Math + 2010 Olympics = A winning formula

From the ideal ski jump curve to the fastest bobsled, from scheduling judges, officials and athletes to managing visitor line-ups, to the ideal rigidity of hockey sticks to broadcasting, it’s all about the numbers. Math and the Olympics are inextricably linked.  

“The message here really is that mathematics is all around us in our everyday lives,” said Dr. Gupta. “The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver is a great example of how mathematical tools and techniques are applied in the real-world.”  

For example: 

• The shape of a ski jump is known as the ‘reverse cycloid’ which is the curve with the fastest descent possible. In the late 17th century, a group of five mathematicians - including Sir Isaac Newton - discovered this shape to be the fastest way from point A to point B, when a bead was slid from the top of the curve to the bottom.

• Bobsleds and skis are designed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a mathematical method to develop 3D computer models of the most efficient shape. CFD - which analyzes how gases (like air) and fluids (like water) flow over different shapes and surfaces - helps designers determine the best design for the fastest equipment

• In speed skating, coaches and skaters analyze the angles formed by the skates to determine what ones will result in the fastest laps around the oval.

• The international media at the games would find it nearly impossible to report back to their stations without math. The encryption of data and wireless communications via cell phone or the Internet have roots in mathematical number theory.

• Efficient scheduling of events, not to mention 1,000’s of judges, officials and volunteers, requires a complex mathematical approach known as operations research. Operations research uses mathematical modelling to analyze complex situations, providing the most effective decisions based on various constraints. In the case of the Olympics, these could include the maximum duration of a volunteer shift, the distance between events which a particular judge must travel or how long an official must remain at a certain venue.

• The behaviour of crowds is understood using the mathematical theory of discontinuous dynamical systems. This tool analyzes “chaotic behaviour”, anything from the movement of 1,000’s of people at an event like the Olympics to molecules invisible to the naked eye. A smart mathematical model can help Olympic organizers determine where spectators will likely go after the end of a particular event and what route they will take to get there. This will shed light on necessary traffic control measures, police resources and signage.