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Mathematical Digest


Short Summaries of Articles about Mathematics
in the Popular Press

"Unjamming Traffic with Computers" by Kenneth R. Howard. Scientific American, October 1997, pages 86-88.

This article describes current methods of mathematically modeling traffic patterns. Some of these methods are based on a mathematical construct known as cellular automata. More sophisticated systems are under development which include simulation of such driver behavior as cutting off other drivers.

--- Allyn Jackson

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