d 33 Fahrenheit could be described as the “tipping point,” at which one substance remains the same substance, yet obtains completely new properties. The cake-cutting tactic described in chapter 10 describes a way to ensure fairness in the division of a cake between two people (a tactic that can be applied to many other situations). It describes a situation in which one person gets to cut the cake, and the other person gets first choice on which piece will be his. Normally, this would not be fair, since the first person would have no say in which piece of cake he would receive. With a little cleverness, however, he can easily get the piece he wants. If he likes icing more than he likes cake, he can cut the side with more icing a bit smaller than the other side, in the hope that the other person will chose the larger side, leaving person one with the exact side he wanted. I think this is a good technique, though not at all a sure one. It would only guarantee the first person the piece he wanted if the second person did not like icing, or notice the first person’s trick, which he most likely would. However, if it does work, it guarantees fairness for both people. “The mathematics of truth” is one of the main themes of this book, and several examples are given throughout the book of how to determine the truth using mathematics.One that sticks out in my mind is the one involving King Solomon and two women claiming to be the mother of the same baby. Solomon, knowing that one must be lying, offered straight-facedly to slice the baby in two and give one half to each woman. The true mother, as Solomon expected, refused, preferring to give up her baby rather than have it killed. The other woman, however, trying to get as much as she could, agreed to the deal, having no emotional feelings for the child. Another example of math being used to prove a truth is the O.J. Simpson trial. According to DNA tests,...
