Bill Wood
@billarama.bsky.social
Mathematics professor, board game junkie. Other things too, but I'll mostly post about those things. Squigonometer. #NewCollegeofFlotida alum. #mathsky
TIL the conversion ratio for miles to kilometers is very close to the golden ratio so you can estimate with the Fibonacci sequence: 5mi = 8km, 8mi=13km, etc
November 26, 2025 at 2:40 PM
TIL the conversion ratio for miles to kilometers is very close to the golden ratio so you can estimate with the Fibonacci sequence: 5mi = 8km, 8mi=13km, etc
Another failed math pangram, although I’ll concede this one for being proper.
November 26, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Another failed math pangram, although I’ll concede this one for being proper.
I am at an age where “I’m exhausted because I drank too much last night” means I drank a root beer after 7pm and had to get up three times to pee.
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I am at an age where “I’m exhausted because I drank too much last night” means I drank a root beer after 7pm and had to get up three times to pee.
Spelling Bee just doesn’t like math.
November 12, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Spelling Bee just doesn’t like math.
Handy example I dumb-lucked into today as I had to conjure a vector angle problem on the fly: (1,2) and (3,1) make at a 45-degree angle.
October 20, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Handy example I dumb-lucked into today as I had to conjure a vector angle problem on the fly: (1,2) and (3,1) make at a 45-degree angle.
This week gave me an idea for a stats problem: determine whether “missing class for a funeral” and “there is an exam in class” are independent events. I have some data they can use.
October 18, 2025 at 4:34 AM
This week gave me an idea for a stats problem: determine whether “missing class for a funeral” and “there is an exam in class” are independent events. I have some data they can use.
What’s is happening at this IHOP?
October 6, 2025 at 11:37 PM
What’s is happening at this IHOP?
Has anyone had any disgruntled students from their past stir up trouble lately?
I got one from almost a decade ago and I wonder if it's because it's open season on professors right now and he was disappointed that I have no political posts on my socials to report. #teachmath
I got one from almost a decade ago and I wonder if it's because it's open season on professors right now and he was disappointed that I have no political posts on my socials to report. #teachmath
October 1, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Has anyone had any disgruntled students from their past stir up trouble lately?
I got one from almost a decade ago and I wonder if it's because it's open season on professors right now and he was disappointed that I have no political posts on my socials to report. #teachmath
I got one from almost a decade ago and I wonder if it's because it's open season on professors right now and he was disappointed that I have no political posts on my socials to report. #teachmath
A pie chart illustrating the percentages of the types of pizza left over from dinner.
September 26, 2025 at 1:46 PM
A pie chart illustrating the percentages of the types of pizza left over from dinner.
My current favorite show just triggered my pet peeve: 3.141459... is not some secret code to the universe. If you must reference pi when you make alien contact, use the continued fraction expansion in case they don't have 10 fingers.
September 17, 2025 at 1:19 PM
My current favorite show just triggered my pet peeve: 3.141459... is not some secret code to the universe. If you must reference pi when you make alien contact, use the continued fraction expansion in case they don't have 10 fingers.
Our probabilistic intuition is worse than we realize. One nice thing about a large class (51 present) is I can prove this with the birthday problem. The true probability is over 97%. Usually my classes are right around the break-even point of 23. #teachmath
September 12, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Our probabilistic intuition is worse than we realize. One nice thing about a large class (51 present) is I can prove this with the birthday problem. The true probability is over 97%. Usually my classes are right around the break-even point of 23. #teachmath
I need to anonymize student data for legal reasons using a 3rd party homework system (I'm going all-in on #MyOpenMath this year). Is there a smarter way to do this than emailing some randomly assigned user names (I'm thinking Transformers) to the students and keep my own look-up table? #TeachMath
August 3, 2025 at 6:03 PM
I need to anonymize student data for legal reasons using a 3rd party homework system (I'm going all-in on #MyOpenMath this year). Is there a smarter way to do this than emailing some randomly assigned user names (I'm thinking Transformers) to the students and keep my own look-up table? #TeachMath
RIP Tom Lehrer, the rare mathematician / musical humorist combo. I thought it was particularly cool that he released his catalog to the public domain a few years ago. g.co/kgs/QxuQAm9
g.co
July 28, 2025 at 3:08 AM
RIP Tom Lehrer, the rare mathematician / musical humorist combo. I thought it was particularly cool that he released his catalog to the public domain a few years ago. g.co/kgs/QxuQAm9
Broke my longest ever Wordle streak today. This was weirdly freeing.
July 25, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Broke my longest ever Wordle streak today. This was weirdly freeing.
Happy pi approximation day.
I like to use 22/7 to introduce relative error, both because it’s a familiar example and it’s a nice surprise how good that simple estimate really is.
I like to use 22/7 to introduce relative error, both because it’s a familiar example and it’s a nice surprise how good that simple estimate really is.
July 22, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Happy pi approximation day.
I like to use 22/7 to introduce relative error, both because it’s a familiar example and it’s a nice surprise how good that simple estimate really is.
I like to use 22/7 to introduce relative error, both because it’s a familiar example and it’s a nice surprise how good that simple estimate really is.
Happy tau day for those who celebrate.
June 29, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Happy tau day for those who celebrate.
Reposted by Bill Wood
Dear #mathsky, if you repost this, it will let people see the article for free. Thanks!
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
How Bees, Beer Cans and Data Solve the Same Packing Problem (Gift Article)
Trying to fit it all in? There’s a trick to it, even in 24 dimensions.
www.nytimes.com
June 23, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Dear #mathsky, if you repost this, it will let people see the article for free. Thanks!
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
I wanted to order the 63 but this waitress doesn’t need my crap today.
June 18, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I wanted to order the 63 but this waitress doesn’t need my crap today.
2 emails came back-to-back: One from a colleague with a ChatGPT-generated syllabus we'd use as a start to discuss a new course, the next from IT saying my ChatGPT purchase was denied because CGPT violates the school's AI policies.
Adapting to the AI-run world is going to be a long, stupid process.
Adapting to the AI-run world is going to be a long, stupid process.
June 16, 2025 at 10:27 PM
2 emails came back-to-back: One from a colleague with a ChatGPT-generated syllabus we'd use as a start to discuss a new course, the next from IT saying my ChatGPT purchase was denied because CGPT violates the school's AI policies.
Adapting to the AI-run world is going to be a long, stupid process.
Adapting to the AI-run world is going to be a long, stupid process.
Me: I can make meatballs. I mean, I never have but I assume they are just like burgers with a different isoperimetric ratio.
Spouse: 🙄
Spouse: 🙄
June 6, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Me: I can make meatballs. I mean, I never have but I assume they are just like burgers with a different isoperimetric ratio.
Spouse: 🙄
Spouse: 🙄
I'm investigating #datascience online courses for summer and seeking advice. Ultimately keen on apps of high-level math (e.g., lin alg in AI) but currently just de-rusting my Python skills. Otherwise flexible on content with goal of expanding my teaching utility in our ds major.
Eyeing udemy atm.
Eyeing udemy atm.
June 3, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I'm investigating #datascience online courses for summer and seeking advice. Ultimately keen on apps of high-level math (e.g., lin alg in AI) but currently just de-rusting my Python skills. Otherwise flexible on content with goal of expanding my teaching utility in our ds major.
Eyeing udemy atm.
Eyeing udemy atm.
We are starting Buffy: The Vampire Slayer with the twins.
Got to S1:E4 "Teacher's Pet" yesterday, which is a ridiculous episode. I do remember the final shot paying off for a great callback joke later. Kids can now add she-mantises to their anxiety list.
#buffytvs
Got to S1:E4 "Teacher's Pet" yesterday, which is a ridiculous episode. I do remember the final shot paying off for a great callback joke later. Kids can now add she-mantises to their anxiety list.
#buffytvs
June 3, 2025 at 4:35 PM
We are starting Buffy: The Vampire Slayer with the twins.
Got to S1:E4 "Teacher's Pet" yesterday, which is a ridiculous episode. I do remember the final shot paying off for a great callback joke later. Kids can now add she-mantises to their anxiety list.
#buffytvs
Got to S1:E4 "Teacher's Pet" yesterday, which is a ridiculous episode. I do remember the final shot paying off for a great callback joke later. Kids can now add she-mantises to their anxiety list.
#buffytvs
Today is field day at the twins' school. I wanted to tell tales of my childhood when all we had was division ring day but I couldn't put a decent joke together. If I had I'm sure my 10-year-olds would have loved it.
May 23, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Today is field day at the twins' school. I wanted to tell tales of my childhood when all we had was division ring day but I couldn't put a decent joke together. If I had I'm sure my 10-year-olds would have loved it.
I was thinking I’d tackle an old research problem today. Then I spent 45 minutes looking for a key that was in my pocket. I decided today was not the day.
May 23, 2025 at 2:07 AM
I was thinking I’d tackle an old research problem today. Then I spent 45 minutes looking for a key that was in my pocket. I decided today was not the day.