Home : Math Matters - A Brief Look at How Mathematics has Influenced Modern Life : Household Appliances

--- Make Selection --- Electrification Highways Electronics Water Supply & Distribution Household Appliances Petroleum & Petrochemicals Airplanes Spacecraft High Performance Materials Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Nuclear Technology Radio & TV Computers Imaging Telephone The Internet Health Technologies Agricultural Mechanization Laser & Fiber Optics Automobiles    Household Appliances Remarkable technology enters our home via household appliances. Microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, and dishwashers are all direct descendents of the scientific and mathematical research done decades, and even centuries, earlier. Statistical Process Control (SPC): William Edward Deming (American, 1900-1993) was a pioneer of Statistical Process Control (SPC). He led the transformation of Japanese industry from post World War II ruin to an innovative global leader. SPC uses statistical techniques to measure and manage the quality of manufactured consumer items such as household appliances. Innovative use of classical mathematics has dramatically increased factory productivity and lowered prices.   Measuring the market: Auguste Compte (French, 1798-1857) was a leading force in the 19th century movement called Positivism, which saw mathematics and statistics as valuable tools in making decisions about people and society. Today we experience his legacy in business practices that use mathematics to model consumer behavior and determine the right marketing tactics for persuading us to buy household appliances and other items.