Sudoku and number puzzles Books

Book SynopsisFrom rainbows, river meanders, and shadows to spider webs, honeycombs, the visible world is full of patterns that can be described mathematically. Examining such readily observable phenomena, this book introduces readers to the beauty of nature as revealed by mathematics and the beauty of mathematics as revealed in nature.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2003 for Professional/Scholarly Award in Mathematics and Statistics, Association of American Publishers One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2004 "Mathematics in Nature is an excellent resource for bringing a greater variety of patterns into the mathematical study of nature, as well as for teaching students to think about describing natural phenomena mathematically... [T]he breadth of patterns studied is phenomenal."--Will Wilson, American Scientist "John Adam has combined his interest in the great outdoors and applied mathematics to compile one surprising example after another of how mathematics can be used to explain natural phenomena. And what examples! ... [He] has done a great deal of reading and exposition, indulging his passions to create this compilation of mathematical models of natural phenomena, and the sheer number of examples he manages to cram into this book is testament to his efforts. There are other texts on the market which explore the connection between mathematics and nature ... but none this wide-ranging."--Steven Morics, MAA Online "Adam has laced his mathematical models with popular descriptions of the phenomena selected... Mathematics in Nature can accordingly be read for pleasure and instruction by the select laity who are not afraid of reading between the lines of equations."--Philip J. Davis, SIAM News "John Adam's quest is a very simple one: that is, to invite one to look around and observe the wonders of nature, both natural and biological; to ponder them; and to try to explain them at various levels with, for the most part, quite elementary mathematical concepts and techniques."--Brian D. Sleeman, Notices of the American Mathematical Association "Reading this book progressively creates a course in mathematical modeling built around familiar, tangible, human-scale examples, with a trajectory that takes readers from dimensional estimates through geometrical modeling, linear and nonlinear dynamics, to pattern formation."--Choice "John Adam's Mathematics in Nature illustrates how, in a friendly and lucid manner, mathematicians think about nature. Adam lets us see how mathematics is not only an ally, but is perhaps the very language that nature uses to express the beautiful... This is a book that will challenge while it intrigues and excites."--Stanley David Gedzelman, Weatherwise "Although Mathematics in Nature has not been written as a textbook, availability of such a manual shall help instructors who choose this delightful book for teaching a course in applied mathematics or mathematical modeling."--Yuri V. Rogovchenko, Zentralblatt Math "Spanning a range of mathematical levels, this book can be used as an undergraduate textbook, a source of high school math enrichment, or can be read for pleasure by folks with an appreciation of nature but without advanced mathematical background."--Southeastern NaturalistTable of ContentsPreface: The motivation for the book; Acknowledgments; Credits xiii Prologue: Why I Might Never Have Written This Book xxi CHAPTER ONE: The Confluence of Nature and Mathematical Modeling 1 CHAPTER TWO: Estimation: The Power of Arithmetic in Solving Fermi Problems 17 CHAPTER THREE: Shape, Size, and Similarity: The Problem of Scale 31 CHAPTER FOUR: Meteorological Optics I: Shadows, Crepuscular Rays, and Related Optical Phenomena 57 CHAPTER FIVE: Meteorological Optics II: A "Calculus I" Approach to Rainbows, Halos, and Glories 80 CHAPTER SIX: Clouds, Sand Dunes, and Hurricanes 118 CHAPTER SEVEN: (Linear) Waves of All Kinds 139 CHAPTER EIGHT: Stability 173 CHAPTER NINE: Bores and Nonlinear Waves 194 CHAPTER TEN: The Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio 213 CHAPTER ELEVEN: Bees, Honeycombs, Bubbles, and Mud Cracks 231 CHAPTER TWELVE: River Meanders, Branching Patterns, and Trees 254 CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Bird Flight 295 CHAPTER FOURTEEN: HowDid the Leopard Get Its Spots? 309 APPENDIX: Fractals: An Appetite Whetter... 336 BIBLIOGRAPHY 341 INDEX 357

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Book SynopsisHow does mathematics enable us to send pictures from space back to Earth? Where does the bell-shaped curve come from? Drawing on areas of mathematics from probability theory, number theory, and geometry, this work highlights how ideas, mostly from pure math, can answer these questions. It includes puzzles and problems of varying difficulty.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2004 "Keith Ball demonstrated that though math may not be laugh-out-loud hilarious, it is deeply and gloriously satisfying... Ball's style is pacy and informal, and he does far more than just show off polished results. This is math with the hood up and the engine running."--Ben Longstaff, New Scientist "A recreational math book with enough heft to give its intended audience a series of mental workouts, ranging from the rough equivalent of a stroll to the corner mailbox to a hard mile run. The writing style is open and engaging."--Choice "A gem... Each topic is taken up in a setting that immediately generates interest ... Ball's achievement is to have come up with a selection of topics which are fresh and unusual... It is a pleasure to report that the book is written in limpid, graceful, elegant English prose--nowadays a nearly vanished species."--Stacy G. Langton, MAA Online "The author's writing style is informal, inviting, and clear... This book gives a lively and carefully written treatment of a number of interesting topics... The range of topics is wide, so even the experienced mathematician may learn something new."--Harold R. Parks, Notices of the American Mathematical Society "[I]f you salivate at the thought of working those calculations, then run don't walk to the bookshop--for once they've produced a book just for you."--Peter Spitz, Popular ScienceTable of ContentsPreface xi Acknowledgements xiii Chapter One Shannon's Free Lunch 1 1.1 The ISBN Code 1 1.2 Binary Channels 5 1.3 The Hunt for Good Codes 7 1.4 Parity-Check Construction 11 1.5 Decoding a Hamming Code 13 1.6 The Free Lunch Made Precise 19 1.7 Further Reading 21 1.8 Solutions 22 Chapter Two Counting Dots 25 2.1 Introduction 25 2.2 Why Is Pick's Theorem True?27 2.3 An Interpretation 31 2.4 Pick's Theorem and Arithmetic 32 2.5 Further Reading 34 2.6 Solutions 35 Chapter Three Fermat's Little Theorem and Infinite Decimals 41 3.1 Introduction 41 3.2 The Prime Numbers 43 3.3 Decimal Expansions of Reciprocals of Primes 46 3.4 An Algebraic Description of the Period 48 3.5 The Period Is a Factor of p 150 3.6 Fermat's Little Theorem 55 3.7 Further Reading 56 3.8 Solutions 58 Chapter Four Strange Curves 63 4.1 Introduction 63 4.2 A Curve Constructed Using Tiles 65 4.3 Is the Curve Continuous? 70 4.4 Does the Curve Cover the Square? 71 4.5 Hilbert's Construction and Peano's Original 73 4.6 A Computer Program 75 4.7 A Gothic Frieze 76 4.8 Further Reading 79 4.9 Solutions 80 Chapter Five Shared Birthdays, Normal Bells 83 5.1 Introduction 83 5.2 What Chance of a Match? 84 5.3 How Many Matches? 89 5.4 How Many People Share? 91 5.5 The Bell-Shaped Curve 93 5.6 The Area under a Normal Curve 100 5.7 Further Reading 105 5.8 Solutions 106 Chapter Six Stirling Works 109 6.1 Introduction 109 6.2 A First Estimate for n 110 6.3 A Second Estimate for n 114 6.4 A Limiting Ratio 117 6.5 Stirling's Formula 122 6.6 Further Reading 124 6.7 Solutions 125 Chapter Seven Spare Change, Pools of Blood 127 7.1 Introduction 127 7.2 The Coin-Weighing Problem 128 7.3 Back to Blood 131 7.4 The Binary Protocol for a Rare Abnormality 134 7.5 A Refined Binary Protocol 139 7.6 An Eficiency Estimate Using Telephones 141 7.7 An Eficiency Estimate for Blood Pooling 144 7.8 A Precise Formula for the Binary Protocol 147 7.9 Further Reading 149 7.10 Solutions 151 Chapter Eight Fibonacci's Rabbits Revisited 153 8.1 Introduction 153 8.2 Fibonacci and the Golden Ratio 154 8.3 The Continued Fraction for the Golden Ratio 158 8.4 Best Approximations and the Fibonacci Hyperbola 161 8.5 Continued Fractions and Matrices 165 8.6 Skipping down the Fibonacci Numbers 169 8.7 The Prime Lucas Numbers 174 8.8 The Trace Problem 178 8.9 Further Reading 181 8.10 Solutions 182 Chapter Nine Chasing the Curve 189 9.1 Introduction 189 9.2 Approximation by Rational Functions 193 9.3 The Tangent 202 9.4 An Integral Formula 207 9.5 The Exponential 210 9.6 The Inverse Tangent 213 9.7 Further Reading 214 9.8 Solutions 215 Chapter Ten Rational and Irrational 219 10.1 Introduction 219 10.2 Fibonacci Revisited 220 10.3 The Square Root of d 223 10.4 The Box Principle 225 10.5 The Numbers e and p 230 10.6 The Irrationality of e 233 10.7 Euler's Argument 236 10.8 The Irrationality of p 238 10.9 Further Reading 242 10.10 Solutions 243 Index 247

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Book SynopsisFocuses on chessboard problems. From the Knight's Tour Problem and Queens Domination to their many variations, this work surveys the well-known problems in this surprisingly fertile area of recreational mathematics. Using visual language of graph theory, it guides the reader to the forefront of research in mathematics.Trade Review"This book is extremely well written and is, no doubt, the best exposition of the connection between the chessboard problems and recreational mathematics. The author surveys all the well-known problems about chess and the chessboard... The problems are treated in depth from their beginnings through to their status today."--Mohammed Aassila, MAA Review "Torus-shaped boards, three-dimensional boards, a shape called the Klein bottle--the simple checkerboard pattern proves to be creatively malleable when Watkins puts his mind to his hobbylike subject. Watkins' invitational tone ensures attention from the finite but enthusiastic audience for mathematical recreation."--Booklist "Watkins offers an excellent invitation to serious mathematics."--Choice "I would be happy to recommend this book to you... The book is an easy and entertaining read that shows numerous paths into various branches of discrete mathematics and graph theory."--Paul J. Campbell, Mathematics Magazine "This is not just about chess, but also the three centuries of 'recreational mathematics' that the game has inspired. From simple questions, such as whether it is possible for a knight to land on each square of the board on its path, Watkins wades into graph theory, the mathematics of three-dimensional chess and even chess on a torus."--Nature Physics "This book is stimulating and very well written. It is admirably clear... Definitely the book is highly recommended and is of much interest. This book is, no doubt, the newly best exposition of the interconnection between amusing recreational mathematics and the interesting chessboard problems. I feel sure that it will be of great use both to students of graph theory, geometry, topology and mathematics, in general, and captivate to scholars, instructors, chess enthusiasts, puzzle devotees, and to those intervening in amusing and recreational mathematics."--Francisco Jose Cano Sevilla, European Mathematical Society "A most enjoyable book that will surely offer new and original avenues for problem solvers of all kinds in need of new techniques, approaches or problems to solve."--Robert Bilinski, CruxTable of ContentsPreface ix Chapter One Introduction 1 Chapter Two Knight's Tours 25 Chapter Three The Knight's Tour Problem 39 Chapter Four Magic Squares 53 Chapter Five The Torus and the Cylinder 65 Chapter Six The Klein Bottle and Other Variations 79 Chapter Seven Domination 95 Chapter Eight Queens Domination 113 Chapter Nine Domination on Other Surfaces 139 Chapter Ten Independence 163 Chapter Eleven Other Surfaces, Other Variations 191 Chapter Twelve Eulerian Squares 213 Chapter Thirteen Polyominoes 223 References 247 Index 251

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Book SynopsisA collection of puzzles. Covering a range of fields, from geography and environmental studies to map- and flag-making, it uses basic algebra and geometry to solve problems. It is suitable for readers interested in sharpening their thinking and mathematical skills.Trade Review"[Banks displays] a playful imagination and love of the fantastic that one would not ordinarily associate with a mathematical engineer... Banks's style is entertaining but never condescending."--The Christian Science Monitor "Banks turns trivial questions into mind-expanding demonstrations of the magical powers of mathematics. Nor does he restrict himself to trivial questions: his shrewd analyses coax secrets out of such weighty topics as global population growth and the melting of polar ice caps... Not a math textbook which teaches readers how to solve set types of problems, this collection of puzzles does something far more important: it teaches us how to delight in unexpected challenges to our numerical imagination."--BooklistTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xiii Chapter 1 Broad Stripes and Bright Stars 3 Chapter 2 More Stars, Honeycombs, and Snowflakes 13 Chapter 3 Slicing Things Like Pizzas and Watermelons 23 Chapter 4 Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head and Other Goodies 34 Chapter 5 Raindrops and Other Goodies Revisited 44 Chapter 6 Which Major Rivers Flow Uphill? 49 Chapter 7 A Brief Look at pi, e, and Some Other Famous Numbers 57 Chapter 8 Another Look at Some Famous Numbers 69 Chapter 9 Great Number Sequences: Prime, Fibonacci, and Hailstone 78 Chapter 10 A Fast Way to Escape 97 Chapter 11 How to Get Anywhere in About Forty-Two Minutes 105 Chapter 12 How Fast Should You Run in the Rain? 114 Chapter 13 Great Turtle Races: Pursuit Curves 123 Chapter 14 More Great Turtle Races: Logarithmic Spirals 131 Chapter 15 How Many People Have Ever Lived? 138 Chapter 16 The Great Explosion of 2023 146 Chapter 17 How to Make Fairly Nice Valentines 153 Chapter 18 Somewhere Over the Rainbow 163 Chapter 19 Making Mathematical Mountains 177 Chapter 20 How to Make Mountains out of Molehills 184 Chapter 21 Moving Continents from Here to There 196 Chapter 22 Cartography: How to Flatten Spheres 204 Chapter 23 Growth and Spreading and Mathematical Analogies 219 Chapter 24 How Long Is the Seam on a Baseball? 232 Chapter 25 Baseball Seams, Pipe Connections, and World Travels 247 Chapter 26 Lengths, Areas, and Volumes of All Kinds of Shapes 256 References 279 Index 285

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Book SynopsisWhat are your chances of dying on your next flight, being called for jury duty, or winning the lottery? We all encounter probability problems in our everyday lives. This title challenges us to think creatively about the laws of probability as they apply in playful, sometimes deceptive, ways to a fascinating array of speculative situations.Trade Review"Nahin's sophisticated puzzles, and their accompanying explanations, have a far better than even chance of fascinating and preoccupying the mathematically literate readership they seek."--Publisher's Weekly "An entertaining, thought-provoking collection of twenty-one puzzles...These puzzles invite the reader to think intuitively, mathematically, and creatively about the laws of probability as they apply in lighthearted, often counterintuitive ways to a diverse collection of practical and speculative situations."--Mathematics Teacher "By following Nahin's informal style it is possible to set [the examples] up quickly from first principles and slip them into courses on calculus, algebra, or scientific programming. They also offer a wealth of topics for undergraduate projects. Those duelling idiots are fighting over a goldmine."--Des Higham, MSOR ConnectionsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Preface xi Introduction 3 The Problems 15 1. How to ask an Embarrassing question 15 2. When Idiots duel 16 3. Will the light Bulb glow? 22 4. Tho Underdog and the World Series 26 5. The Curious Case of the Snowy Birthdays 27 6. When Human Flesh Begins to Fail 34 7. Baseball Again, and Mortal Flesh Too 51 8. Ball Madness 56 9. Who Pays for the Coffee? 42 10. The Chess Champ versus the Gunslinger 45 11. A Different Slice of Probabilistic Pi 49 12. When Negativity is a No-No 50 15. The Power of Randomness 51 14. The Random Radio 52 15. An Inconceivable Difficulty 55 16. The Unsinkable Tub is Sinking! How to Find Her, Fast 57 17. A Walk in the Garden 58 18. Two Flies Stuck on a Piece of Flypaper--How Far Apart? 61 19.The Blind Spider and the Fly 62 20. Reliably Unreliable 68 21. When Theory Fails, There is always the Computer 71 The Solutions 81 Random Number Generators 176 "Some things Just Have to be Done By Hand!" 198 MATLAB Programs 202 Index 267 About the Author 271

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Book SynopsisWe all played tag when we were kids. What most of us don't realize is that this simple chase game is in fact an application of pursuit theory. This book gives us the complete history of this area of mathematics, from its classical analytical beginnings to the present day.Trade Review"In the 18th century, mathematicians began to tease apart how best to track down and intercept prey, inspired by pirate ships bearing down on merchant vessels. The mathematics is by no means trivial, and quickly becomes fiendish if the merchant ship takes evasive action. This is just one of the colorful problems in Paul Nahin's fascinating history of the mathematics of pursuit, in which he guides us masterfully through the maths itself--think lions and Christians, submarines and torpedoes, and the curvaceous flight of fighter aircraft."--New Scientist "This is a highly readable book that offers several colorful applications of differential equations and good examples of non-trivial integrals for calculus students. It would be a good source of examples for the classroom and or a starting point for an independent project."--Bill Satzer, MAA Review "This book contains a well-written, well-organized collection of solutions to twenty-one challenging calculus and differential equation problems that concern pursuit and evasion as well as the historical background of each problem type."--Mathematics Teacher "I am sure that this book will appeal to everyone who is interested in mathematics and game theory. Excellent work."--Prabhat Kumar Mahanti, Zentralblatt Math "Chases and Escapes is a wonderful collection of interesting and classic pursuit and evasion problems... If you are interested in in dogs chasing ducks, pirates chasing merchants, and submarines hiding, then this book is for you."--Mathematics TeacherTable of ContentsPreface to the Paperback Edition xiii What You Need to Know to Read This Book (and How I Learned What I Needed to Know to Write It) xxvii Introduction 1 Chapter 1. The Classic Pursuit Problem 7 *1.1 Pierre Bouguer's Pirate Ship Analysis 7 *1.2 A Modern Twist on Bouguer 17 *1.3 Before Bouguer: The Tractrix 23 *1.4 The Myth of Leonardo da Vinci 27 *1.5 Apollonius Pursuit and Ramchundra's Intercept Problem 29 Chapter 2. Pursuit of (Mostly) Maneuvering Targets 41 *2.1 Hathaway's Dog-and-Duck Circular Pursuit Problem 41 *2.2 Computer Solution of Hathaway's Pursuit Problem 52 *2.3 Velocity and Acceleration Calculations for a Moving Body 64 *2.4 Houghton's Problem: A Circular Pursuit That Is Solvable in Closed Form 78 *2.5 Pursuit of Invisible Targets 85 *2.6 Proportional Navigation 93 Chapter 3. Cyclic Pursuit 106 *3.1 A Brief History of the n-Bug Problem, and Why It Is of Practical Interest 106 *3.2 The Symmetrical n-Bug Problem 110 *3.3 Morley's Nonsymmetrical 3-Bug Problem 116 Chapter 4. Seven Classic Evasion Problems 128 *4.1 The Lady-in-the-Lake Problem 128 *4.2 Isaacs's Guarding-the-Target Problem 138 *4.3 The Hiding Path Problem 143 *4.4 The Hidden Object Problem: Pursuit and Evasion as a Simple Two-Person, Zero-Sum Game of Attack-and-Defend 156 *4.5 The Discrete Search Game for a Stationary Evader -- Hunting for Hiding Submarines 168 *4.6 A Discrete Search Game with a Mobile Evader -- Isaacs's Princess-and-Monster Problem 174 *4.7 Rado's Lion-and-Man Problem and Besicovitch's Astonishing Solution 181 Appendix A Solution to the Challenge Problems of Section 1.1 187 Appendix B Solutions to the Challenge Problems of Section 1.2 190 Appendix C Solution to the Challenge Problem of Section 1.5 198 Appendix D Solution to the Challenge Problem of Section 2.2 202 Appendix E Solution to the Challenge Problem of Section 2.3 209 Appendix F Solution to the Challenge Problem of Section 2.5 214 Appendix G Solution to the Challenge Problem of Section 3.2 217 Appendix H Solution to the Challenge Problem of Section 4.3 219 Appendix I Solution to the Challenge Problem of Section 4.4 222 Appendix J Solution to the Challenge Problem of Section 4.7 224 Appendix K Guelman's Proof 229 Notes 235 Bibliography 245 Acknowledgments 249 Index 251

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Book SynopsisIncludes topics as diverse as magic, philosophy, religion, pseudoscience, and Alice in Wonderland. This title takes readers from author's childhood in Oklahoma to his college days at the University of Chicago, his service in the navy, and his varied and professional pursuits.Trade ReviewOne of American Association for the Advancement of Science's Books for General Audiences and Young Adults 2014 "His radiant self lives on in his massive and luminous literary output and shines at its sweetest, wittiest and most personal in Undiluted Hocus-Pocus."--Teller, New York Times Book Review "For those of us who believe that the sciences and the humanities don't have to be enemies, Martin Gardner is an inspiring model. Undiluted Hocus-Pocus reveals a man immersed in philosophy, religion and literature, even as he makes a career writing about science."--Jordan Ellenberg, Wall Street Journal "Readers who only know Gardner for his math and science writing will be surprised at his focus on religion, and this autobiography demonstrates his passion to explain and understand the world around him."--Publishers Weekly "For half a century, Martin Gardner (1914-2010) was an international scientific treasure... Gardner's passion for writing and his warmth and humour shine forth on every page of this book, making it a memoir of a great human being."--David Singmaster, Nature "Zealously debunking science fads and declaring his bafflement at the human brain, maths writer Martin Gardner was on fine form in this posthumous memoir."--Nature "The style is that of a memoir, conversationally phrased, and not afraid to be sidetracked occasionally by an amusing aside. Gardner paints vividly an inside picture of American intellectual life in the twentieth century, coloured by honest accounts of the many influential figures with whom he came into contact."--Alexander Shannon, Plus magazine "His illuminating autobiography, Undiluted Hocus-Pocus ... offers a rare, intimate look at Gardner's life and work."--Mother Nature Network "In summary, I give this book the highest praise that I can possibly give an autobiography: it was much too short."--Charles Ashbacher, MAA Reviews "[Undiluted Hocus-Pocus] is the most sincere, unadulterated biography I ever read... [D]etails of his life and personality exposed in the book help create a more complete picture of this fascinating person... Martin Gardner had tremendous influence on several generations of young minds; his autobiography will help his fans appreciate how that came about. This is a book no one who ever heard his name would want to miss."--Cut the Knot Insights blog "I only wish his autobiography was twice as long, for I never tire of reading him and feeling enriched... And thank you Martin for this last, final, further peek into your brilliant, fertile, curious, nimble, incisive, probing, captivating life and mind."--Math Tango blog "Undiluted Hocus-Pocus reminds us how Gardner taught many of us how to play the game of mathematics better."--Mathrecreation blog "A case can be made, in purely practical terms, for Martin Gardner as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. His popularizations of science and mathematical games in Scientific American, over the 25 years he wrote for them, might have helped create more young mathematicians and computer scientists than any other single factor prior to the advent of the personal computer... Gardner was capable of appealing to the literary side of left-brained sorts, and did so with ... taste and restraint... Undiluted Hocus-Pocus, his posthumously published autobiography ... reveals the sort of mentality that shaped itself around his encyclopedic interests."--David Auerbach, Los Angeles Review of Books "[This book] will be an eye-opener knowing that Martin Gardner was active on so many diverse fields."--European Mathematical Society "The book is just a delight to read."--Stephen Hirtle, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Here my guru and sage brought together, over the course of two hundred pages, the full range of his interests--math, magic, philosophy, stories, poetry, science, religion, politics--and combined these disparate topics with an account of his private life and intellectual development. I enjoyed every page of this book."--Ted Gioia, Millions "Reading Martin Gardner's autobiography is like spending a pleasant afternoon in the company of a 95-year-old man with sharp memories and a twinkle in his eye. Oh wait, that's what it is."--Science Musings blog "This book describes some of the pivotal moments in the life of prolific author/journalist Martin Gardner (1914-2010), who is best known for his illuminating and entertaining contributions to Scientific American magazine from 1956 to 1981. Fans of Martin Gardner will find this posthumously published autobiography fascinating."--Choice "[H]ighly readable. Even those well familiar with Gardner's writings, although they will be acquainted with much of the ground covered, will still make several new discoveries. The foreword by Persi Diaconis will also interest mathematicians."--Leon Harkleroad, Zentralblatt Math "A delightful book."--Peter E. Blau, Red Circle Society "For all his fame, Gardner was a humble, generous man, always modest about his mathematical achievements. His humanity, humor, and sheer decency shine through every page. Reading this book is like chatting with him about his intellectually adventure-filled life for a whole weekend."--Colm Mulcahy, Math Horizons "At the age of 95 he wrote this ... charming and informative autobiography covering an incredibly prolific and productive life that should inspire anyone who encounters it."--AAAS "Martin Gardner as one of those rare and valuable writers who could venture into the worlds of science and mathematics as an intelligent and interested layman, and then entertain the rest of us with his discoveries."--Jon Wainwright, Skeptic Magazine "A very interesting read."--Christopher Hollings, Mathematics TodayTable of ContentsForeword: Magic, Mathematics, and Mysterians, by Persi Diaconis xi Preface xxiii Prologue: I Am a Mysterian xxv 1 Earliest Memories 1 2 Lee School 10 3 Tulsa Central High, I 21 4 Central High, II 28 5 Hutchins and Adler 40 6 Richard McKeon 47 7 I Lose My Faith 53 8 Chicago, I 62 9 Chicago, II 76 10 I Become a Journalist 88 11 Mother and Dad 98 12 The Navy, I 111 13 The Navy, II 119 PHOTO ESSAY follows page 124 14 Esquire and Humpty 125 15 Scientific American 134 16 Pseudoscience 150 17 Math and Magic Friends 160 18 Charlotte 173 19 Bob and Betty 185 20 God 191 21 My Philosophy 195 Afterword: My Most Elegant Friend ... , by James Randi 209 Index 215

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Book SynopsisWhat is the shortest possible route for a traveling salesman seeking to visit each city on a list exactly once and return to his city of origin? It sounds simple enough, yet the traveling salesman problem is one of the most intensely studied puzzles in applied mathematics--and it has defied solution to this day. In this book, William Cook takes reaTrade Review"Fascinating ... describes the history, personalities, challenges, applications and techniques used to find solutions of the famous 'Traveling Salesman Problem' and related problems."--Pradeep Mutalik, Wordplay blog at New York Times "The Traveling Salesman Problem, or TSP, might seem to be of purely recreational interest ... but in fact, as William J. Cook's In Pursuit of the Traveling Salesman ably shows, the problem remains a topic of hot interest... [This book is] an excellent place for an interested amateur to get the gist of these big ideas in a down-to-earth discussion... Mr. Cook's affable style means that you're never too far from an enjoyable historical anecdote or an offbeat application of a problem that has interested some of the best minds in applied math for most of a century and that shows no signs of getting stale."--Jordan Ellenberg, Wall Street Journal "The author, William Cook, writes in an easy to understand style and explores the various algorithms and branches of mathematics used to solve TSP, including the branch of mathematics known as linear programming, which is known to most of us through grade school algebra and word problems... In Pursuit of the Traveling Salesman is a thoroughly entertaining nerd-fest for the science minded reader."--Robert Schaefer, New York Journal of Books "Along with a heady dose of algorithms, Cook also offers a diverting survey of the lore and history of the TSP... The new volume addresses a wider audience [than The Traveling Salesman Problem: A Computational Study], with more pictures and fewer equations, explaining how things are done rather than how to do them, but it covers all the same territory as the larger book. The path through that territory seems reasonably close to optimal."--Brian Hayes, American Scientist "In Pursuit of the Traveling Salesman is a first-hand and a first-class introduction into the evolution of TSP, with chapters devoted to related mathematics and algorithmic topics. TSP is really at the heart of much of the research and development of modern computer science, so the author leads the reader through the past and emerging landscape of relevant research up to the very end of the mapped territory. Reading the book looks like an exciting adventure, with the itinerary mapped for the reader by a master story-teller whose work squarely places him in the forefront of the TSP research."--Alexander Bogomolny, Cut the Knot Insights blog "Bill takes his readers down a beautiful path covering the history, applications, and algorithms associated with the TSP. It is a fascinating story, and one that shows a researcher who truly loves his research area... Through this book, you'll learn all about the Traveling Salesman Problem and, more broadly, about the different research directions in combinatorial optimization."--Michael Trick's Operations Research Blog "In his new book, aptly titled In Pursuit of the Traveling Salesman, William Cook enlists us to join him on a personal journey through all-things past and present regarding this mammoth of a mathematical problem... I would highly recommend this book to interested readers and high school mathematics teachers, especially those of upper-level coursework. A great deal of mathematics is covered here and the TSP can easily spark debate and inquiry in the classroom."--Christopher Thompson, Loci: Convergence "In Pursuit of the Traveling Salesman: Mathematics at the Limits of Computation, does a wonderful job presenting the history and significance of the TSP and an overview of cutting-edge research. It's a beautiful, visually rich book, full of color photographs and diagrams that enliven both the narrative and mathematical presentation. And it includes a wealth of information."--Math Less Traveled "This book introduces the TSP, its applications, and computational methods for its solution to a general audience."--Choice "Cook is spot-on in his delivery of what could be considered by most as an arcane mathematical problem to be solved by only those in the engineering world but like Hawking, peaks interest in a field in which lowly MIT professors could only dream... His witty commentary complements his own casual insertion into the mathematical world and drive to solve the greatest of mathematics' problems. This book is proof that good science writing and mathematics add up."--Robert Terpstra, Business Today Egypt "The technical details are described with precision, but the inherent mathematical concepts are explained in an informal way so that readers without a deep mathematical background can also follow the story... The book is full of examples, real applications and historical anecdotes, making it really enjoyable to read."--Gregorio Tirado Dominguez, European Mathematical Society "The book is highly recommended to any one with a mathematical curiosity and interest in the development of ideas."--Haris Aziz, ACM SIGACT News "[T]here is sufficient mathematical detail to provide a good start to readers interested in a more technical treatment. The style is congenial, breezy, and entertaining; many anecdotes and pop culture references are included. Even seasoned researchers will find the book a truly enjoyable read, and it can serve as an ideal basis for a college level freshman seminar."--Gabor Pataki, INFORMS Journal on Computing "The author has a solid understanding of the material and tries to present it in an accessible and sometimes entertaining way... I recommend it to anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the TSP and modern developments in solving TSP-like problems."--S. Leigh Nataro, Mathematics Teacher "[T]his book presents the history and significance of the TSP, and provides an overview of this cutting-edge research in a wonderful way. I recommend it to anybody who is interested in a down-to-earth discussion that provides the most current information on the TSP."--Roberto Baldacci, Interfaces "This book covers all facets of the TSP and ventures into some very deep theory of complexity and computability. It is written for the general mathematician or scientist but would also be useful to the OR specialist. Overall it is entertaining, richly illustrated and well-referenced. It tells us much about general problem solving as well as the TSP."--Francis McGonigal, Mathematics TodayTable of ContentsPreface xi Chapter 1: Challenges 1 Tour of the United States 2 An Impossible Task? 6 One Problem at a Time 10 Road Map of the Book 16 Chapter 2: Origins of the Problem 19 Before the Mathematicians 19 Euler and Hamilton 27 Vienna to Harvard to Princeton 35 And on to the RAND Corporation 38 A Statistical View 39 Chapter 3: The Salesman in Action 44 Road Trips 44 Mapping Genomes 49 Aiming Telescopes, X-rays, and Lasers 51 Guiding Industrial Machines 53 Organizing Data 56 Tests for Microprocessors 59 Scheduling Jobs 60 And More 60 Chapter 4: Searching for a Tour 62 The 48-States Problem 62 Growing Trees and Tours 65 AlterationsWhile You Wait 75 Borrowing from Physics and Biology 84 The DIMACS Challenge 91 Tour Champions 92 Chapter 5: Linear Programming 94 General-Purpose Model 94 The Simplex Algorithm 99 Two for the Price of One: LP Duality 105 The Degree LP Relaxation of the TSP 108 Eliminating Subtours 113 A Perfect Relaxation 118 Integer Programming 122 Operations Research 125 Chapter 6: Cutting Planes 127 The Cutting-Plane Method 127 A Catalog of TSP Inequalities 131 The Separation Problem 137 Edmonds's Glimpse of Heaven 142 Cutting Planes for Integer Programming 144 Chapter 7: Branching 146 Breaking Up 146 The Search Party 148 Branch-and-bound for Integer Programming 151 Chapter 8: Big Computing 153 World Records 153 The TSP on a Grand Scale 163 Chapter 9: Complexity 168 A Model of Computation 169 The Campaign of Jack Edmonds 171 Cook's Theorem and Karp's List 174 State of the TSP 178 Do We Need Computers? 184 Chapter 10: The Human Touch 191 Humans versus Computers 191 Tour-finding Strategies 192 The TSP in Neuroscience 196 Animals Solving the TSP 197 Chapter 11: Aesthetics 199 Julian Lethbridge 199 Jordan Curves 201 Continuous Lines 205 Art and Mathematics 207 Chapter 12: Pushing the Limits 211 Notes 213 Bibliography 223 Index 225

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Book SynopsisTantalizing math puzzles and cooking recipes that show how mathematical thinking is like the culinary artsTie on your apron and step into Jim Henle''s kitchen as he demonstrates how two equally savory pursuitscooking and mathematicshave more in common than you realize. A tasty dish for gourmets of popular math, The Proof and the Pudding offers a witty and flavorful blend of mathematical treats and gastronomic delights that reveal how life in the mathematical world is tantalizingly similar to life in the kitchen.Take a tricky Sudoku puzzle and a cake that fell. Henle shows you that the best way to deal with cooking disasters is also the best way to solve math problems. Or take an L-shaped billiard table and a sudden desire for Italian potstickers. He explains how preferring geometry over algebra (or algebra over geometry) is just like preferring a California roll to chicken tikka masala. Do you want to know why playfulness is rampant in math and cooking? Or how to turn stinky cheese into an awesome ice cream treat? It's all here: original math and original recipes plus the mathematical equivalents of vegetarianism, Asian fusion, and celebrity chefs.Pleasurable and lighthearted, The Proof and the Pudding is a feast for the intellect as well as the palate.Trade ReviewShortlisted for the 2016 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, in Digital E-Books "[D]elightful... [The Proof and the Pudding] can inspire any of us who have been stuck on a math problem not to see our struggle as failure... Henle helps us have fun in those dead ends."-- Evelyn Lamb, Scientific American "[The Proof and the Pudding] serves an excellent guide for a novice at both cooking and doing mathematics... [Henle] appears to be having a lot of fun--cooking and doing mathematics; his enjoyment is contagious."--Alexander Bogomolny, Cut the Knot blog "Henle had my mouth watering...and my brain neurons firing from the math puzzles that are reminiscent of Martin Gardner columns. Any fan of Gardner's recreational math...will enjoy the mathy excursions throughout this small volume... [T]his book is a charmer."--Math Tango blog "[D]elightful... [T]he reader will want to grab a pencil and some mixing bowls and play along."--Joel Haack, MAA Reviews "Although he does not mention it so explicitly, there is one thing Henle does extremely well: he transfers an attitude that is a proper one to become a good professional mathematician or a proper chef, or that is apt to any challenging profession for that matter."--Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathematical Society "A thoroughly enjoyable read... Henle does a masterful job of connecting math and cooking, demonstrating that math does not always include numbers and that it can be fun!"--Laura Steward, NCTM "Henle has produced a book that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of audiences... He has given mathematicians another field with which to compare their subject when seeking to explain its interest and value to those who have no qualms about defending the usefulness of food."--Thomas Drucker, London Mathematical Society "Henle finds amazing similarities in both math and cooking."--Sudhirendar Sharma, Current ScienceTable of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgments ix 1 The Mad Scientist 1 2 The Arrogant Chef 11 3 Simple Tastes 21 4 Complex Flavors 30 5 The Discriminating Eater 40 6 The Persistent Cook 44 7 Gluttony 54 8 Vanity, Sloth, Parsimony, and Lust 62 9 On the Edge, and Over 70 10 Thinking Globally 79 11 Eating Locally 87 12 The Humble Cook 92 13 The Clueless Geek 99 14 Elegant Dishes 103 15 Food for the Masses 110 16 Good Food for the Masses 111 17 Just for Fun 112 18 Just to Be Weird 117 19 Celebrity Chefs 124 20 Economy 128 21 Ethics 135 22 Fusion 138 23 It All Comes Together 149 24 It All Falls Apart 151 25 A Proof and a Pudding 161 Index 163

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Book SynopsisReprint. Originally published: 6th ed. New York: Dover Publications, 1953.Trade Review"One of the most imaginative, delightful and, yes, touching works of mathematics, this slender 1884 book purports to be the memoir of A. Square, a citizen of an entirely two-dimensional world."--The Washington Post Book World "Flatland has remained of interest for over a century precisely because of its ability to engage its readers on so many different planes in so many different dimensions."--Victorian Studies "This reprint of Abbott's Flatland adventures contains an Introduction by Thomas Banchoff which is worth reading on its own. So if you don't have yet this book at home, go ahead and buy this edition."--Zentralblatt MATHTable of ContentsPreface to the Second and Revised Edition ix Introduction xiii Part I This World Section 1 Of the Nature of Flatland 3 2 Of the Climate and Houses in Flatland 4 3 Concerning the Inhabitants of Flatland 6 4 Concerning the Women 8 5 Of our Methods of Recognizing one another 12 6 Of Recognition by Sight 16 7 Concerning Irregular Figures 20 8 Of the Ancient Practice of Painting 22 9 Of the Universal Colour Bill 24 10 Of the Suppression of the Chromatic Sedition 27 11 Concerning our Priests 30 12 Of the Doctrine of our Priests 32 Part II Other Worlds 13 How I had a Vision of Lineland 39 14 How in my Vision I endeavoured to explain the nature of Flatland, but could not 42 15 Concerning a Stranger from Spaceland 46 16 How the Stranger vainly endeavoured to reveal to me in words the mysteries of Spaceland 49 17 How the Sphere, having in vain tried words, resorted to deeds 55 18 How I came to Spaceland and what I saw there 57 19 How, though the Sphere showed me other mysteries of Spaceland, I still desired more; and what came of it 61 20 How the Sphere encouraged me in a Vision 66 21 How I tried to teach the Theory of Three Dimensions to my Grandson, and with what success 68 22 How I then tried to diff use the Theory of Three Dimensions by other means, and the result 70

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Book SynopsisMartin Gardner wrote the Mathematical Games column for Scientific American for twenty-five years and published more than seventy books on topics as diverse as magic, religion, and Alice in Wonderland. Gardner's illuminating autobiography is a candid self-portrait by the man evolutionary theorist Stephen Jay Gould called our "single brightest beaconTrade ReviewOne of American Association for the Advancement of Science's Books for General Audiences and Young Adults 2014 "His radiant self lives on in his massive and luminous literary output and shines at its sweetest, wittiest and most personal in Undiluted Hocus-Pocus."--Teller, New York Times Book Review "For those of us who believe that the sciences and the humanities don't have to be enemies, Martin Gardner is an inspiring model. Undiluted Hocus-Pocus reveals a man immersed in philosophy, religion and literature, even as he makes a career writing about science."--Jordan Ellenberg, Wall Street Journal "Readers who only know Gardner for his math and science writing will be surprised at his focus on religion, and this autobiography demonstrates his passion to explain and understand the world around him."--Publishers Weekly "For half a century, Martin Gardner (1914-2010) was an international scientific treasure... Gardner's passion for writing and his warmth and humour shine forth on every page of this book, making it a memoir of a great human being."--David Singmaster, Nature "Zealously debunking science fads and declaring his bafflement at the human brain, maths writer Martin Gardner was on fine form in this posthumous memoir."--Nature "The style is that of a memoir, conversationally phrased, and not afraid to be sidetracked occasionally by an amusing aside. Gardner paints vividly an inside picture of American intellectual life in the twentieth century, coloured by honest accounts of the many influential figures with whom he came into contact."--Alexander Shannon, Plus magazine "His illuminating autobiography, Undiluted Hocus-Pocus ... offers a rare, intimate look at Gardner's life and work."--Mother Nature Network "In summary, I give this book the highest praise that I can possibly give an autobiography: it was much too short."--Charles Ashbacher, MAA Reviews "[Undiluted Hocus-Pocus] is the most sincere, unadulterated biography I ever read... [D]etails of his life and personality exposed in the book help create a more complete picture of this fascinating person... Martin Gardner had tremendous influence on several generations of young minds; his autobiography will help his fans appreciate how that came about. This is a book no one who ever heard his name would want to miss."--Cut the Knot Insights blog "I only wish his autobiography was twice as long, for I never tire of reading him and feeling enriched... And thank you Martin for this last, final, further peek into your brilliant, fertile, curious, nimble, incisive, probing, captivating life and mind."--Math Tango blog "Undiluted Hocus-Pocus reminds us how Gardner taught many of us how to play the game of mathematics better."--Mathrecreation blog "A case can be made, in purely practical terms, for Martin Gardner as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. His popularizations of science and mathematical games in Scientific American, over the 25 years he wrote for them, might have helped create more young mathematicians and computer scientists than any other single factor prior to the advent of the personal computer... Gardner was capable of appealing to the literary side of left-brained sorts, and did so with ... taste and restraint... Undiluted Hocus-Pocus, his posthumously published autobiography ... reveals the sort of mentality that shaped itself around his encyclopedic interests."--David Auerbach, Los Angeles Review of Books "[This book] will be an eye-opener knowing that Martin Gardner was active on so many diverse fields."--European Mathematical Society "The book is just a delight to read."--Stephen Hirtle, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Here my guru and sage brought together, over the course of two hundred pages, the full range of his interests--math, magic, philosophy, stories, poetry, science, religion, politics--and combined these disparate topics with an account of his private life and intellectual development. I enjoyed every page of this book."--Ted Gioia, Millions "Reading Martin Gardner's autobiography is like spending a pleasant afternoon in the company of a 95-year-old man with sharp memories and a twinkle in his eye. Oh wait, that's what it is."--Science Musings blog "This book describes some of the pivotal moments in the life of prolific author/journalist Martin Gardner (1914-2010), who is best known for his illuminating and entertaining contributions to Scientific American magazine from 1956 to 1981. Fans of Martin Gardner will find this posthumously published autobiography fascinating."--Choice "[H]ighly readable. Even those well familiar with Gardner's writings, although they will be acquainted with much of the ground covered, will still make several new discoveries. The foreword by Persi Diaconis will also interest mathematicians."--Leon Harkleroad, Zentralblatt Math "A delightful book."--Peter E. Blau, Red Circle Society "For all his fame, Gardner was a humble, generous man, always modest about his mathematical achievements. His humanity, humor, and sheer decency shine through every page. Reading this book is like chatting with him about his intellectually adventure-filled life for a whole weekend."--Colm Mulcahy, Math Horizons "At the age of 95 he wrote this ... charming and informative autobiography covering an incredibly prolific and productive life that should inspire anyone who encounters it."--AAAS "Martin Gardner as one of those rare and valuable writers who could venture into the worlds of science and mathematics as an intelligent and interested layman, and then entertain the rest of us with his discoveries."--Jon Wainwright, Skeptic Magazine "A very interesting read."--Christopher Hollings, Mathematics TodayTable of ContentsForeword: Magic, Mathematics, and Mysterians, by Persi Diaconis xi Preface xxiii Prologue: I Am a Mysterian xxv 1 Earliest Memories 1 2 Lee School 10 3 Tulsa Central High, I 21 4 Central High, II 28 5 Hutchins and Adler 40 6 Richard McKeon 47 7 I Lose My Faith 53 8 Chicago, I 62 9 Chicago, II 76 10 I Become a Journalist 88 11 Mother and Dad 98 12 The Navy, I 111 13 The Navy, II 119 PHOTO ESSAY follows page 124 14 Esquire and Humpty 125 15 Scientific American 134 16 Pseudoscience 150 17 Math and Magic Friends 160 18 Charlotte 173 19 Bob and Betty 185 20 God 191 21 My Philosophy 195 Afterword: My Most Elegant Friend ... , by James Randi 209 Index 215

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science's Books for General Audiences and Young Adults One of American Association for the Advancement of Science's Books for General Audiences and Young Adults 2014 "Fernandez's witty, delightful approach makes for a winning introduction to the wonderland of math behind the scenes of everyday life."--Publishers Weekly "Written in a bright conversational tone, [Everyday Calculus] wonderfully integrates calculus into everyday life."--Guardian "Fernandez is a delightfully quirky writer and his bookEveryday Calculusis lighthearted and compelling."--New York Journal of Books "The author earnestly and excitedly seeks to make the principles of calculus near and natural, without the intimidation of a five-pound textbook dense with equations... Fernandez invites the reader along on this work day and telegraphs an enthusiasm for seeing calculus, with hints of differential equations, presented to him. This excitement will communicate itself to the math enthusiast becoming acquainted with calculus through the author's style, which is both lively and confident."--Tom Schulte, MAA Reviews "Written in a bright conversational tone, this book wonderfully integrates calculus into everyday life."--GrrrlScientist "[T]he book is perfect for a reader who really wants to know what mathematics are governing our lives and who wants to learn and understand or polish up his rusty knowledge of these mathematics."--A. Bultheel, European Mathematical Society "A delightful read. [Everyday Calculus] will make you laugh and capture your imagination... [A] triumph in the pursuit of the lofty goal of comprehending the world."--San Francisco Book Review "Fernandez presents a broad array of ordinary events like REM sleep, drinking coffee, commuting to work, setting aside money for retirement, catching a cold, enjoying tandoori chicken, and watching a movie... [T]hen ties each aspect to pertinent mathematics... As the subtitle of the book suggests, the thrust is more one of 'discovering the hidden math all around us' rather than showing 'how mathematics is used,' which provides an honest and very pleasurable journey."--Choice "The book offers in clear and concise fashion much of the material found in a traditional calculus textbook, but presents it beginning with a real world observation and then developing the mathematics needed to understand the observation."--AAAS "A very captivating read, and certainly contains something for everyone... [E]asy to drop into for individual chapters, or to read when you have a couple hours spare. [Everyday Calculus] will certainly open the eyes of any reader who wishes to appreciate the mathematics and calculus which surrounds us."--Mathematics TodayTable of ContentsPreface ix Calculus Topics Discussed by Chapter xi CHAPTER 1 Wake Up and Smell the Functions 1 What's Trig Got to Do with Your Morning? 2 How a Rational Function Defeated Thomas Edison, and Why Induction Powers the World 5 The Logarithms Hidden in the Air 10 The Frequency of Trig Functions 14 Galileo's Parabolic Thinking 17 CHAPTER 2 Breakfast at Newton's 21 Introducing Calculus, the CNBC Way 21 Coffee Has Its Limits 25 A Multivitamin a Day Keeps the Doctor Away 30 Derivatives Are about Change 34 CHAPTER 3 Driven by Derivatives 35 Why Do We Survive Rainy Days? 36 Politics in Derivatives, or Derivatives in Politics? 39 What the Unemployment Rate Teaches Us about the Curvature of Graphs 41 America's Ballooning Population 44 Feeling Derivatives 46 The Calculus of Time Travel 47 CHAPTER 4 Connected by Calculus 51 E-Mails, Texts, Tweets, Ah! 51 The Calculus of Colds 53 What Does Sustainability Have to Do with Catching a Cold? 56 What Does Your Retirement Income Have to Do with Traffic? 58 The Calculus of the Sweet Tooth 61 CHAPTER 5 Take a Derivative and You'll Feel Better 65 I "Heart" Differentials 65 How Life (and Nature) Uses Calculus 67 The Costly Downside of Calculus 73 The Optimal Drive Back Home 75 Catching Speeders Efficiently with Calculus 77 CHAPTER 6 Adding Things Up, the Calculus Way 81 The Little Engine That Could ... Integrate 82 The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus 90 Using Integrals to Estimate Wait Times 93 CHAPTER 7 Derivatives Integrals: The Dream Team 97 Integration at Work-Tandoori Chicken 98 Finding the Best Seat in the House 101 Keeping the T Running with Calculus 104 Look Up to Look Back in Time 108 The Ultimate Fate of the Universe 109 The Age of the Universe 113 Epilogue 116 Appendix A Functions and Graphs 119 Appendices 1-7 125 Notes 147 Index 149

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This series . . . never disappoints. Mircea does an amazing job each time at collecting such a diverse ideas, voices, and areas of mathematics, that I usually find the vast majority of them to be exceptional. This year is no different."---Jonathan Shock, Mathemafrica

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Fascinating. . . . Part philosophy, part maths, part activity book; Games for Your Mind is an ingenious thing."---Amy Barrett, BBC Science Focus"Excellent."---Elizabeth Palmer, Christian Century"It’s a serious and at times technical book, specifically about logic puzzles, though beneath its concern with matters such as obversion and epistemic obligations it has an unexpected jauntiness."---Henry Hitchings, Times Literary Supplement"Jason Rosenhouse’s Games for Your Mind is an engaging popular mathematics book written to enlighten the reader on the mathematics and logic behind popular puzzles. . . .overall, the reviewer would recommend this book to all people who want a puzzling challenge. Although the puzzles towards the end of the book feel impossible, the thrill of that ‘ah!’ moment when you work through Rosenhouse’s solution is surely a high for any mathematician out there."---Holly A. J. Middleton-Spencer, London Mathematical Society

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Book SynopsisFor the mastermind who has what it takes to solve the tricky conundrums from Britain''s first and greatest puzzle master.---------------------------------------Solve the puzzle of The Mystery of Ravensdene Park . . . trace the route of the butler, the gamekeeper and the two anonymous guests and the key to the mystery will reveal itself.---------------------------------------Decipher the riddle of The Frogs'' Ring for The Merry Monks of Riddlewell . . . ---------------------------------------At The Squire''s Christmas Puzzle Party ascertain just how many kisses had been given Under the Mistletoe Bough . . . ---------------------------------------First published in 1907, Dudeney''s The Canterbury Puzzles is a classic of the genre, based on characters from Chaucer''s Tales. The book contains 114 puzzles suitable for young enthusiasts, recreational mathematician

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Book SynopsisA party in a box! Based on Ben Orlin''s Math Games with Bad Drawings, this all-in-one game kit contains 34 simple, challenging, meaningful math games to be played anytime, anywhere.Whether alone or as the perfect companion to Math Games with Bad Drawings, the Ultimate Game Collection is a treasure trove of fun that will appeal to the idly curious, the puzzle-passionate, students, teachers, and everyone else from ages 10 to 110. Inside this box you''ll find 34 diverting and thought-provoking games that can be played using just the provided materials. It''s the ultimate grab-and-go collection.The Ultimate Game Collection includes:8 customized wipe-off game boards4 different color pens1 eraser11 playing pieces2 diceA book of illustrated rules and instructions for 34 super-fun games including:Amazons Ascenders Banker Black Hole Bullseyes and Close Calls Cats and Dogs Connector Crossed Domineering Dots and Boxes Dots and Triangles Hold That Line The Know-Nothing Trivia Game Mediocrity Nazareno Neutron Number Boxes 101 and You''re Done Order and Chaos Pferdeäppel Pig Prophecies Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock Row Call Sequencium Sim Splatter Sprouts Square Polyp Teeko 33 to 99 The 24 Game Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe and Undercut

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Book SynopsisSudoku is an addictive logic-based game from Japan, which involves numbers, and sharpens your concentration and reasoning, but requires no mathematical skills to play. Including 200 grids of varying difficulty, this pocket-sized notepad includes a pencil and is ideal for strategizing on the bus or train.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisNeed a bit more spice in your sudoku?Take on this collection of 200 devilishly difficult sudoku puzzles!Includes: -200 hard puzzles-Perfect portable size-Edited by Will Shortz

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Book SynopsisCan you handle it? These sudoku puzzles are mind melting!Includes: -200 very hard puzzles-Perfect portable size-Edited by legendary New York Times crossword editor Will Shortz

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Book SynopsisWatch out! These puzzles are mind melting! But if you dare, grab a pen and take on these two hundred all-new extra challenging puzzles.Features: 200 hard puzzlesBig grids for easy solvingIntroduction by legendary puzzlemaster Will Shortz

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Book SynopsisCan''t get enough of Sudoku? This book is for you! It contains three hundred challenging and devilishly difficult Sudoku puzzles in a portable paperback.Features:- 300 hard Sudoku puzzles- Big grids for easy solving- Edited by legendary puzzlemaster Will Shortz

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Book SynopsisAre you a slave to sudoku? It''s time to surrender to your puzzle cravings. This collection of two hundred challenging puzzles will have you coming back for more! Features:- 200 hard sudoku puzzles- Big grids for easy solving- Introduction by legendary puzzlemaster Will Shortz

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