https://algebrainthecity.com/ Maths that lives on your street en Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:10:40 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/three-for-350-lunch-deal-algebra-test/ https://algebrainthecity.com/three-for-350-lunch-deal-algebra-test/ The meal deal looks like a simple sticker price, but it is really a small system of equations. Here is how to compare unit prices, test swaps and spot the lunchtime combinations where the deal quietly costs you more. Algebra in the City Consumer Maths Sun, 08 Nov 2026 13:57:39 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/burrito-break-even-rainy-market-day/ https://algebrainthecity.com/burrito-break-even-rainy-market-day/ Behind every street-food burrito is a pitch fee, a van, a gas bottle and a pile of rice. This is the linear algebra of a market trader's Saturday, from the break-even point to the rainy-day decision that changes the whole graph. Algebra in the City Civic Algebra Sun, 08 Nov 2026 13:57:39 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/where-the-lines-cross-two-postcodes-two-equations/ https://algebrainthecity.com/where-the-lines-cross-two-postcodes-two-equations/ Rent is a single number, which is why it wins every argument. Travel is a rate, which is why it quietly loses. Put both flats into a pair of simultaneous equations and the break-even point does the arguing for you — usually at around two and a half office days a week. Algebra in the City Consumer Maths Sun, 08 Nov 2026 09:56:51 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/six-week-cycle-four-bins-modulo-collection-calendar/ https://algebrainthecity.com/six-week-cycle-four-bins-modulo-collection-calendar/ Your council hasn't given you a list of dates. It's given you a repeating sequence, and the whole thing collapses into a single remainder calculation. Here's how modular arithmetic predicts bin day, bank holiday shifts and the handful of weeks each year when every container on your street goes out at once. Algebra in the City Civic Algebra Sun, 08 Nov 2026 09:56:51 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/second-urn-christmas-market-hot-chocolate-break-even/ https://algebrainthecity.com/second-urn-christmas-market-hot-chocolate-break-even/ A second urn looks like a £250 fix for a queue problem. At a UK Christmas market, it is really a break-even question: how many extra cups does the upgrade need to sell before the foam settles? Here is the algebra, using realistic pitch fees and cocoa costs. Algebra in the City Consumer Maths Sun, 08 Nov 2026 06:00:28 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/five-rod-feasible-region-allotment-linear-programming/ https://algebrainthecity.com/five-rod-feasible-region-allotment-linear-programming/ An allotment is not a vibe; it is a set of constraints with a harvest at the end. Here is how to turn bed space, watering time and sunlight into a feasible region, then test the corners before you order next season's seeds. Algebra in the City Civic Algebra Sun, 08 Nov 2026 06:00:28 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/railcard-break-even-inequality-before-you-tap-in/ https://algebrainthecity.com/railcard-break-even-inequality-before-you-tap-in/ A railcard is a bet on your future journeys, and the break-even point is an inequality. Here is how to use your typical fare and trip count to decide whether the card actually saves you money. Algebra in the City Consumer Maths Sun, 08 Nov 2026 02:01:58 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/parking-tariffs-step-function-true-cost/ https://algebrainthecity.com/parking-tariffs-step-function-true-cost/ The sign says 'from £2.20 per hour', but the meter charges in blocks, fixed fees and marginal jumps. Model a UK car park as a piecewise function and the true cost of your stay becomes much clearer. Algebra in the City Civic Algebra Sun, 08 Nov 2026 02:01:58 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/bus-ticket-straight-line-fare-caps-2026/ https://algebrainthecity.com/bus-ticket-straight-line-fare-caps-2026/ Bus fares feel like a maze of caps, bands and passes. But the break-even points are linear functions and inequalities—and a quick sketch can tell you whether a day ticket or weekly pass is genuinely cheaper. This is consumer algebra for Birmingham, Manchester and London commuters. Algebra in the City Consumer Maths Sat, 07 Nov 2026 22:06:13 GMT https://algebrainthecity.com/weighted-score-pothole-priority-council-algebra/ https://algebrainthecity.com/weighted-score-pothole-priority-council-algebra/ A council with a repair backlog cannot fix every pothole, so it often uses a weighted score to decide what gets fixed first. Here is how variables, coefficients, budget constraints and linear programming shape the roadworks—and how to score your own street. Algebra in the City Civic Algebra Sat, 07 Nov 2026 22:06:13 GMT