圣誕節即將到來，很多父母都開始為給孩子挑選一份完美的圣誕禮物而發愁。英國心理學家克利夫?阿諾爾最近創制了一個完美玩具計算公式，通過量化玩具價值，幫助家長找到“完美”玩具。阿諾爾把玩具對孩子的作用歸納為“玩樂價值”，計算公式為：“玩樂價值”＝T x L + Pi + Po + Cr + S + U + H / 。其中，Pi代表該玩具在孩子獨自玩耍時的有用程度；Po為與他人一起玩耍時的有用程度；Cr是玩具對創造力的啟發程度；S代表玩具對社交能力的開發；U為實用性；H為玩具是否可以傳給其他兄弟姐妹們玩；T為預計孩子定期玩玩具的時間（小時為單位）；L代表孩子被該玩具吸引的總共時長（以月為單位）；C代表玩具價格。

Parents looking for the perfect toy could use mathematics. (Agencies)

A psychologist has come up with a formula for parents struggling to find the perfect toy for their children this Christmas.

Dr Cliff Arnall, who has previously come up with calculations for the happiest and most depressing day of the year, reckons that mathematics can be used to work out the "play value" of potential purchases.

But parents hoping for a simple formula to help them make wise decisions in the toyshop had better not be in a hurry and might have to bring a calculator with them.

The result is also likely to be different for different children, he admits.

Parents first have to assess the toy against six criteria: its usefulness when playing alone (Pi); playing with others (Po); whether it fosters creativity (Cr); its value promoting social interaction (S); its general utility (U) and finally whether it can be handed down to siblings (H).

Parents must give the toy a score out of five for each and add them up.

In a separate sum, then they must estimate the amount of time in hours a child will play with the toy regularly (T) and multiply it by how many months it is likely to remain of interest (L).

The two figures must then be divided by the square root of the cost (C) and added to the total score from the criteria section.

Simple? For those who did not quite follow, it works out as: T x L + Pi + Po + Cr + S + U + H / square root of C

"A toy may score higher for one child than another but that's an important part of the exercise," said Dr Arnall.

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(Agencies)

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）