I am always surprised when people are addicted to simple demonstrations of the power of even basic mathematics. We have become a largely weary society, depending on the technological progress of corporations, to give us more and more electronic gadgets and the like. We have forgotten how all this technological origin occurs: through the practical use of knowledge of mathematics and science and their applications.
Thus, as a teacher and mathematician, I always get a big smile when I can demonstrate the practicality of knowing even elementary mathematics. A good and solid understanding of basic geometry, arithmetic and algebra can greatly help to understand many of the fundamental laws of nature and even allow a high degree of general problem solving capabilities. People are always surprised when I explain to them how I can tell the time on the beach with the help of the sun or use the probability to make general predictions or to make seemingly amazing human calculators in my head. But all these feats are quite achievable even for an ordinary person.
Having said that, I can go over to the interesting sound title of this article and explain how basic math can even be used for such an odd sounding thing, like finding a parking space in a busy mall. We all know how frustrating this is, especially during the holiday shopping season. Now man is a smart animal, and if you ask people about your method, many of them will quickly achieve that they have a great system. These systems range from pursuing people who leave the mall to circle like hungry sharks waiting to feed the next open space.
Personally, I always had a problem with the methods mentioned above, and for this reason, I suppose, once I thought about a problem and asked myself if mathematics could solve this problem — or at least come up with a more practical method. Being the roof of a shopping center, mainly because of my wife’s strong love for such an area, I had many opportunities to throw her in front and then start the process of “searching and destroying” or, to put it simply, wait for parking spots. Being a fan of two mathematical disciplines of probability and statistics, I decided to see if using some basic facts in these two areas would help me. Thus, sitting in a mall waiting for an open space (of course, the times when we went to the mall were usually on Saturdays when selection spots were rare, and I always wanted to park in a certain area near Macy where the spots were still more limited due to less parking), I began to make some basic assumptions and reflect deeply.
Almost by chance, I collected a rudimentary method, made some quick calculations and tested the approaching hypotheses. I looked around the full-time parking zone, aimed my preferred parking area, and predicted that one of these preferred places would be available for no more than five minutes. Within five minutes, the place opened. I was surprised. For the next ten or fifteen visits to the mall, I tried and tested this method. Success after success after success. I analyzed both the basic requirements and the mathematics used and tested again and again. Always worked. I even demonstrated the method with people in the car. The reaction was always one of astonishment when I could tell them how long the stain would open. For them, it always seemed like magic; however, a little thoughtful contemplation associated with some basic mathematics was a glue containing a mixture.
In the following article, I will talk about the method and basic underlying assumptions, as well as the mathematical principles associated with it (for those who are squeamish about mathematics, do not be afraid, because the explanations will not include anything that goes beyond simple mathematics and my special strength is the ability to boil the esoteric and make it understandable). For those who have read this far, I think you are aware of the bolder consequences of this: if mathematics helps you find a parking place in a busy shopping center, what else can it do? See you in Part II.
