Skip to main content

Predicting sock loss: there's a formula for it!



Why do so many socks go missing in a household? Even in a household of one person. Two scientists have devised a formula for predicting sock loss. Note though – the announcement of the formula is a clever and comical advertisement strategy for the launch of Samsung’s new innovative washing machine that has a compartment for loose socks (it’s called the Addwash ecobubble) – so that socks can be washed during any part of the washing cycle.

The scientists reveal that each person loses, on average, 1.3 socks per month, which is 84 million lost socks in the United Kingdom every month! Per person, it amounts to 1,264 socks over a lifetime, costing 2,528 British pounds in losses.

Psychologist Dr. Simon Moore and statistician Dr. Geoff Ellis collaborated to determine the formula for sock loss (Mirror, 24 April 2016). Factors take into account the type of wash, laundry load, the number of people in a household, the number of socks washed, the degree of attention to the task, and the degree to which someone loves or hates washing clothes.

The Sock Loss Index formula is:  (L(p x f)+C(t x s))-(P x A).

L = the laundry size
p = the number of people living in a household
f = the frequency of washes in a week
C = washing complexity
t = how many types of washes a household does in a week
s = the number of socks washed in a week
P = the positivity toward doing laundry (measured on a scale of 1 to 5)
A = the degree of attention (how many times a person checks pockets, turns clothes the right way, and unrolls socks).





There we have it! Also note – knowing the formula will not prevent sock loss. But Samsung’s new washing machine might. The Addwash ecobubble means that socks, or any clothing, can be added to the wash during the wash, without interrupting the cycle, when the drum temperature is below 50C. The ecobubble drawer can be opened to quickly put any item of clothing into the wash – such as a sock that has been found.








http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/scientists-solve-mystery-socks-go-7827093



MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Labels:

Comments

  1. maddyFebruary 3, 2023 at 3:35 PM

    Nice to see this lovely and interesting post that you published about missing socks in households. After reading this blog I find it very funny and I really enjoyed it while reading. This is valuable blog. Thanks for sharing it. Click here, If anyone wants to buy face customized socks in Australia.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh  (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...
1 comment
Read more

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing...
2 comments
Read more

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...
1 comment
Read more