The ‘Fiancée Formula’ works on the basis of how old a man is when he starts looking for a life partner – combined with the oldest he’s prepared to be when he ties the knot.

Using romance by numbers, he can calculate the optimum age to propose.

‘Applying maths to matters of the heart is always a dangerous prospect,’ said Professor Tony Dooley from the University of New South Wales School of Mathematics and Statistics.

‘But if you want to work out the right moment to start getting serious, then this actually gives you a mathematical framework to think about it.

‘The result is your Optimal Proposal Age.