Making the Olympic Countdown a matter of maths and science

With 500 days to go to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the University of Cambridge is helping everyone to understand more about the maths and science of sport. The award-winning Millennium Mathematics Project (MMP) has launched 'Maths and Sport: Countdown to the Games' to celebrate London 2012. This new initiative explores the hidden mathematics underlying sporting success and will rolled out during the Olympic countdown. It includes online articles and mathematical activities for all, along with resources for school teachers. These look at a wide variety of maths and science topics from predicting medal success through to the mechanics of pole vaulting. Professor John Barrow, Director of the MMP, said: "The Maths and Sport project will offer a new and deeper perspective for everyone about what is going on during the sporting events at the London Games. Simple maths can be used to help show how Usain Bolt can run faster, find better ways to rig rowing eights or understand the statistics of scoring systems and drug testing." He added: "The Millennium Mathematics Project is dedicated to inspiring students and teachers, showing them that maths is fun.