How Can I Drink Bubble Tea Without Finishing the Tea Before the Bobas?
There is data science and there is boba science
Have you ever felt frustrated when you finish all the tea in your bubble tea before the bobas (tapioca balls)? I am pretty sure you are not alone.
One strategy is to maximize boba consumption in every sip, i.e., try to get the maximum amount of bobas while getting the minimum amount of tea possible. But what exactly are the maximum and minimum amounts?
These simulations show the optimized sip based on the amount of bobas and tea in the straw (method adapted from this post). It assumes that all bobas stack on top of each other nicely in the bottom of the cup. If you put a straw straight down when there are n layers of bobas, you will get n bobas in the straw. The rest of the straw up to the drink’s height is tea. The drinker sips until all n bobas are in their mouth, then stops. After each sip, these n bobas and tea inside the straw are gradually reduced from the cup.
Several factors can affect the drinking experience and whether you can finish the bobas before the tea:
