 17, 2012

Learn the final part of a memory trick for remembering numbers.

093 TMD How to Memorize Numbers, Part 2 Feb 10, 2012

Learn the second half of a memory trick for remembering numbers.

092 TMD How to Memorize Numbers, Part 1 Feb 03, 2012

Learn a memory trick for remembering numbers.

091 TMD What Do Negative Exponents Mean? Jan 27, 2012

Learn what negative exponents and an exponent of zero mean.

090 TMD How to Divide Numbers with Exponents Jan 20, 2012

Learn how to divide numbers that have exponents.

089 TMD How to Multiply Numbers with Exponents Jan 13, 2012

Learn how to multiply two or more numbers that have exponents.

088 TMD What Is Scientific Notation? Jan 06, 2012

Learn what scientific notation is and why it's useful.

033 TMD Is Multiplication the Same as Repeated Addition? Dec 30, 2011

Learn what it really means to multiply two numbers and whether or not you should think of multiplication as repeated addition. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

087 TMD How to Adjust Your Holiday Recipes Dec 16, 2011

Learn how to easily halve or double your recipes.

085 TMD How Are Check Digits Used in the Real World? Dec 02, 2011

Learn how check digits are used to verify everything from the numbers on your credit cards to the UPC codes on the products you buy.

084 TMD What is "Casting Out Nines"? Part 3 Nov 25, 2011

Learn the magic behind how casting out nines works. SPONSOR: http://stitcher.com/math. Use the code MATH to be entered to win $1000.

083 TMD What Is Casting Out Nines? Part 2 Nov 18, 2011

Learn more about using casting out nines to check your arithmetic.

082 TMD What Is "Casting Out Nines"? Part 1 Nov 11, 2011

Learn how to use casting out nines to quickly and easily check your answers to arithmetic problems

081 TMD How to Check Your Arithmetic, Part 2 Oct 28, 2011

Learn how to quickly check your answers to arithmetic problems.

080 TMD How to Check Your Arithmetic, Part 1 Oct 21, 2011

Learn how to quickly and easily check your answers to arithmetic problems without using a calculator.

079 TMD How to Multiply and Divide Negative Numbers Oct 14, 2011

Learn how to perform multiplication and division with negative numbers.

032 TMD How to Use Math to Make Estimates Sep 30, 2011

Learn how to use math to make estimates, why it is an important skill for you to develop, and how you can use math to solve everyday problems in your life. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

076 TMD What are Absolute Values? Sep 16, 2011

Learn what absolute values are and how to find them.

075 TMD Tips to Boost Your Business Math Skills, Part 2 Sep 02, 2011

Learn 3 more tips that will turn you in to a business math star.

074 TMD Tips to Boost Your Business Math Skills, Part 1 Aug 26, 2011

Learn 3 tips that'll help turn you into a business star.

007 TMD Making Sense of Definitions and Interpretations in Math Aug 19, 2011

How precise is math? Although numbers are exact, terms are not always so well defined. Some concepts and terms have multiple meanings or interpretations, and it pays to understand the differences between them. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

073 TMD How to Use Venn Diagrams to Solve Problems Aug 12, 2011

Learn how to make and use Venn diagrams.

072 TMD What is a Venn Diagram? Aug 05, 2011

Learn how to make and use Venn diagrams.

008 TMD Two Tips to Help You Add Quickly Jul 29, 2011

Learn two quick and dirty tips to help you kick your calculator dependency and make faster calculations in your head. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

070 TMD What are Real Numbers? Jul 15, 2011

Learn how real numbers relate to the rest of the numbers in math.

069 TMD What are the Union and Intersection of Sets? Jul 08, 2011

Easy ways to find the union and intersection of sets.

068 TMD What are Sets and Subsets? Jul 01, 2011

Learn what sets and subsets are to understand the relationships between numbers in math and where they show up in the real world.

067 TMD How to Use Mathematical Series in the Real World Jun 24, 2011

Learn how mathematical series and the compound interest formula can be used in the real world to calculate how fast money grows in recurring investments.

066 TMD How to Calculate How Fast Your Money Will Grow Jun 17, 2011

Learn what recurring investments are, how to use the compound interest formula to calculate how much money they make, and how you can calculate how fast your money will grow.

065 TMD What is a Mathematical Series? Jun 10, 2011

Learn what mathematical series are, why they're important, and how you can visually picture the meaning of some series.

064 TMD How to Use the Compound Interest Formula Jun 03, 2011

Learn how to use the compound interest formula and how it's related to the rule of 72.

063 TMD What is the Compound Interest Formula? May 27, 2011

Learn what the compound interest formula is, how it's related to exponents, and how it can help you make money.

012 TMD Use the Power of Ten Percent to Easily Calculate How Much to Tip May 27, 2011

Learn how to use the power of ten percent, and not your calculator, to easily and quickly calculate how much to tip. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

062 TMD What are Exponents? May 13, 2011

Learn what exponents are, how to write them, how they are related to the words squared and cubed, and why there's an exponent controversy.

061 TMD How to Use the Rule of 72 to Find the Time it Takes to Double Your Money May 06, 2011

Learn what the rule of 72 is and how you can use it to estimate how long it will take you to double your investment.

044 TMD How to Multiply Quickly Apr 29, 2011

Learn what the distributive property means in the real world and how it can help you perform lightning fast multiplication in your head. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

060 TMD What is the Associative Property? Apr 22, 2011

Learn what the associative properties of addition and multiplication are, and how they can help speed up arithmetic.

059 TMD What is a Mobius Strip? Apr 15, 2011

Learn what Mobius strips are, how to make them, and why they are such strange and interesting objects.

058 TMD How to Tell If a Number is Divisible by 7, 8, or 9 Apr 08, 2011

Learn how to test if a number is divisible by 7, 8, or 9, and find out why each of these divisibility tests actually work.

057 TMD How to Tell If a Number is Divisible by 4, 5, or 6 Apr 01, 2011

Learn how to test if a number is divisible by 4, 5, or 6, and find out why each of these divisibility tests actually work.

056 TMD How to Tell If a Number is Divisible by 2 or 3 Mar 25, 2011

Learn how to test if a number is divisible by 2 or 3, and find out why each of these divisibility tests actually work.

055 TMD How to Calculate the Day of the Week of Any Date Mar 18, 2011

Learn how to use the connection between modular arithmetic and remainders in division to calculate the day of the week of any date.

054 TMD How is Modular Arithmetic Related to Remainders in Division? Mar 11, 2011

Learn more about performing modular arithmetic, how it's related to finding remainders in division, and how it can help you predict the future.

053 TMD What is Modular Arithmetic? Mar 04, 2011

Learn what modular arithmetic is, how to perform modular arithmetic, and how modular arithmetic is used in the real world.

052 TMD How to Convert Repeating Decimals to Fractions, Part 3 Feb 25, 2011

Learn the final trick that will enable you to convert any type of repeating decimal into a fraction.

051 TMD How to Convert Repeating Decimals to Fractions, Part 2 Feb 18, 2011

Learn how to convert more complicated repeating decimals from decimal to fractional form.

050 TMD How to Convert Repeating Decimals to Fractions, Part 1 Feb 11, 2011

Learn what repeating decimal numbers are and how to convert simple repeating decimals from decimal to fractional form.

049 TMD How to Convert Decimals to Fractions, Part 1 Feb 04, 2011

Learn what terminating and repeating decimals are and how to convert these rational numbers from decimal to fractional form.

048 TMD What are Irrational Numbers? Jan 28, 2011

Learn what irrational numbers are, where they fall along the number line, and how they relate to the rest of the world of numbers. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

047 TMD What are Rational Numbers? Jan 14, 2011

Learn what rational numbers are, where they are located on the number line, and how they relate to the rest of the world of numbers.

046 TMD How to Explain Patterns with Math Dec 31, 2010

Learn how math can help you explain the origin of seemingly inexplicable numerical patterns.

045 TMD Two Tips for Multiplying by Eleven Dec 17, 2010

Learn two tips that will make multiplying any number by eleven easy to do in your head.

006 TMD The Commutative Property of Addition in Life and Math (repeat of 2-19-10) Dec 03, 2010

Not all math questions are as difficult as they seem. Learn to take advantage of the commutative property of addition to simplify problem solving. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

043 TMD What is the Distributive Property? Nov 26, 2010

Learn what the distributive property is, how to picture it, and what it means to say that multiplication is distributive over addition.

042 TMD How Statistics Solved the German Tank Problem Nov 19, 2010

Learn what the German tank problem is and how statistical estimators helped solve it and win World War II.

041 TMD What are Statistics and Estimators? Nov 12, 2010

Learn what statistics and estimators are in preparation for understanding how they helped solve the "German tank problem" in World War II.

040 TMD How to Divide Fractions Nov 05, 2010

Learn what it really means to divide two fractions and a trick you can use to make dividing fractions easier.

010 TMD What are Fractions? Oct 29, 2010

Learn what fractions are and how they're related to integers. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

039 TMD What Do Prefixes Mean in Math? - Part 2 Oct 22, 2010

Learn what math prefixes like "kilo," "mega," "giga," and "tera" mean, where they come from, and whether or not more prefixes will be added in the future. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

038 TMD What Do Prefixes Mean in Math? - Part 1 Oct 08, 2010

Learn what math prefixes like "milli," "kilo," "mega," and "giga" mean, where they come from, and whether or not more prefixes will be added in the future. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

037 TMD How to Estimate How Fast Someone is Running Oct 01, 2010

Learn how math can help you estimate how fast your favorite football player is running and convert this speed into units you're familiar with. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

036 TMD How to Convert from Miles to Kilometers...and More Sep 24, 2010

Learn how to use the multiplicative identity to help you convert units from miles to kilometers, kilometers to light-years, and more. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

035 TMD How to Convert Units Using the Multiplicative Identity Sep 17, 2010

Learn what the multiplicative identity is and how the multiplicative identity is used to convert from one unit of measurement to another. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

034 TMD How to Multiply Fractions Sep 10, 2010

Learn what it really means to multiply two fractions and how to efficiently perform the multiplication of fractions. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

031 TMD What Are Area and Volume? Aug 20, 2010

Learn what area and volume are, how the area and volume are related, and how to calculate the area of a square and the volume of a cube. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

029 TMD What are 1D, 2D, and 3D Coordinates? Aug 06, 2010

Learn what 1D, 2D, and 3D (one, two, and three-dimensional) means in math and how coordinate systems are used to describe locations in 1D, 2D, and 3D. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

027 TMD How to Make Box and Whisker Plots Jul 16, 2010

Learn what box and whisker plots are, how to make them, and how they can help you interpret data. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

026 TMD What are the Range and Standard Deviation? Jul 09, 2010

Learn what the range and standard deviation are, how to calculate them, and why their values are important for interpreting averages. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

025 TMD What is the Mode? Jul 02, 2010

Learn about a third method for calculating average values, the mode, and find out exactly when and why it is useful. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

024 TMD How Median Averaging Can Fix Your Photos Jun 25, 2010

Learn how median averaging can fix your photos by making pesky tourists disappear and leaving you with a clear view of your subject. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

023 TMD How to Calculate Median Values Jun 18, 2010

Learn how bags of potato chips show that the median value of a sample is often a better measure of its average than the more common mean. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

022 TMD How to Calculate Mean Values Jun 11, 2010

Learn why there are multiple definitions of "average," and how to calculate one such average value: the arithmetic mean. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

021 TMD What Do Averages Mean? Jun 04, 2010

Learn what a batting average in baseball means, how it's calculated, and why the statistical concept of an average value is so important. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

020 TMD How are Fractions and Division Related? May 28, 2010

Learn about the relationship between decimal numbers, fractions, and the process of division. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

019 TMD What are Decimals? May 21, 2010

Learn what decimal points and decimal numbers are and how they're related to fractions. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

018 TMD How to Use the Golden Ratio to Take Better Pictures May 14, 2010

Learn where the golden ratio appears in nature, how it's related to the "rule of thirds" in photography, and why it will help you take better pictures. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

017 TMD What is the Golden Ratio and How is it Related to the Fibonacci Sequence? May 07, 2010

Learn what the golden ratio is, its relationship to the Fibonacci sequence, and how artists and architects have used it throughout history. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!

016 TMD What is the Fibonacci Sequence and Why is it Famous? Apr 30, 2010

Learn what the Fibonacci sequence is, its relationship to population growth, and how it can make you the life of the party. Questions go to mathdude@quickanddirtytips.com or 206-339-6279. Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes!