28 January 2020
by IMA

The Mathematics of Card Shuffles

The Mathematics of Card Shuffles, a talk by Dr Stephen Connor (University of York) A joint IMA / MA event

Update on 19 March 2020

In response to the Coronavirus / Covid-19 situation, we have unfortunately had to take the decision that this branch event will not go ahead on 22 April.  We are sorry for the disappointment that this causes.  Any future updates regarding the lecture will be advertised on the IMA website and via social media.

Abstract

How many times should you shuffle a deck of playing cards in order to randomise their order?  Which types of shuffles do this most efficiently?  I'll explain why mathematicians care about this sort of question and show how one commonly used shuffle can be analysed by first of all solving a seemingly different problem involving birthdays. Please book to attend this free event via eventbrite. No charge is made to attend meetings. Non-IMA members are welcome.
Image credit: 8471, adapted by the speaker / pngimg  / CC BY-NC 4.0