Slippery Math In Public Affairs : Price Tag And Defense

Highlighting how slippery numbers and questionable mathematical conclusions emerge and what can be done to safeguard against them, this book examines flawed usage of math in public affairs through actual cases of how mathematical data and conclusions can be distorted and misrepresented to influence public opinion. The author analyzes the cost of "slippery math" in terms of squandered resources and identifies common misperceptions about the role of math in public affairs. He discusses how math education can be reformed to sharpen public awareness of "slippery math", the development of math models and their use and misuse, and proper and improper polling methods. Words such as accurate, precise, objective, and logical derive their power by being symbols of an ideal information state from which ambiguity, ignorance, and prejudice have been banished. An examination of the flawed usage of math in public affairs through actual cases of how mathematical data and conclusions can be distorted and misrepresented to influence public opinion