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Hello heads or tails. It's a simple question with a far from simple answer, one that takes us into the strange and complex world of probability.

Probability is the field of maths relating to random events and all the commonplace now, the idea that you can pluck a piece of

maths from the tumbling of dice the shuffling of cards or the odds in the

local lottery is a relatively recent and powerful one it may start with a toss of a coin, but probability reaches

into every area of the modern world, from the analysis of society, to the decay of

an atom, to predicting the weather. We'd meet a discuss probability are Ian Stewart, Professor of Mathematics at Warwick University,

Colmeroni Dougal, lecturer in pure mathematics at the University of St Andrews and Marcia

Solitoy Professor of Mathematics at Waddam College, University of Oxford.

Marcus Usotoi.

Dice cards, gambling, their ancient pursuits,

but two was the first person in the scheme of the setting off of this area of interest

who got to grips with it?

I think it's quite striking how late it is.

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