Tag: math

mind over math

I recently had a birthday, and some friends were suggesting I am getting old. That’s simply not true. Now, the calendar might suggest I’m getting older, and I am indeed older than I was, but I’m not old. I don’t feel as old as the calendar says. So it’s mind over math. 🙂

Besides, old age is at least 10 years older than I am. It’s a moving target. 🙂

But whatever on the number of my actual age. I like to remind people that studies show that people who have the most birthdays tend to live the longest.

how to calculate the heat index

Have you ever wondered what the formula is to determine the heat index? You might be surprised…

Heat Index = -42.379 + 2.04901523T + 10.14333127R – 0.22475541TR – 6.83783×10-3T2 – 5.481717×10-2R2 + 1.22874×10-3T2R + 8.5282×10-4TR2 – 1.99×10-6T2R2

Who knew it was that complicated? If you want a full explanation of all those variables, go here (if you dare): It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity. There are a lot of assumptions built into that equation. Basically, the heat index is different for everyone. That formula is based on an average of someone who is 5’7″ and weighs 147 pounds. The equation even accounts for how much clothes coverage you have — it assumes 84% based on “long trousers and short-sleeved shirt”. Trousers? I don’t wear trousers… I’m not British!

There should be a separate heat index for the South. On the worst of days, we don’t need a number — it should just say “STAY INSIDE!”. Because there’s days where you step out the door and you’re instantly sweating. I don’t know how that’s possible, but it’s a thing. When you can feel your skin start to burn within seconds, it’s just not safe. On those days, just stay inside.

how to justify eating more than normal at Larry’s Pizza

The staff of Buffet o’ Blog are going to Larry’s Pizza tomorrow for lunch, so it’s guaranteed to be a good time.  Yesterday we were discussing how great their pizza is and how easy it is to eat more food than normal.  So our Senior Statistics Correspondent, Turtle Dundee, created a formula using simple math that explains why it’s okay to eat more than normal there.  Here’s the computational sequence (don’t worry, it won’t give you a headache — it’s quite simple, really):

So even though we’re going to Larry’s tomorrow, I figure that’s really only 1.75 meals away.  There’s lunch today, that’s a full meal.  Then dinner tonight, eating a bit less than usual that’s .70 of a meal.  Breakfast tomorrow is just a nibble, that’s .05 of a meal.  Then for lunch tomorrow I’m 1.25 meals short, so that’s 2.25 meals for lunch.  And since nobody wants to eat dinner after Larry’s, that puts me up to 3.25 meals for lunch.

That would actually make a good slogan for them: Larry’s Pizza — It’s 3.25 meals good.

That makes sense to me!  For those of you who skipped over the numbers and don’t want to apply them in your head, I’ll take care of the math for you.  If a normal serving size is 4 pieces (which seems low to me, but we’ll start with that), then 4 times 3.25 equals 13 pieces of pizza.  If your normal serving size is 6 pieces, then applying that equation would result in 19.5 pieces of pizza, which is quite a haul for one meal!

Feel free to join us there for lunch tomorrow.  I guarantee it’ll be a good time.  If you’re wondering how to find us, just use these clues: 1) it’ll be all guys at one table; 2) the pizzas of choice will have lots of dead animals on them; 3) there will be randomness and laughing to overflow.  Oh, and we’ll be the coolest people there.  So you shouldn’t have any difficulty in recognizing us.  (We don’t put our pictures on the blog because this site already exceeds the daily recommended coolness quotient, and that might put us over the top.)