Ah maths, where would we be without you?
We wouldn't know how to calculate the hypotenuse of a triangle. We wouldn't know how long it takes three men to dig a hole it takes one man three and three-quarter hours to dig. And we wouldn't know that Deptford High Street is "London's best place to shop".
Yes, that's right, maths can now help you shop better, and it's all thanks to the Yellow Pages who must be on some kind of publicity drive at the moment (see yesterday's post on the Pages going Cockney).
As the BBC reports, a mathematical formula has been devised that calculates "High Street Diversity," based on factors including basics, choice, and mix, as well as the type of shops available.
As the designer of the formula, Tim Dennison, says, "This is genuinely groundbreaking work as there has never been a mathematical way to measure the diversity of a high street before."
Did you ever stop to wonder why that was Tim?
The BBC article doens't come right out and say it, but we're guessing that this initiative is partly designed to get Londoners to shop locally. Londonist can't support that idea strongly enough, but we do find it a bit worrying that we need a mathematical equasion to prove to people that Bluewater is not the be-all and end-all.
Here's the top 10 most diverse high streets according to the Yellow Pages (sorry we can't provide the 'Top of the Pops Music' accompaniment, you'll have to hum it yourself):
1. Deptford
2. Kensington
3. Sutton
4. Streatham
5. Peckham
6. Barnet
7. Twickenham
8. Bromley
9. Putney
10. Beckenham
