From: Mark Korsky
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 18:59:59 -0600
Subject: barefoot math stuff

A quiz problem from my barefoot math course:

9.  Moonbeam is painting her toenails. If she decides to paint 2 of them
blue, 2 of them silver, 2 of them gold, 3 of them black, and 1 of them
pink, in how many different ways can she paint her toenails?
[answer: 75,600]

This is the second year I've taught the course, and it's going well.
Several students are regularly barefoot in class.  Here is an example from
the chapter on logic, a sorites, or chain of implications:

2.  If you go barefoot a lot, you'll get tough leathery feet. If you get
tough leathery feet, you can go barefoot in lots of interesting places. If
you can go barefoot in lots of interesting places, you can feel lots of
wonderful surfaces under your feet. If you can feel lots of wonderful
surfaces under your feet, you'll be happier. Therefore, if you go barefoot
a lot, you'll be happier.

Barefoot math trivia:  the word BAREFOOT has 20,160 anagrams, including
FOREBOAT and ROBOFATE.  The word BAREFOOTER has 453,600 anagrams, including
RAROOFBEET and ARTOBEFORE.

Mark Korsky
Taos, New Mexico