nutshell, she uses data to evaluate how the patterns
that humans create change over time, whether that’s
when shopping or committing a crime. In fact, such is
Hannah’s belief that maths can offer solutions to
myriad problems that she has even created a formula
for finding romance. In her TED talk ‘The
Mathematics of Love’ (which has more than 4 million
views), based on a range of studies and the analysis of
an online dating site, she says: “In the first 37% of
people in your dating window, you should reject
everyone as serious marriage potential and then pick
the next person who comes along who is better than
those who came before.” And, yes, she can vouch for
the soundness of this theory herself: she met Phil at
the textbook time, around her 25th birthday, on a blind
date. (One of the few instances in her adult life when
Hannah has tolerated a high rate of uncertainty.)
What ’s behind Ha n na h’s desire to ma ke mat hs
appealing to the rest of us? “It partly comes from
frustration with the way academics talk – they
deliberately obscure their work,” she says, with
obvious irritation. “But I also think it’s like when
you have a cool secret. I know it and I want to tell
other people about it.” »Hannah turns puzzles
into plain EnglishLIVING (^) | WISDOM