Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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This site was super helpful at explaining the history and math of apportionment. As always though, verify the specifics of the data yourself (but all the general points are definitely correct). maa.org/press/periodicals/convergence/apportioning-representatives-in-the-united-states-congress-introduction

You want MY data? Come get my data. dropbox.com/s/o8bmzmwcpbl04vq/SUM_census_data.xlsx?dl=0

George Washington was voiced by my friend Ben Moor. They are in The Queen's Gambit!

The Voice of Alabama is voiced by The Voice of Alabama. They are in Alabama!

Thanks to all of my Patreon supporters who mean I can spend a silly amount of time on a video like this. So much time. So much historical data. You too can help support me: patreon.com/standupmaths

CORRECTIONS
- I didn't bother showing me locking cell references in the animations. Things like "=B4/B2" should have been "=B4/$B$2" so I could drag the formula down. We took that out in the interest of clarity.
- Yes, at 13:20 I say "the divisor ceases to lose some of its strict meaning" which is the opposite of what I meant! the sentence needs but the one negative. Either of these would work: "the divisor loses some of its strict meaning" OR "the divisor ceases to have some of its strict meaning".
- Sorry, at 16:47 column D is wrong. These are different numbers using 880 but the values over in E use the correct 930. It's just a display issue and does not change the results (despite being a bit confusing!). Spotted by a few people including Thomas Klemm and AverageJon.
- People have mentioned that Theorem 2 (and the conclusion) from this 1974 paper by Balinski & Young has an Alabama-paradox-beating method. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.71.11.4602
- Let me know if you spot anything else.

Filming and editing by Alex Genn-Bash
Animations by William Marler wmad.co.uk
Voice work by Ben Moor and Destin Sandlin. Yes, it was Destin. Well done on scrolling all the way down here to check.
SUM Music by Howard Carter
Design by Simon Wright and Adam Robinson

MATT PARKER: Stand-up Mathematician
Website: standupmaths.com
US book: penguinrandomhouse.com/books/610964/humble-pi-by-matt-parker
UK book: mathsgear.co.uk/collections/books/products/humble-pi-signed-paperback

Hep Cats by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1500022 Artist: incompetech.com