Liberal Arts Blog — What is the Question?
By: John Muresianu
Tags: Education, TV, Liberal Arts Blog, School

Liberal Arts Blog — Monday is the Joy of Math, Statistics, Shapes, and Numbers Day

Today’s topic: Ratios, Car Colors, Leisure Hours — What is the Question?

Today, a hodgepodge of questions. Have you ever thought about the importance of ratios in the K-12 math curriculum? What would you guess are the most popular three car colors? How much time do Americans spend watching television or on their smart phones? Experts — please chime in. Correct, elaborate, elucidate.

RATIOS — the most important math concept beyond addition, subtraction multiplication and division?

1. I have heard it said by many a math teacher that ratios are the most thing they teach.

2. Certainly in finance ratio analysis is key to comparing the financial performance of companies.

3. In civics is not understanding ratios critical to understanding issues of justice?

NB: But how many US high school graduates understand ratios and how to interpret them?

CAR COLORS — have you ever counted cars by color?

1. Before actually doing the counting, I thought there were many more blue and red cars than there are.

2. In the US: gray and silver 30%, white 24%, black 23%!!!!!!!!

3. And the global pattern is: white 38%, gray and silver 24%, black 19%.

NB: Why? Re-sale value, not wanting to stand out, safety (white). The color preference for neutrality to my surprise covers a very wide range of models from sedans to minivans to pickup trucks.

LEISURE HOURS — 36–40 hours per week — how to optimize happiness, productivity?

1. Americans spend half on television. Americans 65+ spend about 7 hours per day watching television! Ages 50–64: 5.43 hours. Ages 35–49: 3.24 hours. Ages 18–34: 1.34 hours.

2. Seven questions to ask yourself about your leisure time usage: (4th link): does it leave you with a story? does it change you? does it allow you to unplug? does it improve your relationships? does it feel challenging? does it make you feel a sense of awe? does it improve your social status?

3. Seven “tips” of “successful” people (5th link): exercise, read, take classes, volunteer, network, hobbies, time with friends and family.

NB: Smart phone usage: 3 hours 45 minutes on average. 46% spend 5–6 hours.

https://www.wardsauto.com/industry/white-remains-no1-car-color-it-s-not-black-and-white

The Most Popular Car Colors Around the World, And Across the United States

What are the Best Car Colors to Buy? Why Does Car Color Matter? — Suburb Service

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/06/how-successful-people-spend-leisure-time-james-wallman.html

7 Ways Successful People Spend Their Free Time

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1224510/time-spent-per-day-on-smartphone-us/

Infographic: The Generation Gap in TV Consumption

Last three years of posts organized thematically:

PDF with headlines — Google Drive

YOUR TURN

Please share the coolest thing you learned this week related to math, statistics, or numbers in general. Or, even better, the coolest or most important thing you learned in your life related to math.

This is your chance to make someone else’s day. And to consolidate in your memory something you might otherwise forget. Or to think more deeply than otherwise about something dear to your heart. Continuity is key to depth of thought.