Home / Series / Square One TV / Aired Order /

All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Episode 101

    • January 26, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Infinity"" Members of the Square One TV cast sing a song about how no matter how high you count, you'll never reach infinity. ""News Interruption"" Square One TV is interrupted for a ""news interruption."" ""Mathman"" The first ever installment of Square One TV's parody of Pacman. Mathman is asked to eat all of the multiples of three on the board. He does so and wins a free game. ""Mathematics Problem - Always Three"" Cast member Arthur Howard takes a phone call. The person on the other end of the line tells him to write down any number and no matter what number he writes down, his result will always be three. He tries the number ten. He's told to add five, double what he has, subtract four, divide by two and subtract the first number. To his surprise, it works. He tries it again on his own wiht another number, seven. He then takes another call, supposedly from the Queen of England and asks her to try it. ""And on..."" The people from the infinity song are still singing. I

  • S01E02 Episode 102

    • January 27, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""American Blandstand"" A parody of Dick Clark's American Bandstand. The host needs three people to help with a segment called ""Rate That Record."" In another parody, this time of the classic Star Trek, two people, a parody Captain Kirk and Spock materialize on the stage. It seems they've materialized on 20th century Earth by accident, but the host doesn't care. He's going to have them play. Their names are ""Sprock"" and Captain ""Curt"" of the Starship ""Interface."" Since he needs three people, the host calls up one more contestant from the audience: Josie, from South Philadelphia, who's really excited to be on American Blandstand. He plays a music clip from a song called ""Zoo Rumble"" and takes everyone's scores for it: 50, 72 and 64. From these scores, he's able to find the average: 62. He then plays another clip from a song called ""High Steel."" It get scores of 80 and 98. However, Captain Curt really dislikes like and rates it a 20. The host computes the average... 9

  • S01E03 Episode 103

    • January 28, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Spade Parade - The Yucca Puck Case"" This is a parody of an old style detective movie, I.E. Sam Spade. Only the detective in this case is named ""Spade Parade."" His client explains the situation. She's trying to get some information from three men, the ""Wisenheimers."" The problem is that she can't figure them out. One of them always lies, one always tells the truth and one sometimes lies, but sometimes tells the truth. She doesn't know which is which. Can Spade solve the case? Stay tuned to find out. ""Mathman"" Mathman is asked to eat only numbers on the board that are less than .5. He does well for a little while, correctly eatin the numbers .31 and .499. However, he then eats .51, causing him to be eaten by Mr. Glitch. ""Spade Parade Part 2"" A return to the ""Spade Parade"" case. We learn that the Wisenheimers are named Tom, Dick, and Harry. Tom always tells the truth. Dick never tells the truth. And Harry only sometimes tells the truth. Using logic and questioning,

  • S01E04 Episode 104

    • January 29, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""The Mathematics of Love"" In this segment, a singer finds himself in ancient Rome, where he's given a song to sing about the mathematics of love. However, he keeps getting stopped because whenever he reads one of the Roman numerals, he reads it as if it were an English letter, for example, instead of reading II as ""two,"" he reads it as ""I-I."" Finally, he learns the meanings of the various Roman numerals and sings the song as it was meant to be sung. ""Oops - Measurement (12 cm)"" A man was supposed to measure a piece of wood, and came up with 12 centimeters. The problem was that he didn't start the piece of wood at the 0 cm mark, so the correct measurement was 13cm. ""Frank Loyd Wrong - Building to Scale"" Architect Frank Lloyd Wrong was supposed to build a building according to his blueprints, where 1 inch represented 20 feet. His wealthy customer realizes that he didn't understand the concept of scale, and only built the building the same size as it was drawn. She

  • S01E05 Episode 105

    • January 30, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Prime Number Television"" A network executive is looking for shows for his new primetime lineup. The catch is that he only wants shows that have prime numbers in the title. Some are suggested, some of which are rejected because the numbers aren't prime. Others are manipulated so that they are made into prime numbers when they weren't before. ""Percents"" A music video by the ""Bank Notes."" ""Your Head"" Tauted as the best calculator in the world, Your Head is demonstrated as two teenagers figure out a tip from a restaurant bill. ""28%"" A message that informs us that we've already seen 28% of the show, so there's still 72% to go. ""Cure For a Headache"" In this commercial parody, designed to teach us about percentages, we learn that a large percentage of doctors recommend wrapping a rainbow trout around your forehead as a cure for a headache. ""But Who's Counting - Chases v. Skirts"" In this installment of Square One TV's parody game show, ""But Who's Counting,"" the object i

  • S01E06 Episode 106

    • February 2, 1987
    • PBS

    ""SQ1 Sports - Robin Hood -Archery - Highest Odd Score"" An archery competition set in the ""Robin Hood"" story in which the objective is to get the highest odd-numbered score. The target has areas labeled 9, 7, 5, 3 and 1. Currently, Robin Hood has 34 points, while Sir Guy has a perfect score, 36. The commentator talks with the organizer of the competition, the Sheriff of Nottingham. He thinks he was the perfect scheme. The rules say that they have to shoot six times. However, with only odd numbers on the target, it's impossible for their score to be odd. Therefore, he gets to keep the gold and neither of them win. They return to the competition, where Sir Guy and Robin Hood both get perfect nines. It's a crucial moment. Sir Guy shoots and hits for another nine. It's no longer possible for him to get an odd number. Then, in a surprise move, Robin Hood, turns around, faces the opposite direction and shoots. Since he didn't hit the target, his score remains at 43, an odd number. He wins and

  • S01E07 Episode 107

    • February 3, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Zero's Therapy Session"" The number Zero is having an identity crisis, feeling that the number zero is unwanted. The sketch focuses on mathematical attributes of zero. ""Desert Mirage"" A man stranded in the desert comes across a mirage: Shari Belafonte-Harbor is selling lemonade in the desert for 26% of a dollar. It's actually real, but he only has a quarter, which is 25% of a dollar. ""8% of My Love"" In a high school setting, cast member Cris Franco sings about how he loves different things a certain percentage as they come out of his locker, but he still has enough left to give his girlfriend 8% of his love. ""Matinee Movie"" An introduction to the film Cartablanca, a parody of the classic black and white film Casablanca. This parody involves a man and a woman separated by love, war, and a French Customs Official who knows how to guess someone's weight. ""Bumper"" 40% of the show is over, but don't despair, there's 60% to come. ""Harry's Hamburger Haven"" The first of

  • S01E08 Episode 108

    • February 4, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Suds - Popcorn Sizes"" A man goes up to a theater popcorn stand to order popcorn. He's asked by the cashier - cast member Reg E. Cathey - what size he wants and is told that there are three sizes available - large, larger and largest, for $1. The customer seems interested in the largest size, since he has a big family, but wonders if there's anything larger. In fact, he says that he wants some that's twice as wide, twice as tall and twice as deep. It turns out the cashier does have that and he whips it out. He then asks the customer for $8. The customer thinks that surely he's made some mistake - he should only be paying two dollars. But the cashier explains that by doubling all of the dimensions, he ended up with something that was eight times as large and he proves it - by removing eight of the ""largest"" size popcorn boxes from this jumbo box. The customer finds this very interesting, but says that he won't be needing the popcorn after all. They've been spendin

  • S01E09 Episode 109

    • February 5, 1987
    • PBS

    Warning: Sketches in this episode contain odd numbers. ""The Phoneymooners"" How do you determine the number of bricks needed to fix a hole in a brick wall? ""Look for tens,"" says Throckmorton. ""Square One TV Interruption"" To find approximate area, do what was just done in that last sketch. ""Film Insert"" Tugboat Operation in New York Harbor ""Backstage with Blackstone"" A segment with this famous magician explores heads and tails on a coin. Multiplication Music Video: ""Sign of the Times"" A music video sung by Cris Franco about mathematical signs. ""Mathman"" Following the episode theme, Mathman's task in this segment is to eat only odd numbers. Mathnet: The Case of the Missing Baseball, Part 4

  • S01E10 Episode 110

    • February 6, 1987
    • PBS

    Sketches include fare such as ""Superguy,"" ""Combinatorics"" and the fifth part of the Mathnet case about a missing baseball.

  • S01E11 Episode 111

    • February 9, 1987
    • PBS

    ""After the Interruption"" This is a warnning about the upcoming probability tricks… ""Cabot & Marshmallow"" The pair play a game of ""Heads You Win, Tails I Lose"" to demonstrate the probability of one. ""The Improbable Spinner Win"" A carnival barker tries to swindle a lady into playing an unfair spinner game. He would win if the wheel stops on green, which takes up ¾ of the wheel. ""Cabot & Marshmallow - Shelled!"" The pair does ""The Old Shell Game"" without a pea, demonstrating the unfair game with a probability of zero. Music Video: Ghost of a Chance This music video, performed by Five Factorial!, shows a pizza delivery man trapped in a haunted house. It demonstrates a situation in which the old saying ""a ghost of a chance"" takes on a much more literal meaning. Wide Wide World of Sports You've Never Heard Of This spoof on ABC's The Wide World of Sports presents a Handshakes Tournament. The two sportscasters draw out triangular numbers to show how many total handshakes the winning team must c

  • S01E12 Episode 112

    • February 10, 1987
    • PBS

    ""The Paper Rase"" John Hillerman impersonator advises Ned Flimsy, ""You must round up"" up the cost of Ned's law books ""Exclusive Music Video"" The Fat Boys perform ""Burger Pattern."" ""But Who's Counting?"" In this parody game-show, contestants must make the largest possible sum from a 3-digit number and a 2-digit number (Promotional consideration by Q mu less calculators) ""Music Video"" It's a Palindrome discusses numbers that are same backwards and forwards. ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Passing Parade, Part 2""

  • S01E13 Episode 113

    • February 11, 1987
    • PBS

    ""The Groaning Wall"" ""Samurai Mathematician"" ""Diet Lite Wet"" Comm. Shoot ""Mathman"" Fractions = 1/3 Music Video: LCD ""Good Sports: Fractional Baseball""New rules give a team ¼ of a run for each base a player reaches (sketch features actual footage of Mets-Cubs game at Wrigley Field) Time Check: 54/100 seen ""Oops!"" 4212 ÷ 6 = 702 ""Mathnet"": ""The Problem of the Passing Parade, Part 3"" At the hideout, George encounters sheet music titles 75 Trombones. Back at Mathnet HQ, the kidnappers call, putting Steve Stringbean on the phone with a dull musical message: ""Please do what these people say.""

  • S01E14 Episode 114

    • February 12, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: Opening teaser: What would you do if your name was what? ""Cabot and Marshmallow"" Marshmallow knows that Cabot has set him up with a date, and Cabot tells him that her name is What, which leads to a ""Who's on First"" style routine. What is arriving from 50 miles away, but What is coming on horseback. The horse goes 10 miles per hour and stops every hour for a ten minute break. Amidst the comedy, Marshmallow figures out that What will take 5 hours and 50 minutes to arrive and since What left 5 hours and 40 minutes ago, What should arrive in ten minutes. Cabot and Marshmallow are surprised that What just arrived, but then realize that What actually took 5 hours and 40 minutes to arrive. What doesn't take a ten minute break after 50 miles because What has already arrived. Marshmalow answers the door, and What says, ""Hi. What's the name!"" and Marshmallow faints. ""Newsbreak"" ""Watch out for averages that are much too small"" ""Whither Weather"" A Weather report indi

  • S01E15 Episode 115

    • February 13, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Voiceover"" A voiceover introduces the viewer to ""Sketch #241: Daddy Knows Different."" ""Daddy Knows Different"" Daddy and his son Rusty show the proper way to break dishes. ""Apple Rap"" A rap music video. In this rap, Johnathan tells his shrink about his after school apple-peeling job. He can peel 40 apples in an hour, but his co-worker, Maria, peels 80 apples in an hour. The psychiatrist diagnoses him with ""apple envy,"" but Johnahan explains that his boss asked him and Maria to peel 360 apples and he doesn't know how long it will take aboth of them to peel 360 apples. He then realizes that both he and Maria can peel 120 apples in an hour, so it will take him three hours. His problem is solved, just as his session ends. ""Animation"" An animation in which circles change to hexagons and then to a pattern with hexagons and six pointed stars. ""But Who's Counting"" In this installment, the Barberras and the Meads face off against each other. ""Bar Chart"" A commercial which

  • S01E16 Episode 116

    • February 16, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""I Love Lupy - Elephants pt. 1"" A parody of the classic show I Love Lucy. ""Measurement of a Cat"" Cynthia and Reg measure a cat using a framing device. ""I Love Lupy pt. 2"" The second half of the ""I Love Lupy"" skit. ""Warning"" Square One TV is interrupted for a warning. ""Countin' Out the Rhythm"" A music video. ""Mathman (bumper)"" A bumper to the upcoming ""Mathman"" segment. ""Mathman: Factors of 12"" In this installment of Square One TV's parody of Pacman, Mathman must eat all of the factors of 12 on the board, or else be eaten by Mr. Glitch. ""Backstage with Blackstone: 3 Coins Puzzle"" Blackstone takes us backstage for another neat math trick. ""Mathnet: The Trial of George Frankly Part 1"" Having come back from vacation, George learns that there was a bank robbery at the Next to the Last National Bank and when watching the surveilance tape, George learns that he's the one on tape! George sets out to clear his name by going to the bank and the bank's president recognizes

  • S01E17 Episode 117

    • February 17, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Animation: Perimeter"" The perimeter of a shape is measured out in units. ""Oops! Perimeter"" In 1968, a hippie was supposed to find the perimeter of an 8-inch by 5-inch rectangle. He only came up with 8 + 5, or 13 inches, causing a disaster. He should have taken 8 + 5 and then multiplied by 2, to find the length of all the sides of the rectangle combined. ""Bandanas"" Cowboys who had just purchased 5 head of cattle need to find out how much fence they'll need, as each cow needs 20 square yards of space. Thus, they figure that the fence should cover 100 square yards. The schoolmom helps them find the rectangle that uses the least fence, and it's 10 X 10, which covers 100 square yards, but only needs 40 yards of fence. ""Newsroom Interruption"" This just in: Rectangles of the same area can have different perimeter. ""The Math Mimes Two mimes, Rene and Marcel, find a loop of rope and make different rectangles with it. Marcel points out that rectangles of the same perimeter have different area

  • S01E18 Episode 118

    • February 18, 1987
    • PBS

    Exclusive Music Video: ""Perfect Squares"" Rodney and Painter, Part 1: Square Numbers Masterworks Theatre presents ""The Trojan Pie"" Rodney and Painter, Part 2: Triangular Numbers ""The Groaning Wall"" Rodney and Painter, Part 3: Square and Triangular Numbers Interruption: Square Number Defined ""But Who's Multiplying?"" Mathnet: ""The Trial of George Frankly, Part 3""

  • S01E19 Episode 119

    • February 19, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Round Off!"" A game show that involves racing to a bell, and the first player to ring the bell has to round off a number. The first number is 3467, which must be rounded off to the nearest ten. One contestant, Belinda, does this with 3470. The next number is 33633, which is to be rounded off to the nearest hundred. Barry, the other contestant, gets 33700, but that doesn't work because the correct answer is 33600, to which 33633 is closer. The next number is 42656, which should be rounded off to the nearest thousand. Barry succeeds with 43000, but none of the contestants win because they each got one right, and the game is over. ""Cabot and Marshmallow"" Cabot gyps Marshmallow out of theater tickets by rounding off. Each ticket was $13, and there were 4 tickets, so 13 is rounded down to 10, and 4 is rounded down to 0, so Cabot points out that 10 times 0 is 0. Music Video- ""Round It Off"" A music video about rounding numbers. ""Bumper"" A bumper working in the theme of

  • S01E20 Episode 120

    • February 20, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Warning About Prime Number"" ""Callous 101st Anniversary Assortment ""Bureau of Missing Numbers 101"" ""Le Prime Club"" ""Square Dance"" ""Multiplication Class"" ""Mathman: Fractions Smaller Than ½"" ""Mathnet: The Trial of George Frankly, Part 5""

  • S01E21 Episode 121

    • February 23, 1987
    • PBS

    What are the common multiples of 15 and 18? You'll see them when two clowns enter at special times of the hour throughout the show and do silly things. ""But Who's Counting?"" It's another search for the best possible sum between a three digit number and a two digit number. Q mu less calculators, a previous sponsor, is not acknlowedged in this parody game-show hosted by Monte Carlo. ""Common Multiple Man"" Cris Franco plays a misfit of science who can instantly figure out common multiples for several numbers. ""Exclusive Music Video"" In ""Less Than Zero,"" Stanley O'Toole is so bad at everything he does that the judges give him negative scores. Not to be confused with the ""Less the Zero"" song performed by George Frankley and Pat Tuesday in Season Five, a.k.a. ""Don't Leave; You Stay; I'll Go."" ""The War between the Positives and Negative Begins!"" +5 + -3 = +2 ""Remainder of show Bumper"" This bumper tells us how much of the program is left. ""Rutabagas vs Square One TV"" Larry Cedar does a super

  • S01E22 Episode 122

    • February 24, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits In This Episode: ""March of History - Parts 1, 2 and 3"" ""Concave vs. Convex Shapes"" ""Backstage with Blackstone - Coin Trick"" ""Parity sequence"" ""Exclusive Music Video: Jenny Didn't Call"" ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Dirty Money, Part 2""

  • S01E23 Episode 123

    • February 25, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""King for a Day"" ""Person on the Street"" ""The Trapezoid Monks"" ""Mathman"" ""Daddy Knows Different: Parts 1 and 2"" ""Music Video: Roman Numeral Blues"" ""Oops!"" ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Dirty Money, Part 3""

  • S01E24 Episode 124

    • February 26, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Mathman"" Mathman is assigned to eat only Prime Numbers ""Matinee Movie"" Matinee Movie is about to hold a Dialing for Factors call-in. The winner must name the factors of a large number. That leads to the movie, Mr. Bland Builds His Dream House (a Laurel and Hardy parody). Mr. Bland, garbage dealer, wants Stan and Olie to make a rectangular window with 17 panes. It doesn't look pretty, until Stan breaks a window pane. Back in the studio, Matinee Movie searches for, and gets, a winner in their Dialing for Factors game. Part two of Mr. Bland Builds His Dream Houseshows how many different rectangles can be made from 16 window panes. Matinee Movie wraps up after another fine mess that Stan has gotten himself and his partner into. ""Newsroom Interruption!"" Square One TV is interrupted. ""Time Check"" A time check points out how much of the show remains. ""Bureau of Missing Numbers"" The Bureau of Missing Numbers is assigned to trace the fascinating number 9. ""Nine, Nine, Nine"" The House Ba

  • S01E25 Episode 125

    • February 27, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Amazing Story of Nines, Part One"" ""Animation: Hexahedron"" ""Amazing Story of Nines, Part Two"" ""Animation: Pentagon Pyramid"" ""Amazing Story of Nines, Part Three"" ""Music Video - Change Your Point Of View by Obelisk"" ""Backstage with Blackstone"" ""Fraction Rap Bumper"" ""Music Video - Fraction Rap"" ""Mathnet: Problem of the Dirty Money, Part 5""

  • S01E26 Episode 126

    • March 2, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Data Headache: Line Graph"" This installment of Square One TV's series about using charts and graphs to solve a data headache features the line graph. Ms. Weatherby has a data headache from keeping track of corporate profits. The announcer tells her to use a line graph to keep track of her information, and it works for her. ""Pie Chart"" In medieval times, the Dra-Ma guild (dragon maintainance guild) uses a pie chart to keep track of how much it costs to raise a dragon and the percentage of the cost that each expense (food, dragon litter, lighter fluid, charcoal) entails. ""Graph of Love"" In a 50s rock and roll styled video, a teenager uses a ""graph of love"" to indicate how much love she feels throughout the course of a year. As each month passes, the number with which she rates her feelings goes up and down, and in the end, fortunately, it's a pefect ten! ""Backstage With Blackstone"" Blackstone's got more tricks up in this sleeve. This installment features the ""invi

  • S01E27 Episode 127

    • March 3, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Eagle Express, Part 1: Distance Between Detroit and Chicago"" ""Exclusive Music Video: Draw a Map by Lewis and Clark"" ""Eagle Express, Part 2: Cistance Between Detroit and Tulsa"" ""Appliance Pull, Part 1"" ""Fortune Teller: Arthur's Age"" ""Appliance Pull, Part 2"" ""Don't Despair"" ""Mathnet: Mystery of the Maltese Pigeon, Part 2""

  • S01E28 Episode 128

    • March 4, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Suds: Raffle Ticket, Part 1"" ""Person on the Street: Dodecahedron"" ""Animation: Dodecahedron"" ""Suds: Raffle Ticket, Part 2"" Grempod and Blotmo: sponge candy ""Suds: Raffle Ticket, Part 3"" ""Tony and the Togas: The Mathematics of Love"" ""Backstage with Blackstone: Coin Tricks"" ""Mathnet: Mystery of the Maltese Pigeon, Part 3""

  • S01E29 Episode 129

    • March 5, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Matinee Movie"" A promo hints to the eventual broadcast of Cartablanca. (Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 107) ""Perfect Squares"" An exclusive music video performed by The Square Brothers. (Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 101) ""Oops!"" A subtraction error, with the equation 300-163= , leads to disaster. Viewers are shown what went wrong and how to not make the same mistake. ""Cartablanca"" Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 107 ""Percents"" A music video about percentages by the Bank Notes. ""Mathman: Percentages"" In order to win a free game, Mathman must eat only percentages that are less than ½. ""National Geometric: The Search for the Giant Squid"" Repeat of a segment first aired in Episode 114. ""Soultions Warning"" The voice of Barbara Feldon tells viewers to understand what kind of solutions they are looking for when solving problems. ""Mathnet: The Mystery of the Maltese Pigeon, Part 4"" Kate and George see through Maureen O'Rilley's alibi. Thinking the Maltese P

  • S01E30 Episode 130

    • March 6, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Interruption!"" A newsreader quotes the Mathematician General's report: ""Averages can be misleading."" The Phoneymooners The two have helped moving the furniture and books of the Racoon Lodge. But Throckmorton is only taking five alumni books, which drives the average down. It's better, says Ralph, for the three to carry an equal number of books. ""Nebbish the Grocery Bagger, Part 1"" He doesn't pack the groceries right, breaking a dozen eggs in the process. ""Exclusive Music Video"" An music video called Count on It teaches viewers about counting. ""Nebbish the Grocery Bagger, Part 2"" He tries again, and this time he crushes a loaf of bread. ""Time Check"" .34 is a decimal fraction that shows how much of Episode 130 is left. ""Nebbish the Grocery Bagger, Part 3"" This time he puts the canned good in the bag first. It's a good move, but his later packing harms a cream puff. ""Commercial Survey"" Quacks are polled on what cures a Headache. Some recommend things such as a steak over the face. ""Nebbi

  • S01E31 Episode 131

    • March 9, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Mathematics R' Us: Place Value Holder"" ""Bumper (Larry)"" ""Battle of the Bulge Caterers, Part 1 --- New Version"" ""The Misteaks"" ""Battle of the Bulge Caterers Part 2"" ""Time Check"" ""War of Positives and Negatives: -9 +4 = -5"" ""Subtraction Commercial"" ""Miracle Zero, a Product of Jip Industries"" ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Trojan Hamburger, Part 1""

  • S01E32 Episode 132

    • March 10, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Eagle Express, Part 1"" ""9 Feet Exchanged"" ""Eagle Express, Part 2"" ""Exclusive Music Video: Metric Electric Lover by Dodo"" ""But Who's Adding: Samantha vs. Valerie"" ""Interruption"" ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Trojan Hamburger, Part 2""

  • S01E33 Episode 133

    • March 11, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Phone Call: Fibonacci"" ""Backstage with Blackstone: Fibonacci Sequence"" :Bumper on Fibonacci Sequence"" ""Mathman: Eat Percentages > 1/2"" ""The King's Stooges"" ""Person on the Street: What is a Tessellation?"" ""Exclusive Music Video: Tessellation"" ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Trojan Hamburger, Part 3""

  • S01E34 Episode 134

    • March 12, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Commercial Shoot for Stephan's Stereo"" This segment attempts to find out what works best: decimal, fraction or percent? ""Animation - Conversion"" An animation shows viewers that 75% = 75/100 = .75 = 3/4 ""Welcome Back, Blotter"" In this sendup of Welcome Back, Kotter, Mr. Blotter's birthday presents are not finished; only a precentage is done each time. ""Don't Despair"" ""8% of My Love"" Repeat of a music video that first aired in Episode 107. ""But Who's Counting?"" For the only time, Monte Carlo has kid contestants in his parody game-show. It's their task to make the largest 5-digit number. ""Commercial - Your Head"" A commercial promotes your head, saying that it estimates. ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Trojan Hamburger Part 4"" George learns that the abandoned balloon was the one that was rented and that it was reshaped to fit in the hamburger. Debbie informs that Mathnetters that Hans Ballpeen returned home and Beulah is ecstatic to have him back. Hans tells the Mathnetters that the kidnapp

  • S01E35 Episode 135

    • March 13, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""The Colon Commercial"" ""Joke Glasses Party"" ""Time Check"" ""Backstage with Blackstone"" ""Exculsive Music Video: Apple Rap"" ""Bumper"" ""Coatrack"" ""Pentagram Animation"" ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Trojan Hamburger, Part 5""

  • S01E36 Episode 136

    • March 16, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Harry's Hamburger Heaven"" A commercial shoot for the fictional restaurant. ""Which is Best"" An analysis of whether it's best to use decimal (.4), fraction (4/10) or percent (40%). ""Music Video"" Arthur sings Action at the Fraction Bar ""But Who's Multiplying"" The newest edition of the parody game-show. ""Animation"" Numbers and liquid are mixed in different glasses. ""Battle of the Bulge Caterers"" The caterers attempt to divide 18 popsicles for 12 guests ""2001 Parody"" This parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey features two astronauts attempting to stop their computer, Hank, from repeatedly singing ""Row, row, row your boat."" One of them decides to have Hank run a program, which Hank accepts, having to run the program until it is finished: Step 1, start with three; Step 2, add four; Step 3, stop if the answer is even, if not go back to Step 2. Of course the program can never be finished. The astronaut asks us to try the same program, but reminds us that we'll never reach an even number. The astrona

  • S01E37 Episode 137

    • March 17, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Ratings Analysis"" The centerpiece sketch is set at HBC, a Rival network trying to gain inroads on Square One TV's ratings. The bar graph demonstrates that SQ1TV has had great success with Mathnet, Callous, and March of History. Their duds include The Mike Merv Show Show (which we have not seen yet, but it's coming) and Ken & Barbie (which we will never see). In other words, Square One TV actually has no duds. ""Commercial - Your Head"" Karl Malden impersonator advertises the estimating and rounding skills of your head. Repeat of a segment that first aired earlier in the season. ""Exclusive Music Video"" Cristobal sings Sign of the Times ""Time Check"" An announcer tells us that we've seen 40% of the show so far. ""Backstage with Blackstone"" A magic trick with famous magician Harry Blackstone. ""Mathman"" Mathman is instructed to eat only Factors of 60. ""Animation"" An animation features quadrilaterals - shapes with four sides such as squares and rectangles. ""Mathnet: Problem of the Missing Mo

  • S01E38 Episode 138

    • March 18, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Odd Number Strike"" Newsanchor Eugene Gummm covers the odd number strike. Number 107 insists it is because the odd numbers prefer to be called uneven. Gummm then interviews some people negatively affected by the odd number strike: chef Julia Kitchen, rock star Mick Stagger, a race car driver, and a city bus driver. Gumm then promises to keep covering the odd number strike because his office is on an ""uneven""-numbered street. ""Animation"" A two row pattern of blocks shows odd and even numbers. ""Math Rap - Music Video"" Kurtis Blow raps to his students about mathematics. ""But Who's Counting?"" The Kurkendalls from San Simeon, California compete against the San Simeons from Kurkendall, California. The object is to place five numbers that come out on a number wheel to obtain the largest possible five digit number. In the first round, the number wheel comes up with a first digit 5, then second digit 3, third digit 1, fourth digit 4 and fifth digit 0. The contestants r

  • S01E39 Episode 139

    • March 19, 1987
    • PBS

    ""So-Fari, So-Goodi, Part 1"" Lady Huxbey talks of her unfortunate attempt to feed the elephants in the jungle. In her field report, she finds a hawker, Jungle Clyde. He says she must buy a map of jungle from him if she wants to feed the elephants. The cost: half the peanuts Lady Huxbey brought with her, plus one more peanut. ""Person on the Street"" What is a googol? ""Animation"" Graphics show that a googol is ten to the hundredth power. (Not to be confused with the googol animation that appears in the 3-2-1 Contact episode called ""Measurement: How Many? How Much?"") ""So-Fari, So-Goodi, Part 2"" Jungle Clyde explains Lady Huxbey must buy a map of the animals from him if she wants to feed the elephants. The cost: half the peanuts Lady Huxbey has left, plus two more peanuts. ""Googol Commercial"" Moon Unit Zappa discusses one googol and how she can write it easily. ""So-Fari, So-Goodi, Part 3"" Jungle Clyde explains Lady Huxbey must buy a map of the elephants from him if she wants to feed the

  • S01E40 Episode 140

    • March 20, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Let's Do A Deal, Part 1"" In this send-up of Let's Make a Deal, two contestants are chosen from the audience and given a choice of two treasure chests. One has two gold coins and two lead coins, the other has more gold coins and many more lead coins. First, they must choose one of the two chests and, once that's done, they must pull out a gold coin from that chest. If they do, they move to another chance game. ""Exclusive Music Video: Ghost of a Chance"" Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 111 ""Let's Do a Deal, Part 2"" Now the contestants must choose from a pile of four pencils, three of which are unsharpened. If they pick all the unsharpened pencils, they will win the treasure hunt prize. ""Backstage with Blackstone"" Blackstone takes playing cards from a deck. The highlight of the trick comes when the assistants must choose one of five cards with different sayings, including ""Choose This Card Here"" and ""Let The Mystery Begin."" What they don't know just yet, is that each sayi

  • S01E41 Episode 141

    • March 23, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits In This Episode: ""News interruption: One Way to Never Reach Zero"" ""Moderately Frightening Stories"" ""Mathman: Multiples of 5"" ""Battle of the Bulge Caterers"" ""Time Check Bumper"" ""Sybil Sawyer, Part 1"" ""Warning about the Upcoming Music Video"" ""Exclusive Music Video: Angle Dance"" ""Nancy Lieberman"" ""Ball Ricochet"" ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Missing Baseball, Part 1""

  • S01E42 Episode 142

    • March 24, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Polling"" A pollster for the Candidate Zagursky for Mayor campaign thinks he has had a good sample for his poll. But he finds his sample is biased: He called all people with last names starting with Z. They are are all related to Candidate Zagursky. ""Sybil Sawyer, Part 2"" How biologists measure the perimeter and age of trees. ""Time Check"" An announcer tells us that 20% of the show has passed. ""Polling - Again"" The Candidate Zagursky for Mayor pollster hass since polled the people at the local Post Office. But the sample is still biased: Zagursky worked at that Post Office for 15 years. ""Backstage with Blackstone"" The number nine plays a role in the number of coins on a table. ""Polling 3"" Finally, the Candidate Zagursky for Mayor pollster has done a random sample. It shows that Candidate Zagursky doesn't have a chance of winning. ""Multiples of 1-10"" A diagram shows all of the these multiples. ""Bumper"" Glitch, Mathman's nemesis, gives a hint to the secret code in the upcoming music v

  • S01E43 Episode 143

    • March 25, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits include, but are not limited to: ""How to Build a Bridge"" ""Sybil Sawyer, Part 3"" ""International House of Bologna"" ""Mathnet: The Probem of the Missing Baseball, Part 3""

  • S01E44 Episode 144

    • March 26, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode Included: ""Cabot and Marshmallow – Wooden Candy Bars"" Repeat of a segment first aired in Episode 108. ""Sybil Sawyer, Part 4"" Hollywood reporter Sybil Sawyer is still in the woods, learning how people estimate the amount of wood in a log. ""Oops!"" A new segment finds a man making a mistake when multiplying decimals. The end tease (""Oops! is brought to you by erasers"") is repeated by mistake. ""Bumper: Please Stand By"" ""Bulletin"" Now that SQ1TV is back on, they can deliver a late-breaking news item from the local courtroom. A jester was accused of making a bed too small for the King to fit in. The problem was, the King had made measurements for the desired bed using his big feet. The jester copied the measurements with his small feet, After exhausting testimony, the jester was found not guilty. ""Time Check"" Tease informs viewers they have already seen .44 of SQ1TV. ""Mathman"" This time, Mathman must eat only multiples of 6. ""Countin' Out The Rhythm"" Repeat of a music v

  • S01E45 Episode 145

    • March 27, 1987
    • PBS

    Immediately after the titles, a voice over reminds us we've seen one thirtieth of Square One TV. Now twenty-nine thirtieths are to be seen: ""Phoneymooners"" A Venn Diagram shows groceries bought for Raccoon Hamburger Fry. Seems four things were bought twice and another four were not bought at all. ""Sybil Sawyer (Pt 5.) A segment that details wood used vs. wood wasted in furniture. ""Oops!"" A segment about ruler measurement. As the Planet Spins Buying too much carpet for L-shaped room ""Music Video: Square Song"" Before the song, there's a disclaimer about it being edited for television. Cris Franco sings the lead in this song about squares. ""Backstage with Blackstone"" Blackstone does a trick involving 10 cards, face up/face down. ""Claymation Creatures"" The war between the Positives and Negatives rages on, showing that 1 + -12 = -11 Mathnet: The Problem of the Missing Baseball Part 5 Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 110

  • S01E46 Episode 146

    • March 30, 1987
    • PBS

    ""Number Squaring Trick"" Arthur Howard, on the phone, learns a trick for squaring numbers ending in five. ""Talent Agent - Square Numbers"" Broadway talent agent Mr. Biggs wants a Broadway song about square numbers. ""Bureau of Missing Numbers"" What are distinct characteristics of 36? They'll need to know if they're going to find it. ""Animation"" This animation features dancing squares. ""Exclusive Music Video"" The classic Square Brothers' Perfect Squares. Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 101. ""Your Map Commerical"" Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 102. ""Mathnet: Problem of the Passing Parade, Part 1"" Repeat of a Mathnet case first shown in Episode 111.

  • S01E47 Episode 147

    • March 31, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode Include: ""Mathematics R' Us"" Smilin' Al Gorithm tauts rounding off numbers. One example is how he rounded 9.72 to 9.7 ""Music Video: Round it Off"" The House Band, on the album ""Live at Tilley's,"" sings of how to round off numbers to make things easier: round up if it ends in 5 or more, round it down if it's less than five."" (Note: This segment first appeared in Episode 119.) ""Art Store"" An artist goes into an art supply store. ""Animation - Area"" The segment shows how a 6 x 8 rectangle is calculated to 48 square units. ""The 5:19 Blues"" A girl sings the blues about numbers that aren't rounded off. As she gets to the train station at 5:20, she realizes that although rounding off works on lots of numbers, don't round off the time the train leaves. ""How Much is Left"" This much (.41) of the show is over, but don't despair: there's this much (.59) left to come. ""But Who's Counting"" Another installment of Square One TV's parody game show, ""But Who's Counting."" ""Mathnet: Th

  • S01E48 Episode 148

    • April 1, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode included: ""Mathman"" Mathman must eat only the factors of 24. ""But Who's Multiplying?"" Another edition of the game with two kids quickly multiplying two factors to for the right products. ""Oops!"" This one is a real shocker. Because someone couldn't correctly multiply 603 by 7, a bridge collapsed. (Footage shown was of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge swaying and collapsing in 1941.) ""Warning!"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 114. ""Executive at Meeting"" It's an executive's birthday, and he's all excited. He figured out how many people can sit at each table using division. ""Time Check"" You've already seen 40% of SQ1TV, and the show asks how much remains. ""Jenny Didn't Call"" Repeat of a music video first aired in Episode 122. ""Backstage with Blackstone"" Blackstone has a trick involving a cyclical number: 142,857. Multiply that number by any digit from 1 to 6 and the digits of the cyclical number remain in sequence. ""Animation: Cyclical Number"" Adding on to the Blac

  • S01E49 Episode 149

    • April 2, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode included: ""Mathematics 'R' Us"" Smilin' Al Gorithm has been asked to tone down the price of his function machine. Using the ""-3"" as his function, he takes the price down to $18, $15, $12, $9, $6 and finally $3. A customer does him better: using the -3 function to turn the price to nothing. ""Mathman"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 101. ""Lazy Guys, Part 1"" Cris plays two guys called Divided By 1 and Multiplied By 1. Both are dressed as old-time country bumpkins, not doing anything to change numbers. ""Mathman Sabotaged"" Another Mathman game is about to start, but Glitch cheats, eating Mathman before the announcer can finish his spiel. ""Celebrity Kitchen"" Talk show host Donna Who (who we will see on her talk show set during Episode 171) is visiting Superguy. He has been busy making three cakes: one each for his superfriends. Because he needs to multiply each ingredient of the recipe by three, he calls on his function machine. It's the gadget we saw at Mathem

  • S01E50 Episode 150

    • April 3, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""I Love Lupy"" Lupy gets a new job cutting licorice, so she can pay off a ming vase she accidentally destroyed. She has to cut two-foot strands of licorice into five inch and seven inch pieces. This won't be an easy task, because the company frowns upon wasting licorice, going by the credo, ""Waste not, get fired not."" Lupy finds that cutting one strand from each strand isn't enough. ""Battling Cones"" -Seven negative blue cones clash with five positive orange cones. After a battle, two blue cones survive, showing that -7 + 5 = -2 ""I Love Lupy Part 2"" Lupy tries to cut 4 five inch strands, but finds she has four inches left over. Three seven inch strands also doesn't work, because there are three inches left over. Even when Lupy cuts three five inch pieces and one seven inch piece she still has two inches of waste licorice. In the end, Lupy figures out that a two foot strand of licorice into two five inch pieces and two seven inch pieces. Unfortunately she still has

  • S01E51 Episode 151

    • April 6, 1987
    • PBS

    ""But Who's Counting?"" The parody game-show pits the Boones vs. the Goodmans. ""Person on the Street"" The person on the street asks people what a pentomino is. Pentominos play a part in ""Make a Box,"" featuring Cynthia Darlow. ""Animation"" Pentominos making patterns and large rectangles. ""Sketch 763"" It's said that the sketch. could not be written. So it wasn't. It was ad-libbed. In it, Frank Lloyd Wrong (first seen in Episode 104) discusses his restaurant, which profited only 27¢. ""Exclusive Music Video"" Darling sings Perpendicular lines ""Mathnet: Trial of George Frankly, Part 1"" Repeat of a Mathnet case first shown in Episode 116.

  • S01E52 Episode 152

    • April 7, 1987
    • PBS

    ""The Mike Merv Show Show"" Hinted to in Episode 137, The Mike Merv Show Show finally airs. Dim-witted Mike's guest is Ali Haji-Sheikh, then place kicker for the New York Giants. Ali shows, via a film of his kicks, how the angle of a kick determines how far the football will go. ""Music Video"" Larry Cedar sings I'm Just An Average American ""Backstage with Blackstone"" Blackstone performs another amazing trick that involves math. ""Mathman"" Mathman's mission is to eat only even numbers. ""Castaways"" It's easy for castaways to divide 0 sea biscuits. ""Animation"" An animation demonstrates that any number times 0 is 0. ""Rappin Judge"" Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 102 ""Mathnet: The Trial of George Frankly, Part 2"" Repeat of a Mathnet segment first shown in Episode 117

  • S01E53 Episode 153

    • April 8, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode included: ""Friendly Bank"" Gangsters rob an unimaginably friendly bank. The tellers prove just how friendly they are when the gangsters can't seem to divide the stolen money evenly. ""Time Check"" Since .31 of SQ1TV is over, how much is left? ""Count On It"" Repeat of a music video first aired in Episode 103. ""But Who's multiplying?"" In this installment, Michael plays against Arturo. ""Animation-Tetrahedron"" Various 3-D shapes float across the screen. One of them, the tetrahedron, unfolds to show it is made up of four equilateral triangles. ""Miracle Zero by Jip Industries"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 131. ""Mathnet: The Trial of George Frankly, Part 3"" Repeat of a segment first aired in Episode 118.

  • S01E54 Episode 154

    • April 9, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Point of View"" Cris talks about changing your point of view to introduce the next segment. ""Clowning Around"" In this sketch, a clown has to move from the outer ring to the center platform of the circus floor, without touching the ground. He must use two wooden boards, each of which are 6 1/2 feet long, to reach the platform, which is seven feet away, and the boards must not touch the ground. After examining the problem, the clown succeds, but falls onto the ground anyway. ""Person on the Street"" Square One TV's roving reporter asks this question of people on the street: What is a palindrome? After several attempts, one person finally guesses that a palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same backwards and forwards, and then a woman points out that this can also apply to numbers. ""Palindrome"" A musical number. The vocalist (Arthur Howard) sings about palindromic numbers and how to reach them by reversing and adding. He goes from a tango to a waltz to a d

  • S01E55 Episode 155

    • April 10, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode included: ""King for a Day"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 123. ""Time Check"" 23% of SQ1TV is over, leaving 77% of SQ1TV to come. ""Mathman"" In this game, Mathman must eat only multiples of four. ""Person on the Street"" Given the question, ""What is a quadrilateral?"", several people on the street answer incorrectly before the last person gets it right. ""Animation: An Interesting Game of Football"" An underdog team is ready to play football with some bruisers on an odd-shaped field. One fence and a bunch of bushes makes the field a trapezoid, which the underdog team uses to its advantage. In the second interesting game, a large section of the same field is swamped by excess rain. That gives both teams a badly-shaped quadrilateral field, and again the underdogs find a way to score often. ""Animation: Quadrilateral"" A quadrilateral breaks, and all its corners join at a single point, showing the four angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360 degrees. ""Fraction Rap""

  • S01E56 Episode 156

    • April 13, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode included: ""The Adventures of Spade Parade: The Three Brothers Problem, Part 1"" The 1940s detective drama spoof returns after many weeks with a new mystery. Spade encounters a female diner owner who has just had something lifted. She knows the culprit is one of three triplet brothers. Spade needs to know something different about the triplets. Finally the diner owner admits the triplets order hamburgers at her diner, but that one eats hamburgers with relish, another with ketchup, and the third with anchovies. ""There's more than one way to solve any problem"" ""The Adventures of Spade Parade: The Three Brothers Problem, Part 2"" Spade Parade makes a table and, after asking the diner owner questions, determines which of the three triplet brothers is the culprit. ""Mathman - Factors of 18"" Repeat of a segment first aired in Episode 108. ""Fortune Teller"" Cynthia tells the uniqueness of amicable numbers. With a man and a woman for her audience, the fortune teller says 220 a

  • S01E57 Episode 157

    • April 14, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E58 Episode 158

    • April 15, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E59 Episode 159

    • April 16, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E60 Episode 160

    • April 17, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode Included, But Were Not Limited To: Music Video ""Less Than Zero"" ""Person On The Street: What is a Googol?"" Another segment in Square One TV's ""Person On The Street"" series featuring Moon Unit Zappa. People are asked what a googol is. Many answers are given, but only one is correct. The correct answer is that a googol is one million million. (Repeat of a segment that first aired in Episode 139) ""Moon Unit Zappa For Googols"" Moon Unit Zappa tells a story about googols. (Repeat of a segment that first appared in Episode 139)

  • S01E61 Episode 161

    • April 20, 1987
    • PBS

    Sketches in this episode: ""The Predictors"" ""Change Your P.O.V."" ""Multi-Gloves Commercial"" ""Animation: Pebble"" ""But Who's Adding?"" ""Animation: Number Nine"" ""Time Check"" ""Mathman"" ""Mathnet: The Mystery of the Maltese Pigeon, Part 1""

  • S01E62 Episode 162

    • April 21, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E63 Episode 163

    • April 22, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E64 Episode 164

    • April 23, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E65 Episode 165

    • April 24, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E66 Episode 166

    • April 27, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E67 Episode 167

    • April 28, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E68 Episode 168

    • April 29, 1987
    • PBS

  • S01E69 Episode 169

    • April 30, 1987
    • PBS

    Sketches include: Exclusive Music Video: Angle Dance (recycled from earlier) The difference between Area and Perimeter Arthur needs seed and fencing for his lawn. Another Exclusive Music Video: Burger Pattern featuring The Fat Boys McMath: parody of Shakespeare's Scottish play, in which the witch sisters ask McMath for the largest dimensions possible for a garden surrounded by 48 feet of fence. Mathman is instructed to eat only Even Numbers. Animation: Can 13 cows try to form a rectangle? Not really, since 13 is a prime number. Mathnet: The Problem of the Trojan Hamburger, Part 4.

  • S01E70 Episode 170

    • May 1, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode: ""The Adventures of Spade Parade, Part 1: Baseball"" ""Music Video: Percents by The Bank Notes"" ""The Adventures of Spade Parade, Part 2"" ""Time Check"" ""Harry's Hamburger Haven Commercial Shoot"" ""Mathnet: The Problem of the Trojan Hamburger Part 5""

  • S01E71 Episode 171

    • May 4, 1987
    • PBS

    At intermittent times during this show (and the next four), a graph shows how much of Square One TV has expired. ""Oops!"" Twitch E. Room makes a ruler mismeasurement. ""Mathematics 'R' Us"" Smilin' Al sells Perimeter Measuring Evaluator ""Music Video"" Rcycled run of Metric Electric Lover by Dodo ""Animation"" A variety of beautiful symmetry patterns are shown. ""Donna Who?"" Discusses a confessional as two theater ushers miscount theater sections. ""But Who's Adding?"" A parody game-show ""Mathnet: Trial of George Frankly, Part 1""

  • S01E72 Episode 172

    • May 5, 1987
    • PBS

    More pop-ups show how much of Square One TV has elapsed as the following scenes play themselves out: ""Mathman"" Mathmanmust eat only the Factors of 18 ""Quality Control"" In a factory that values quality control, Harry & Elmo must put cubes into crates. They have a work order for 360, something that seems impossible until they arrange the cubes orderly into a crate. ""Music Video"" An exclusive music video called Think encourages viewers to use their brains. ""Caraway Street"" CTW borrows unto itself for parody as human-sized Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street consider the cost of owning a puppy. ""Newsroom Interruption"" Square One TV is interrupted for a newsroom interruption. ""Positives and Negatives"" The war between the Positives and Negatives continues: this time, the Negatives win (as they almost always did): -6 + 3 = -3 ""Backstage with Blackstone"" Blackstone predicts how red and green candies vary in number. ""Animated Commercial"" Plant-A-Spoon seed kit, comes in two colors. Planting 3 s

  • S01E73 Episode 173

    • May 6, 1987
    • PBS

    Pop-ups tell you how much of Square One TV has elapsed as the following sketches are played: ""Spade Parade"" Who tried to steal the Des Moines Duck? pt. 1 ""Animation"" Can seven cows form a rectangle? Not really, since seven is a prime number. ""Spade Parade"" The Case of the Des Moines Duck, Part 2 ""Percentages Commercial"" This commercial advertises percentages using the jingle ""with discounts, it counts."" ""Exclusive Music Video"" 8% of My Love - repeat of a video shown earlier in the first season. ""Riddle of the Genie"" What combination of nickels and dimes add up to $1.20? ""News Interruption!"" Square One TV is interrupted for a news interruption. ""Mathnet: The Trial of George Frankly Part 3"" Repeat of a Mathnet case first shown in Episode 118.

  • S01E74 Episode 174

    • May 7, 1987
    • PBS

    Pop-ups tell you how much of Square One TV has elapsed as you watch the following: ""Exercise"" How to equally split pails of milk among 3 farmers. ""Groaning Wall"" With Freddy Kohler - a parody of Freddy Krueger. ""Animation"" Parallel vs. perpendicular lines ""Music Video"" Perpendicular Lines - Repeat of a music video shown earlier in the season. ""Groaning Wall"" Another segment with Freddy Kohler ""Animation"" The people who animated Turkey Television for Nickelodeon in 1985, are back for one last CTW effort. How can a girl carry her bird, her cat and birdseed to an island if the boat is only big enough for her and one of the items? ""Peter Piper"" John Moschita, renowned for his fast-talking, says Peter Piper at three speeds. The graph shows the different rates in words-per-minute. ""Animation"" We see how the girl can carry her cat, her bird, and birdseed. Groaning Wall: w/ Freddy Kohler (again) ""Bumper"" A transformer is shown. ""Mathnet: The Trial of George Frankly, Part 4"" Repeat of a Mat

  • S01E75 Episode 175

    • May 8, 1987
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Hold It, Nobody Eat"" When three cast members order a slice of pizza and Arthur orders half a pie, Cris cuts the pie in eighths. Since he has a slice left over, he returns the pie to have it recut. ""The 5:19 Blues"" Repeat of a segment that first appeared in Episode 147. ""Hold It, Nobody Eat 2"" Cris returns with a pizza cut in sixths - a slice for three cast members and half a pie for Arthur - but must return it to be recut when Luisa arrives and wants a slice. ""Dropped Coin"" Repeat of a segment that first appeared in Episode 131. ""Hold It, Nobody Eat 3"" Cris returns yet again with a pizza cut in eighths - a slice for four cast members and half a pie for Arthur. But what are they going to do when Reg arrives? ""EB: Number Pattern: Square Numbers"" This short animation illustrates a number pattern involving square numbers; square numbers are the sum of consecutive odd numbers starting with 1. ""Arthur Benjamin - Squaring II"" Arthur Benjamin, a mathematician from Johns

Season 2

  • S02E01 Episode 201

    • September 19, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode Included: ""Square One Squares"" An early form version of the game that would later be known on the show as ""Square One Challenge."" Contestants Michelle and Diana try to guess whether two of the show's regular cast members are telling the truth about something mathematical or bluffing. Unlike in later versions of the game, in any particular problem, one of them is bluffing and the other is telling the truth. (Whereas with the later versions, both could be bluffing or both could be telling the truth.) The contestants are awarded points based on their guesses and the one of the most points gets great Square One TV merchandise and bragging rights and the winner gets other Square One TV merchandise. ""Dirk Niblick"" A Dirk Niblick episode in which the theme is ""You can fool most of the people most of the time."" Season Two of Square One TV introduced lyrics for Dirk Niblick's theme song, lyrics that were only included in the Season Two episodes of Dirk. This segment finds

  • S02E02 Episode 202

    • September 20, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Dirk Niblick Tease"" ""Exclusive Music Video: Estimation"" ""Close Call: Premiere"" ""Animation: Times 0"" ""Spot the Quadrilaterals"" ""Mathman: A New Season"" ""Mathnet: The Case of the Willing Parrot, Part 2""

  • S02E03 Episode 203

    • September 21, 1988
    • PBS

    ""Backstage with Blackstone"" Famous magician Harry Blackstone demonstrates a trick with a number grid. ""Dirk Niblick Quickie"" Everyone's favorite animated math advocate reminds viewers that another epiosde of Mathnet will be on shortly. Piece of the Pie This recurring game show of Seasons 2 and 3 combines elements of Family Feud and old Jack Barry-Dan Enright game shows Hot Potato and Play the Percentages. Asked the question, ""What do parents tell kids not to waste?"", teams of three kids huddle to find answers that made the survey. ""Combo Jombo"" A new music video features Regina singing about combinatorics ""Mathman"" Mathman is instructed to eat only Square Numbers, in other words, numbers that can be made by multiplying two of the same number, such as 4 * 4 = 16. ""Mathnet: The Case of the Willing Parrot, Part 3"" George finds the missing parrot by uttering the numbers ""1, 1, 2, 3,"" a fibonacci sequence the parrot has become familiar with. It's a link toward finding the treasure of Fatty

  • S02E04 Episode 204

    • September 22, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode included, but were not limited to: ""Triple Play"" A repeating game show on the series, in which the object is to gain three numbers on the board that form an equilateral triangle when the segments between them are connected. ""Dirk Niblick - The Case of the Illegal Lawyer - Part 2"" Siblings Fluff and Fold Noodleman are told by lawyer Morley Corrupt that their late uncle promised Fluff 1/2 of his estate and Fold 1/4 of the estate. Morley then informs them that he keeps the rest of the money and that Fluff and Fold will recieve 2/6, or 1/3 of the inheritance. Fluff and Fold suspect something and tell Dirk Niblick about it. The show announcer discusses the equeation 1/2 + 1/4 = 2/6 and asks viewers ""what's wrong with this picture?"" ""Phone Call"" Cast member Cynthia Darlow receives a call about a math problem-add five, multiply by two, subtract 8, divide by two, and the answer will always be one. ""Dirk Niblick - The Case of the Illegal Lawyer - Part 2"" Dirk points out th

  • S02E05 Episode 205

    • September 23, 1988
    • PBS

    Dirk Niblick does an opening tease hinting of Blackstone's imminent appearance. Mathman must eat numbers that are two More Than a Multiple of five. Backstage with Blackstone: a trick with five envelopes Dweezil Zappa remembers how he learned of Combinatorics Exclusive Music Video: Tempestt Bledsoe sings Time Keeper Commercial: Pie Chart Mathnet: The Case of the Willing Parrot, Part 5

  • S02E06 Episode 206

    • September 26, 1988
    • PBS

    ""The Lint Trap"" The first part of a Dirk Niblick case. ""Mathman"" Mathman must eat fractions greater than 1, and wins a free game for succeeding. ""To Heck and Back Part Two"" The second part of a Dirk Niblick case. ""Close Call"" An installment of this Square One TV game show involving estimation. ""Animation"" 4 glasses are each filled 1/3 of the way. One by one a cup is poured into the succeeding cup, showing that 4/3 = 1 1/3, and that's more than one. ""Prime Numbers"" The Jets perform in this exclusive music video. ""Animation - Prime Numbers"" To reinforce this concept, an animation on prime numbers follows the music video. ""Square One Puzzler"" This segment asks viewers to figure out how many rectangles really are in a given grid. ""Mathnet: The Case of the Great Car Robbery, Part One"" Thousands of cars are being stolen off the L.A. streets, and very few are returning. The Mathnetters must get to the bottom of this puzzling case.

  • S02E07 Episode 207

    • September 27, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Dirk Niblick Tease"" ""Backstage With Blackstone - Trail"" ""Square One Squares"" ""Mathman - Multiples of 5"" ""Dancing to Health and Back"" ""Mathnet: The Case of Great Car Robbery - Part 2""

  • S02E08 Episode 208

    • September 28, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits include: Triple Play"" This Square One TV game show involving connecting numbers on a board pits Liz against Ryan. ""Dirk Niblick"" Dirk gets a call from his chatty mother about using Graphs. ""Oops!: Fractions"" A new installment shows how to properly add fractions, demonstrating a common mistake and then the right way to do it. ""Common Multiple Man"" Repeat of a segment first used in Episode 121. ""Mathman"" Mathman is ordered to eat only Pentagons. They could be concave as well as convex. Archimedes Beverly Mickens sings this Exclusive Music Video from the album Heads by Amber. Mathnet: ""The Case of the Great Car Robbery, Part 3"" The Mathnetters are deeply involved in this baffling case in the third installment. Debbie has classified that most of the stolen cars are Cadillacs and Lincolns. In addition, the majority of stolen cars were built earlier than 1975 and later than 1984. Kate and George consult with famed local car dealer Art Fraud. He, too, has felt the crunch of the Great Ca

  • S02E09 Episode 209

    • September 29, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode included: ""Dirk Niblick: The Lint Trap, Part 1"" Fluff and Fold Noodleman have part time jobs at a laundromat. The owner tries to shortchange them at payday. ""Count On It"" Repeat of a music video first aired in Episode 103. ""Dirk Niblick: The Lint Trap, Part 2"" Dirk Niblick confronts the owner of the laundromat. It's not enough, Dirk says, to pay Fluff and Fold for just the full hours they put in, when the half-hours count just as much. ""Animation: Spot the Hexagons"" Where can you see the hexagons in this sequence? ""Piece of the Pie"" This time, Cris asks two teams to name something you do when you are bored. Contestants are to match the survey. ""Cabot & Marshmallow"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 119. ""Mathnet: Case of the Great Car Robbery, Part 4"" Nobody can find the stolen cars. Perhaps, Kate and George believe, they have been exported illegally. They ask the Chief Wharfinger, who insists no large shipments of cars have passed through Los Angeles Harb

  • S02E10 Episode 210

    • September 30, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode: ""Phoner"" ""Dirk's Mother's Number Pattern"" ""Backstage with Blackstone"" ""International House of Bologna"" ""Mathman"" :Mathnet: The Case of the Great Car Robbery, Part 5""

  • S02E11 Episode 211

    • October 3, 1988
    • PBS

    ""Mathnet: The Case of the Deceptive Data Part 1"" Kate Monday arrives at the office and finds that George is outraged. He's so upset that he doesn't even seem to notice her, he's really more talking to himself instead. His favorite television program, The Mike Pliers Show has been canceled and he can't believe it. He's stood by in the past while some of his other favorite shows have been taken off the air, but this time, he vows that he's going to stand up and fight. This was a great program that was not only educational, but was quite popular as well. It was about a private eye who solve problems using his head and not his fist. George has made a ""fan"" call and the President of the Mike Pliers Fan Club and Mike Pliers himself are coming to the office. Kate thinks that there were probably good reasons for taking the show off the air, but George won't hear of it. Then, Mike Pliers and the fan club President show up. George greets Pliers at the door and can't stop shaking his hand. Kate s

  • S02E12 Episode 212

    • October 4, 1988
    • PBS

    ""Dirk Niblick"" Dirk is off on a Western adventure in Part One of ""Go West Young Mathematician"" ""Bureau of Missing Numbers: 14"" Repeat of a segment that first appeared in Episode 101 ""Dirk Niblick 2"" Continuation of ""Go West Young Mathematician"" ""Time Check"" Mathman gets involved in a time check: Since 3/8 of the show is behind us, how much is left? ""Mathnet: The Case of the Deceptive Data Part 2"" Arriving at the office in the morning, Kate says that she watched the Vicious Vinnie Show and that it was pretty bad. George calls it disgusting. George says he's not done yet with the fight to save The Mike Pliers Show. He's booked an appointment for them and the show's fan club President to visit the headquarters of the Hoover Rating Service to learn more about this ratings process that apparently got Mike's show cancelled. It's a very security-conscious company, but they've been permission to come over. He gets a call - they're due in at 10:30. They go to pick up the fan club president and

  • S02E13 Episode 213

    • October 5, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode Included: ""Dirk Niblick Tease"" ""Music Video: Angle Dance"" ""Triple Play"" ""Mathman-Parallelograms"" ""Your Head"" ""Mathnet: The Case of the Deceptive Data, Part 3""

  • S02E14 Episode 214

    • October 6, 1988
    • PBS

    ""Mathnet: The Case of the Deceptive Data Part 4"" The Mathnetters get a call from Mr. Hoover asking them to meet him at the garage again. They bid farewell to Mike Pliers, who says that he enjoys watching them work. He's never seen a detective working before without a script. The Mathnetters go talk to Chief Thad Green and then head to the secret meeting place. Debbie, the head of the computer division, is already there, briefing Mr. Hoover. Debbie has been showing him a glitch which suggests that there's something wrong with the ratings system, although Mr. Hoover still isn't sure the system has been tampered with. Debbie points out something odd, about 20% of Vicious Vinnie's alleged audienc is 55 and above. Mr. Hoover suggests maybe he just appeals to old people. George asks again if the people who are in the sample know their viewing habits are being recorded. Mr. Hoover says that they do and the boxes that record their information are tamper-resistant. The boxes report what people

  • S02E15 Episode 215

    • October 7, 1988
    • PBS

    The Mathnetters have visited the home of an elderly woman who is particpating in a television ratings service and found that the box that's supposed to record her viewing habits has been tampered with. They're involved in effort to find out what happened that caused the ratings of a program called The Mike Pliers Show to take a huge plummet. There was some sort of computer breakin and now households where people once watched The Mike Pliers Show are now recorded as watching The Vicious Vinnie Vermin Show. All of those people deny that they watch the program though. The Mathnetters return to the office, where George tells Kate that his wife Martha wants to invite her over for dinner. Kate doesn't sound too excited about the choice of cuisine, but says she'll come anyway. Kate and George discuss what's happening. They got back in contact with the eight sample families they talked with that were supposedly watching Vinnie's show and they all reported that someone claiming to be from the r

  • S02E16 Episode 216

    • October 10, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E17 Episode 217

    • October 11, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits in this episode Include, But Are Not Limited To: ""Dirk Niblick: Mall or Nothing At Mall, Part 1"" ""Close Call"" ""Mathnet: The View from the Rear Terrace, Part 2""

  • S02E18 Episode 218

    • October 12, 1988
    • PBS

    Skits include, but are not limited to: ""Dirk Niblick caper"" (presumed pilot) ""2001"" (repeat of a segment first aired in Episode 136) ""Perpendicular Lines"" (repeat of a segment first aired in Episode 151) ""Mathnet: The View from the Rear Terrace, Part 3""

  • S02E19 Episode 219

    • October 13, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E20 Episode 220

    • October 14, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E21 Episode 221

    • October 17, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E22 Episode 222

    • October 18, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E23 Episode 223

    • October 19, 1988
    • PBS

    ""Backstage With Blackstone"" Six cards and dice provide a lesson in parity ""Positives and Negatives Battle"" The first battle in the war between the Positives and Negatives -3 +5 = 2. It's the only time the Positives win a battle. Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 121. ""Music Video: Triangle Song"" A song about various types of triangles. ""Triple Play"" Matthew and Jamie compete in this Square One TV game show. ""Person on the Street"" A recycled segment asks people what a hypotenuse is. Mathnet: The Case of the Missing Air, Part 3

  • S02E24 Episode 224

    • October 20, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E25 Episode 225

    • October 21, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E26 Episode 226

    • October 24, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E27 Episode 227

    • October 25, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E28 Episode 228

    • October 26, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E29 Episode 229

    • October 27, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E30 Episode 230

    • October 28, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E31 Episode 231

    • October 31, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E32 Episode 232

    • November 1, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E33 Episode 233

    • November 2, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E34 Episode 234

    • November 3, 1988
    • PBS

    ""Dirk Niblick: Go West Young Mathematician, Part 1"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 212. ""Animation: Hexagons and Six-Pointed Stars"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 115. ""Dirk Niblick: Go West Young Mathematician, Part 2"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 212. ""Mathman Sabotaged"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 149. ""Stick Puzzle 1"" Alison Smith asks, ""How many squares do you see in this puzzle?"" ""Dggieweight Championship"" Repeat of a sketch first aired in Episode 150. ""Stick Puzzle 2"" Alison Smith challenges viewers to move four sticks from the current arrangement and have three squares all the same size with none left over. ""Mathnet: Case of the Willing Parrot Part 4"" Repeat of a mystery first aired in Episode 204.

  • S02E35 Episode 235

    • November 4, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E36 Episode 236

    • November 7, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E37 Episode 237

    • November 8, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E38 Episode 238

    • November 9, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E39 Episode 239

    • November 10, 1988
    • PBS

  • S02E40 Episode 240

    • November 11, 1988
    • PBS

Season 3

  • S03E01 Episode 301

    • January 15, 1990
    • PBS

    Wanna Be Bobby McFerrin sings an exclusive music video about the power of math. ""Mathathon"" A new program feature parodies traditional telethons and features clips from past programs about finding area. ""1000 vs. 1 Million"" A booming voice relates the amount of time for one thousand seconds to elapse, then one million seconds ""What's My Number?"" A binary sieve sends up What's My Line? The panelists ask yes-no questions to reveal The Number is 56 ""1 Million vs. 1 Billion"" A booming voice relates the amount of time for one million seconds, then one billion seconds ""Mathnet: The Case of the Ersatz Earthquake Part 1"" Kate and George set out to prove that an assumed earthquake-predictor is a faker.

  • S03E02 Episode 302

    • January 16, 1990
    • PBS

    ""Never Give Up On Math"" A segment helps viewers to figure out the area of a lawn by using math. ""Dirk Niblick - Your Stereo is Running on One Ear, Part One."" Fluff and Fold are getting bamboozled again by Microft MacBerger. Fortunately, Dirk Niblick of the Math Brigade is there to help them use math to solve their problem. ""Music Video: The Jets - Infinity There Is No End"" The Jets sing about the concept of infinity - noting that no matter how high you try to count, there'll always be a higher number. This segment is later used in the Square One TV Video Jukebox - and there may be a numerical error in one of the crawls. ""Dirk Niblick - Your Stereo is Running on One Ear, Part Two"" Fluff and Fold's biggest mistake was not in the math, but in dealing with Microft MacBerger. ""Time Check"" Since 55% of the show is over, how much is left? ""Math Makes It Work"" Parody of insurance commercials centers around a lemonade stand. ""Phone Call - Number Trick"" Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode

  • S03E03 Episode 303

    • January 17, 1990
    • PBS

    ""Close Call"" The popular little game show takes on a new format. Arthur and Luisa ask the audience in advance to estimate the number of bottle caps on a bird feeder. The audience member whose estimate comes closest joins two other contestants (as in The Price is Right) for the main game. The next two estimation games are scored by a new estimate-o-meter. On it is a range of numbers; the better a contestant's estimate, the more points he/she gets. Lyle, Jessica, and audience member Thomas are asked to estimate the number of characters in a hieroglyphics panel, as well as the length of a column made from squares. ""Math Pitch"" George Washington kids us not: mathematics is more than arithmetic. ""Exclusive Music Video: Tappin' The Rhythm"" Guest Savion Glover tap-dances through a song about the different kinds of notes that fill up one bar on a music staff. ""Animation: Beasley and Schneider"" Mr. Beasley (Dirk Niblick's neighbor) answers the door to one of General Schneider's number puzzles.

  • S03E04 Episode 304

    • January 18, 1990
    • PBS

    ""Math-a-Thon Installment"" The second pledge break of the season sees regular Cris Franco interviewing the late René Descartes, who discusses the Cartesian plane. Later in the pledge break, Reg and Larry estimate how close Square One TV is to its goal. The thermometer has no marks between 0% and 100%, but they estimate that 40% of people have called in pledging to mathematics. ""Positives vs. Negatives War"" Recycled from the first season (and now in a letter-box format), the war between the Positives and Negatives wages on. This time three of each are flushed (toilet sounds), because -3 plus +3 equals 0. ""Lost at Sea"" How easy is it for sailors who are lost at sea to divide zero sea biscuits? ""Elvis for Math"" Cris, impersonating Elvis, says that math is more than ""pushing numbers around."" ""But Who's Counting?"" After a year's absence, But Who's Counting? returns, but with Monte Carlo spinning the big wheel and no Amber. This year, competition is down to single-contestant showdowns. W

  • S03E05 Episode 305

    • January 19, 1990
    • PBS

    ""Person on the Street"" The person on the street asks ordinary people the question: ""If someone is paid $10 a day, how long will it take for him or her to raise a million dollars? And then, how about a billion dollars?"" ""Million to Trillion"" A booming voice relates the numbers Million, Billion, Trillion in terms of seconds. ""Stadium Football Filling"" The show continues its infatuation with the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, at Michigan Stadium (capacity: over 101,000). How many footballs would it take to fill the Michigan Stadium to the top? ""Mathman: Hexagons"" He can only eat hexagons (i.e., six-sided figures, which does not exclude concave polygons.) ""Whatsina Name for Math"" The first installment of Square One Challenge pits Kenny vs. Shalyn in a new format. With each question, two members of the SQ1TV cast give answers. It's up to the contestants to figure out whether the cast members are telling the truth or bluffing. Contestants' responses are shown in a ""sets"" diagram. ""

  • S03E06 Episode 306

    • January 22, 1990
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Dirk Niblick: Door to Door Boar Part 1"" This Dirk Niblick Segment finds Dirk's young neighbors, Fluff and Fold Noodleman involved in a candy sale operation. They've signed up with a door-to-door business, which gives them candy bars to sell. The operator of the business tells them to go out and sell the candy bars and he'll give them 1/10 of the money they collect. They decide to go to Dirk Niblick to find out if this is a good deal. In the process, they break down his door, when they his piano playing, which sounds awful. They thought something was wrong. After dealing with this, Dirk addresses their question. He says that they could do quite well with this arrangement. 1/10 is the same 10%. Therefore, if they were to sell, say, $10 worth of candy bars, they would make $1. If it were $100, then they would earn $10 and so on. So Fluff and Fold go out and sell the candy bars and return for their pay. They collected $250 and are given $25. The operator of the busi

  • S03E07 Episode 307

    • January 23, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E08 Episode 308

    • January 24, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E09 Episode 309

    • January 25, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E10 Episode 310

    • January 26, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E11 Episode 311

    • January 29, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E12 Episode 312

    • January 30, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E13 Episode 313

    • January 31, 1990
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode Included, But Were Not Limited To: ""Person on the Street - Pizzas"" If you eat one pizza a day, how long will it take you to eat one million pizzas? People give answers, but the correct answer is 2700 years. Similarly, it will take 2,700,000 years to eat one billion pizzas. National Geometric Repeat of a segment that first aired in Episode 114.

  • S03E14 Episode 314

    • February 1, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E15 Episode 315

    • February 2, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E16 Episode 316

    • February 5, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E17 Episode 317

    • February 6, 1990
    • PBS

    ""But Who's Counting?"" Wilma Wright and Orva Wright do battle, vying for the best possible product from a three-digit and a one-digit number. ""Mathman"" Mathman is supposed to eat only symmetrical polygons. ""Math-A-Thon"" Interview with René Descartes and lecture on estimation. ""Mathnet: The Case of the Unkidnapping, Part 2""

  • S03E18 Episode 318

    • February 7, 1990
    • PBS

    ""Square One Challenge"" A rare feat on this Square One TV game show, as Naomi and Kenny play the perfect game, ending in a tie! ""You Call The Angle"" Is Sean correct when he talks of 540 degrees? ""Arthur on Phone"" Arthur participates in a number-trick. Take any number, add 7, multiply by 2, subtract 4, divide by 2, and subtract the original number. The answer is always 5. Repeat of a segment first shown in Episode 218. ""Ball Bouncing Inside Rectangle"" An animation shows that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. ""Michigan Stadium Quiz"" How many frisbees would it take to cover the field? ""Mathnet: The Case of the Unkidnapping, Part 3""

  • S03E19 Episode 319

    • February 8, 1990
    • PBS

    ""Math-a-Thon"" Superguy visits Math-a-Thon to discuss combinatorics (as used in Episode 110) and pie chart predictions. ""Exclusive Music Video"" Wanna Be sung by Bobby McFerrin ""Backstage with Blackstone"" Blackstone figures out the mystery among four papers with numbers after one is turned over. ""Beasley and Schneider's Binary Sieve"" Beasley determines the secret number among triangular numbers. ""Mathnet: The Case of the Unkidnapping, Part 4""

  • S03E20 Episode 320

    • February 9, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E21 Episode 321

    • February 12, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E22 Episode 322

    • February 13, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E23 Episode 323

    • February 14, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E24 Episode 324

    • February 15, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E25 Episode 325

    • February 16, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E26 Episode 326

    • February 19, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E27 Episode 327

    • February 20, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E28 Episode 328

    • February 21, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E29 Episode 329

    • February 22, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E30 Episode 330

    • February 23, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E31 Episode 331

    • February 26, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E32 Episode 332

    • February 27, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E33 Episode 333

    • February 28, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E34 Episode 334

    • March 1, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E35 Episode 335

    • March 2, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E36 Episode 336

    • March 5, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E37 Episode 337

    • March 6, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E38 Episode 338

    • March 7, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E39 Episode 339

    • March 8, 1990
    • PBS

  • S03E40 Episode 340

    • March 9, 1990
    • PBS

    One last reminder: One Million seconds=11 ½ days; The Mathathon does its final break with swordfighters, graphing pledges, and a bear; One last reminder: One Billion seconds=32 years; The final visit to Michigan Stadium: How many ping-pong balls would fill the Stadium to the top? followed by ""Angle Dance"" video as seen in Season One Mathnet: The Case of the Unkidnapping, Part 5

  • S03E41 Square One Video Jukebox

    • December 23, 1990
    • PBS

    MTV's ""Downtown"" Julie Brown presents 8 of Square One TV's music videos: ""Wanna Be,"" ""Square Brothers,"" ""Combo Jombo,"" ""Rappin' Judge,"" ""One Billion is Big,"" ""Nine, Nine, Nine,"" ""Less Than Zero,"" and ""Infinity."" According to Julie, Square One TV made 48 music videos up until now and these are about 17% of them, all in stereo.

Season 4

  • S04E01 Episode 401

    • September 30, 1991
    • PBS

    ""Mathcourt"" The Honorable Sandra Day O'Crater presides over this session of this noble court. In this first case, the defendant is accused of paying less than the billed price for ""Mega Fries."" The trick is that both the Mega Fries container and the standard fries container have the same volume. Therefore, even though one appears much smaller, it really holds the same amount of fries. ""Comedy & Home Improvement Hour"" This lead-in bit serves as an intro to the next song routine. ""Polka Patterns"" Weird Al Yanovic sings about how he can see patterns everywhere. The bathroom is just one of the many places where you can find cool and attractive patterns. ""Math Promo"" Downtown Julie Brown promotes Mathematics as a mental tool. ""Phone Call"" A burglar demonstrates a number trick that allows you to come up with the current year. ""New Detective"" Vern of ""Vern & Vern"" fame learns from Dick of Dick & Vern fame that Kate Monday no longer appears on Mathnet. The current season will star Pat Tuesda

  • S04E02 Episode 402

    • October 1, 1991
    • PBS

    Sketches in this episode: ""General Mathpital"" ""Music Video: That's Math"" ""Mathcourt"" ""If It's It Out There..."" ""Mathnet: The Case of the Unnatural, Part 2""

  • S04E03 Episode 403

    • October 2, 1991
    • PBS

    Mathnet : The Case Of The Unnatural Part 3

  • S04E04 Episode 404

    • October 3, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E05 Episode 405

    • October 4, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E06 Episode 406

    • October 7, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E07 Episode 407

    • October 8, 1991
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Mathman: Math Myths"" In this installment, Mathman must dispel math myths regarding where and when math is used. The first is that you only need math in jobs that require handling money, such as being a banker. Mathman points out that there are other jobs in which math is used, such as being a scuba diver, or a choreographer, or an airplane pilot, so the statement is false. The next is that math isn't used outside of school. Mathman gives many examples of how math is used outside of school, but in this season, the amount of time Mathman has to make a decision becomes important. Mathman failed to say false in time, so Glitch eats him, figuring, ""Play by the rules, get eaten by the rules."" ""Square One Challenge"" Another installment involves a tower of blocks, a statue of Mr. Beasley, and comparing 60% of 80 to 80% of 60. ""Mathnet: Despair in Monterey Bay Part 2"" The continuation of the Monterey Bay case.

  • S04E08 Episode 408

    • October 9, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E09 Episode 409

    • October 10, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E10 Episode 410

    • October 11, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E11 Episode 411

    • October 14, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E12 Episode 412

    • October 15, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E13 Episode 413

    • October 16, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E14 Episode 414

    • October 17, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E15 Episode 415

    • October 18, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E16 Episode 416

    • October 21, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E17 Episode 417

    • October 22, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E18 Episode 418

    • October 23, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E19 Episode 419

    • October 24, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E20 Episode 420

    • October 25, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E21 Episode 421

    • October 28, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E22 Episode 422

    • October 29, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E23 Episode 423

    • October 30, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E24 Episode 424

    • October 31, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E25 Episode 425

    • November 1, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E26 Episode 426

    • November 4, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E27 Episode 427

    • November 5, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E28 Episode 428

    • November 6, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E29 Episode 429

    • November 7, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E30 Episode 430

    • November 8, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E31 Episode 431

    • November 11, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E32 Episode 432

    • November 12, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E33 Episode 433

    • November 13, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E34 Episode 434

    • November 14, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E35 Episode 435

    • November 15, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E36 Episode 436

    • November 18, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E37 Episode 437

    • November 19, 1991
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Infinity"" A music video by the Jets about the concept of infinity. (Note: This segment first appeared in Episode 302.) ""Mathman - Mr. Glitch Plays"" Mathman is out walking his dog, Mathdog, so Glitch is in his place. Glitch has to determine the truth and falsehood of statements regarding who's better in math. Glitch correctly guesses false on the first two statements (that tall people are better in math than short people and that those who wear glasses are better in math than those who don't) but fails the last statement (Curly-haired people from Cleveland are better at math than anyone else) believing it's true. Mathman points out that it's false, as all sorts of people are good at math, and so Mathdog consumes Glitch. (Note: This segment first appeared in Episode 414.) ""Phone Call"" When a burglar is robbing a house, someone calls him and tells him a math problem - Add the year of your birth, the year something important happened in your life, then take the diff

  • S04E38 Episode 438

    • November 20, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E39 Episode 439

    • November 21, 1991
    • PBS

  • S04E40 Episode 440

    • November 22, 1991
    • PBS

Season 5

  • S05E01 Episode 501

    • September 21, 1992
    • PBS

    Skits in This Episode: ""Kid 'n Play - Rules of Thumb"" Musicians Kid 'n Play sing about rules of thumb, a handy way to do estimations. In this song, Kid has bought a ""tight party crib,"" but it's a handyman's special and so ""it might need a little work."" They use rules of thumb to estimate how much paint the would need to paint the floor for a party being hosted that night. The rule of thumb that the measurement from your fingertip on one hand to your fingertip on the other is about the same as your height turns out to be a good rule of thumb and with that, they're able to make a good estimate of how much paint they need. ""The Further Adventures of Zook and Alison: Wheel of Destiny"" A skit which may or may not be a parody of an old show called The Further Adventures of Spin and Marty. Zook and Alison are in their home on the Planet Neon when their Uncle Wilt takes off to go somewhere. He says he's going to go to be on the Wheel of Destiny. Soon after he leaves, the mother asks where he w

  • S05E02 Episode 502

    • September 22, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E03 Episode 503

    • September 23, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E04 Episode 504

    • September 24, 1992
    • PBS

    ""Nobody's Inn"" A segment about applying for sales tax and discount. ""Downtown Julie Brown"" Julie Brown comes on and says that if you use math, you'll be cool. ""Sneaky Peeks"" In this first installment of Square One TV's parody of Siskel & Ebert, critics Roz Sherbet and Gene Sisboombah take a look a clip of a movie called ""Catman."" (A parody of ""Batman."") Sherbet doesn't think that there could possibly be much math in a movie about crimefighting, but Sisboombah thinks differently. They roll the clip. The plot is that a stinkbomb has been set up to go off in just a few minutes in a game show studio. Catman and his female assistant Kitty need to figure out a way to stop it before that happens. The villain who set up the bomb, The Rhymeseter, is present there. He's not about to tell our heroes the combinations to open the locks to the bomb, but will give them clues. He begins by calling them rubes and says that they can open the first lock by adding one to the largest two digit cube. So Kit

  • S05E05 Episode 505

    • September 25, 1992
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Mathcourt: Ice Cream Flavors"" At the top of this installment of Square One TV's parody court show, the judge notices two people kissing in the spectators' seats. She tells them to stop the kissing, saying that there will be ""no courting in this courtroom."" Then, the case proceeds: an ice cream lady is on trial for a math crime. The district attorney accuses her of false advertising. Her advertising claims that using ten different flavors, she can create 100 different two dip ice cream cones. The district attorney contends that with ten ice cream flavors, she can only create 90 different flavors. He demonstrates, using a model. He shows that you can put one dip of any particular flavor on for the first dip and then make the second dip any of the other 9, making for 90 different flavors. The ice cream lady doesn't deny this. However, she says that there's something that the district attorney is missing and goes over to show him. She demonstrates that what the dist

  • S05E06 Episode 506

    • September 28, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E07 Episode 507

    • September 29, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E08 Episode 508

    • September 30, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E09 Episode 509

    • October 1, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E10 Episode 510

    • October 2, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E11 Episode 511

    • October 5, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E12 Episode 512

    • October 6, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E13 Episode 513

    • October 7, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E14 Episode 514

    • October 8, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E15 Episode 515

    • October 9, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E16 Episode 516

    • October 12, 1992
    • PBS

    Skits in this Episode: ""Sneaky Peeks: Gorillas In Our Midst"" In the movie, a newsanchor (Reg E. Cathey) uses a chart to count the number of gorilla sightings in New York City, and addding up the numbers on each block he gets 132, so he assumes there are 132 gorillas. A gorilla expert proves that's not the case-there's only one gorilla, and all those people saw the same gorilla at different times. The newsanchor admits his error, saying, ""You made a monkey out of me,"" which offends the gorilla. Critic Roz Sherbet gives the film an 8.5, and Sisboombah gives it a 9.1, for an average of 8.8 ""You Call The Angle"" Skateboarder Sean Miller does a skateboard trick-is is a 180, a 360, or a 540? It's a 180, because it's a half-turn. (Note: This segment first appeared in Episode 308.) ""Nobody's Inn"" A spoof of Fawlty Towers where hotel manager Cyril Nobody attempts to measure the stairs to purchase a new carpet. Distractions jeep popping up, and he keeps tripping on the carpet and only measures on

  • S05E17 Episode 517

    • October 13, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E18 Episode 518

    • October 14, 1992
    • PBS

    ""Mathnet: The Case of the Bermuda Triangle Part 3"" The Mathnetters and Trudi arrice at Bermuda, where they meet up with pirate Captain Long John Silverplate, and his parrot Howard. Silverplate informs them that Queeg agreed to provide the sonar, but Howard claims that Queeg is a coward. Queeg arrives and admits that he lied on the Donnawhy show, but claims that he only did so to look good on television. When the mathnetters set sail, the same thing that happened on Queeg's previous voyage happens again: loud moans are heard and the compass spins out of direction. They return empty-handed and Queeg warns the mathnetters not to go back there again. On the way back, the Mathnetters call Captain Greco, who informs them not to go back to Bermuda ever again. Back at Mathnet HQ, Benny Pill sets an electromagnet on a compass and it spins out of direction. The Mathnetters conclude that Queeg set up the electromagnet as he operated the sonar, and found a way to fake the screams. Trudi enters the

  • S05E19 Episode 519

    • October 15, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E20 Episode 520

    • October 16, 1992
    • PBS

    ""Mathnet: The Case of the Bermuda Triangle part 5"" Following Trudy's Kidnapping, the Mathnetters search the evidenceprovided by the HMS Twain's logbook and figure out why there were two logbooks-there might have been a second HMS Twain, as judged by the poem. This is confirmed by investigating Revolutionary War history and finding that the first HMS Twain was headed for Hamilton Massachussetts to divert the colonists while the second HMS Twain, which actually had the supplies went to Hamilton North Carolina a few days later, as Cornwallis was stationed at Hamilton at the time of the Twain's voyage. ""Blame Earl"" appears on one of the maps, and after triangulating from Hamilton and Jackson in North Carolina Twice, the wreck seems to be traced to the Albemarle sound, of which Blame Earl was an anagram. At Albemarle sound, George searches for the sunken treasure, but as soon as he finds it, Queeg comes on board and cuts George's airhose despite threat of arrest. Geogre, however, was kept o

  • S05E21 Episode 521

    • October 19, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E22 Episode 522

    • October 20, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E23 Episode 523

    • October 21, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E24 Episode 524

    • October 22, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E25 Episode 525

    • October 23, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E26 Episode 526

    • October 26, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E27 Episode 527

    • October 27, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E28 Episode 528

    • October 28, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E29 Episode 529

    • October 29, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E30 Episode 530

    • October 30, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E31 Episode 531

    • November 2, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E32 Episode 532

    • November 3, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E33 Episode 533

    • November 4, 1992
    • PBS

  • S05E34 Episode 534

    • November 5, 1992
    • PBS

    Zook & Alison: Spa Bravo (from 509) Mathcourt: 8 foot tall clock (from 509) Fax Headfull: ""then I learned geometry..."" Music Video: ""Shape Up"" Fax Headfull: ""math is more than moving numbers around"" Mathnet: The Case of the Smart Dummy, part 4

  • S05E35 Episode 535

    • November 6, 1992
    • PBS