On Business Optimization

In spite of the fact that counting, numbers, and games of chance have been around for millenniums, it wasn't until the middle of the 17th century when three Frenchmen, Blaise Pascal, Pierre de Fermat, and Chevalier de Méré, developed the foundations for modern probability theory.  

 

So even though probability theory seems obvious to us today, it was relatively late in human history that it was developed. With that in mind, I have been enjoying teaching some of the concepts of probability to my 9-year old son using a fun little book called Do You Wanna Bet?: Your Chance to Find Out About Probability By Jean Cushman and Martha Weston. It is an entertaining story of two boys, Danny and Brian, discovering the impact of probability in their everyday experiences and developing a practical understanding of how to apply these concepts to others. 

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." Probability is one of those great ideas that can stretch a person's mind, particularly a child's. Once a child has learned the basic concepts of arithmetic, it is probably never too early begin teaching these great ideas, and this book is a wonderful way to start.

 

 

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