Mathematicians have come up with a 'fiancee formula' that allows men to work out the perfect time to pop the question.
All he needs is the age he would first consider marrying and hiscut-off point - and the equation does the rest.
Maths professor Anthony Dooley said: 'Applying maths to matters of the heart is always dangerous. In life you are dealing with emotions and have to think much harder.
'But if you want to work out the right moment to start getting serious, this gives you a mathematical framework.'
The formula is based on a statistical technique known as optimal stopping - or the best time to do something.
Professor Dooley's colleague, Professor Bruce Brown, said the formula was a 'reasonable approach' unwittingly followed by many young men, including himself.
Writing in the third person, he said: 'As for the author, he can tell you that, looking back and doing some calculations, he did follow the marriage solution, albeit by accident, and it has worked out perfectly.'
The formula was devised with men in mind but could equally apply to women, including those uncertain about whether to accept a proposal. It could also help nervous men calculate when to avoid the ultimate commitment.
But those who find they have passed the optimal age for proposing should not panic - simply pop the question to the next good prospect who comes along.
Professor Dooley, of New South Wales University in Sydney, added: 'Probability isn't the most romantic basis for a marriage but while the formula won't fit everyone it does seem to fit a lot of couples, whether through accident or design.'
日前，数学家研究出一个“求婚公式”，让男士们可以计算出求婚的最佳时间。
在计算过程中，只需提供最初考虑结婚的年龄和最迟结婚期限，剩下的都交给公式来处理。
数学教授安东尼•杜利说：“把数学运用到感情问题中通常不保险。在生活中，你得处理感情问题，而且需要更仔细地思量。
“但如果你想算出最佳结婚时间，这个公式可为你提供一个参考。”
该公式基于一个被称为“最优停止”的统计学技术，可计算出做某事的最佳时间。
杜利教授的同事布鲁斯•布朗教授说，该公式是一个“合理的方法”，很多年轻男士都在不知不觉中遵循着这一公式，包括他本人。
杜利教授在研究报告中以第三人称写道：“至于作者，他可以告诉你，回过头去看看，再做番计算，他的确遵循了这一婚姻公式——尽管是偶然的巧合，而且应用得很完美。”
尽管这一公式是为男士设计的，但对女士同样适用，比如那些正在犹豫是否接受求婚的女性。该公式还可以帮助紧张不安的男士计算出避免求婚的时间。
不过发现自己已经错过最佳求婚年龄的人也不要恐慌——就直接向下一个可能结为连理的对象求婚吧。
悉尼新南威尔士大学的杜利教授说：“概率不是婚姻最为浪漫的基础，但尽管这一公式不适用于每一个人，它确实适用于很多夫妻，不论是巧合还是精心设计的。”
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