👉 Pirates, or privateers during wartime, operated under a unique set of mathematical rules that allowed them to effectively disrupt enemy shipping while maintaining a semblance of legality. They used probability and statistics to assess the likelihood of encountering and capturing enemy vessels, often calculating the optimal number of ships to deploy based on their resources and the target's defenses. Pirates also employed basic geometry and spatial reasoning to navigate and map coastal waters, crucial for ambushing and evading larger naval forces. Furthermore, they used arithmetic to manage their limited supplies and resources efficiently, ensuring they could sustain prolonged operations. Their understanding of navigation and timing was also mathematically sophisticated, allowing them to exploit weather patterns and tidal conditions for strategic advantages.
