The Mathematics of Marriage

I am about to get married in about 6 months. And that set me thinking. Is marriage the right step to take in life.. in anyone’s life.

Now, there is no right / fixed answer to such questions. This isn’t a science.

However, mathematics is a precise science, and probably it can help us understand marriage better. So, here goes…
Let us assume that the probability of any individual being happy (or sad) is 0.5 – agreed. So, putting it in a formula format, we are saying that P(h) = P(s) = 0.5. Seems ok till now.

Now, if that individual is married, his / her happiness depends on the happiness of his / her spouse, whose probability of being happy or sad is again 0.5. Thus, the probability of any person being happy post marriage is an event dependent upon the happiness of the spouse, hence P(h) = 0.5 x 0.5 = 0.25 !!!!

This means, any person is half as happy post marriage as he / she was when single ! Thus, marriage can never be a positive step. This set me thinking.. this cannot be a right conclusion across all marriages, there has to be a corollary. And, well, there is !
Anyways, to understand the above further, let me illustrate the different outcomes in a table





Like we concluded above, for a couple to be happy – both the partners individually must be happy, hence only a 0.25 probability.
Here we are assuming that if one of the partners is sad, then he / she would make the other sad too. Maybe the couple isn’t a right fit for each other in this case.

However, there are cases where the happiness of one partner overrides the sadness of the other and the couple ends up happier if one of the partners is happy. In this case, the probability of the couple being happy shoots up to 0.75 (outcomes 2 and 3 above will change to “happy” outcomes for the couple). This, I would attribute to a concept called “true love”.

Hence, here are 3 conclusions that one can make

1. If you are with the right partner, then the chances of you being happy are thrice as much – 0.75 vs. 0.25


2. If you are with the wrong partner, you are better off being indifferent to their feelings. Thus, your happiness / sadness would NOT depend upon their happiness / sadness, bringing up the probability of your happiness back to 0.5, instead of 0.25

3. Even in case of perfect marriages / right partners, the probability of happiness is only 0.75. Thus, there will always be some sad times.

Well, for all those getting married and wondering about the future (iincluding me), here’s wishing them all the best. Hoping for a 0.75 probability !!!

Not just friends...

He tugged at the thin straps knotted at her slender back and allowed the silver Lycra top to slither to the marble floor; he smiled at the rush of power he felt and perched on the edge of the king-size bed. She was a sexy woman.

He heard his mobile phone buzz, announcing that he had received a sms. He almost knew who the sender was.

Ignore it! He commanded himself. He was with a woman! A semi-naked woman who was sexy as hell and with perfectly shaped breasts!

But he couldn’t. Lost in thought, he trailed his palms over her waist to rest on her hips. She sighed with her whole body, from the little breathy catch in her throat to the way she leaned all the more heavily into him, rubbed herself against him.

He sighed heavily as he pushed her away. In response to the confusion in her eyes, he smiled his most apologetic smile and reached out to pick up his cell phone.

Yes, the message was from Kay: Are you in yet? If not call me.

He did not know whether to kill Kay or adore her. But he found himself reaching out the speed dial digit which would connect him to her. She picked up on the first ring.

“You busy?”

“What’s the emergency woman?”

“Its Ash’s pool-side bash, I need help in deciding whether to wear the pink two-piece with glittering hearts on it or the lime green one with a beaded border?”

“You called me for that? Do you have any idea what I was involved in?”

“Oh you as usual must be on top of some woman or the other. What’s the point of yelling at me. You shouldn’t have called if the bimbette was that important!”

“Oh yeah and if you don’t decide what you wear to Ash’s party, which is incidentally one week away, right now, you will have a stroke!”

“So… how far had you gone?” she asked curiosity making her voice sound a little different.

He looked towards the bed, where the ‘bimbette’ lay, making inviting eyes at him. What was he doing on the phone again? There was a sexy woman, waiting for him in bed and here was standing bare chested at the bedroom window making conversation with K.A.Y.

“Excuse me?!!” he blurted.

“Ugh!” she made an exasperated noise. “Have you like already added whipped cream to your.. err… desert?” She said by means of explanation.

“Nope I did not add whipped cream!! Yuck!! What a way to put things!!!” He screamed into the phone

She laughed and he felt his lips lift at the corners in the beginnings of a smile.

“You are so not going to be able to go any further with her than this, sweetheart,” she cooed knowingly into the phone.

Which was true, the semi-naked woman on the bed, right now just looked like an interesting object of art. He sighed. Kay had done it again. He cut the phone.

“Problem?” the bimbette asked

“Wife” he lied with a smile.

“What?” She screamed. She sprang off the bed, dressed in record speed and slammed the door on her way out. Aptly Kay called.

“So she left?”

“Yes woman…”

“I don’t like these stupid women in your life….” Kay whispered

“You don’t have to like them. I do.”

“You didn’t hear me. I do NOT like these stupid women in your life…”

“Kay…” it was a question, a doubt, an answer and a solution.

“Well…”

“Kay…”

“Ok. Yes I do!”

“Huh? Then why… did you .. I mean..”

“It took me two years and millions of plots to spoil your one night stands to realize I love you.. ok? But there... I do!”