Simple Math Hack to Streamline Household Chores

Quick Summary

• A mathematical concept called the “two-machine problem” from operational research can help optimize scheduling household chores, such as washing adn drying laundry.
• The example given involves prioritizing three diffrent types of laundry based on varying wash and dry times: regular load (110 minutes to wash, 120 to dry), heavily soiled load (140 minutes total readiness time), and sensitive load (130 minutes to wash, 160 to dry).
• Math optimization methods seek to resolve such scheduling tasks efficiently, possibly finding the shortest total duration for completion.

Image Description: A man in white overalls and a backward baseball cap mowing a steep lawn. Caption: “Mathematically, what are we trying to optimise?” Credit: John MacLean/Millennium Images, UK.