Mike

As of the 23rd May 2022 this website is archived and will receive no further updates.

understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

Many of the animations were produced using Flash and will no longer work.

On the subject of coincidences- My father worked in a garage in Ware in Hertfordshire. In the 1950’s a friend of his decided to sell his dry cleaning business and emigrate to Vancouver in order to start a real estate business. He decided to take his TR2 sports car to Canada. He then asked my father to install a heater in the car. He said to his friend’ ”So that you do not lose my address and name I will scratch it on the heater body( which was under the hood).” The friend then traveled across Canada and stopped for fuel at a small garage , approximately halfway into his journey. He then asked the attendant to fill up and also check the oil level. He opened the hood and stared into the engine compartment and his friend thought that something was amiss. He went around to the front of the car where the attendant was pointing at the heater. Where he said,” I know that man, I used to work with him.” Soon after he wrote to my father saying,” There is a job for you if you wish to come to Canada.” He was the owner of the garage. Such a small world!!!
Total votes: 303
Date submitted:Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:28:38 +0000Coincidence ID:4583