“We can use some fancy math to predict how long the line will get,” Keely Croxton of Ohio State says, then apply it to related problems. In response to a listener request, “Marketplace” host Kai ...

Queuing theory is the mathematical analysis of waiting in line. The line might involve data waiting for processing, equipment parts waiting in an assembly line or people waiting in line at various ...

The wait can feel endless. There you stand, an overflowing trolley, a screaming child behind you, and someone fumbling for coins ahead. The other lines seem to be moving through faster. Perhaps you ...

Let’s say you and your roommate have a little side business baking rhubarb pies at home and selling them on a street corner. Folks love pie, and you’re having trouble keeping up with demand. But you ...