The Universal Book Of MATHEMATICS

From Booklist
Darling, who has written books about astronomy and science for young adults, has followed the successful formula found in his Universal Book of Astronomy (Wiley, 2004), to compile an encyclopedia of mathematical terms, concepts, and problems; short biographies of pioneering mathematicians; puzzles; diagrams; pictures; and history. Entries cover subjects ranging from the fairly simple (arithmetic) to the more complex (Cabali-Yau space). The goal is to present "the unusual and the outrageous, the fanciful and the fantastic: a compendium of the mathematics they didn't teach you in school." To this end, the book treats numerous topics one would not expect to find in more academic math dictionaries--illusions, classic chess problems, the 1884 novel Flatland, to give a few examples.

Entries are alphabetized and thoroughly cross-referenced. Some are as brief as a single sentence (for example, Congruent, Nonagon), while others are a page or more (Maze, Pi). The writing is accessible and provides enough information to assist the reader in understanding the term being described. An impressive list of references used to compile the entries is included at the end of the volume, along with the solutions to the mathematical puzzles referred to in the text. This resource would be appropriate for high-school, public, and academic libraries and could be considered a basic tool in this subject. Kathryn O'Gorman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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A walk through history¿s most mind-boggling puzzles

Ever since the Sphinx asked his legendary riddle of Oedipus, riddles, conundrums, and puzzles of all sizes have kept humankind perplexed and amused. The Liar Paradox and the Towers of Hanoi takes die-hard puzzle mavens on a tour of the world¿s most enduringly intriguing braintwisters, from Königsberg¿s Bridges and the Hanoi Towers to Fibonacci¿s Rabbits, the Four Color Problem, and the Magic Square. Each chapter introduces the basic puzzle, discusses the mathematics behind it, and includes exercises and answers plus additional puzzles similar to the one under discussion. Here is a veritable kaleidoscope of puzzling labyrinths, maps, bridges, and optical illusions that will keep aficionados entertained for hours.

Marcel Danesi (Etobicoke, ON, Canada) is the author of Increase Your Puzzle IQ

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Product Details

* Hardcover: 383 pages
* Publisher: Castle Books (February 28, 2007)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0785822976
* ISBN-13: 978-0785822974


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