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• I need maths like a carburettor recalibration
• The 118 188 challenge

This is the second part of our new column on risk and uncertainty. David Spiegelhalter, Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge, continues examining league tables using the Premier League as an example. Find out just how much — or how little — these simple rankings can tell you.

• The league table lottery
• Plus and presidents

League tables are controversial and for good reason. Few things are simple enough to be measured by a single outcome like, for example, the number of exam passes or successful heart operations. But even if we do accept a single yardstick, we haven't yet reckoned with chance, which by itself can produce apparent patterns to delight any tabloid editor.

The Plus anniversary year — A word from the editors

• Plus 100 —the best maths of the last century
• More maths grads

• Happy birthday Plus! — celebrating 10 years of bringing mathematics to life
• Plus 10 — what were the greatest mathematical advances in the last decade?

• The Fields Medals: Maths in the media
• Plus new writers award: last chance to enter
• Readers' corner: Why is nim easy and chess hard?

• Plus new writers award - Maths is the language of the universe, so what have you got to say?
• Reader's corner - 6174 and other mysterious numbers.
• World Cup maths - How Plus can help you with your football.

• What motivates mathematics?
• Win glory and more as a Plus author!