Are you sharp enough to solve these devious mind-bogglers? These diverting number, geometric, logic, analytical, and story problems--which vary in difficulty from pleasantly puzzling to chew-your-pencil challenging--will test your smarts. Math conundrum connoisseurs will treasure this collection, and everyone who loves a good puzzle will feel a sense of accomplishment by the end of the book.
More stimulating mathematics puzzles from bestselling author Paul Nahin How do technicians repair broken communications cables at the bottom of the ocean without actually seeing them? What's the likelihood of plucking a needle out of a haystack the size of the Earth? And is it possible to use computers to create a universal library of everything ever written or every photo ever taken? These are just some of the intriguing questions that best-selling popular math writer Paul Nahin tackles in Number-Crunching. Through brilliant math ideas and entertaining stories, Nahin demonstrates how odd and unusual math problems can be solved by bringing together basic physics ideas and today's powerful computers. Some of the outcomes discussed are so counterintuitive they will leave readers astonished. Nahin looks at how the art of number-crunching has changed since the advent of computers, and how high-speed technology helps to solve fascinating conundrums such as the three-body, Monte Carlo, leapfrog, and gambler's ruin problems. Along the way, Nahin traverses topics that include algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, number theory, differential equations, Fourier series, electronics, and computers in science fiction. He gives historical background for the problems presented, offers many examples and numerous challenges, supplies MATLAB codes for all the theories discussed, and includes detailed and complete solutions. Exploring the intimate relationship between mathematics, physics, and the tremendous power of modern computers, Number-Crunching will appeal to anyone interested in understanding how these three important fields join forces to solve today's thorniest puzzles.
This is Ada. Although she might look like an ordinary little girl, she’s about to change the world. Augusta Ada Byron, better known as Ada Lovelace, is an inquisitive child. Like her clever mother, she loves solving problems—big problems, little problems, and tricky, complicated problems. Ada invents crazy contraptions and reads all the books in the library of her father, the poet Lord Byron; but most of all she loves to solve mathematical problems. Together with her teacher, the mathematician Charles Babbage, Ada invents the world’s first computer program. Her achievements made her a pioneer for women in the sciences. Zoë Tucker’s words capture the adventurous life of Ada succinctly, and debut picture book illustrator Rachel Katstaller’s art infuses Victorian London with humor. "An impressively balanced mix of engaging description and important facts with a quick explanation of the gender politics of the time and information about Ada's legacy...Inspiring, feminist, and informative in equal parts." –Kirkus Reviews
Number puzzles, spatial/visual puzzles, cryptograms, Sudoku, Kokuro, logic puzzles, and word games like Frame Games are all a great way to teach math and problem-solving skills to elementary and middle school students. In these two new collections, puzzle master Terry Stickels provides puzzles and brain games that range from simple to challenging and are organized by grade level and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) content areas. Each book offers over 300 brain games that will help students learn core math concepts and develop critical thinking skills. The books include a wide range of puzzle types and cover a variety of math topics, from fractions and geometry to probability and algebra.
There are some topics or problems that have captured the interest of mathematicians for ages. Calculating pi is one of them. While students often encounter pi in the mathematics classroom when applying various formulas, rarely do they use or explore pi in other contexts. This marvelous infinite number we know as pi shows up in many fascinating and mysterious ways. It can be found everywhere, from astronomy and probability, to the physics of sound and light. It is one of the most important numbers that exists. Help your students discover the number that has intrigued mathematicians for centuries. Learn different ways pi has been calculated through the ages, use pi to figure out your hat size, perform a variety of experiments to estimate the value of pi, or relate pi to the alphabet. These interesting and exciting activities encourage higher order thinking and offer a complete overview of this important number while giving students practice in important math skills. This guide includes detailed lesson plans aligned to NCTM standards and reproducible student worksheets. Use them for Pi Day (March 14), as an enrichment or extension to your existing curriculum, or to challenge your ablest math students. Grades 6-8
Mastering Basic Maths is the comprehensive guide you need to conquer the fundamentals of addition, subtraction, and division. Written by the esteemed MR. BIG WEALTH, this step-by-step guide is designed specifically for beginners. Whether you are a student looking to strengthen your math skills or an adult seeking to brush up on the basics, this book provides clear explanations and practical exercises to help you master these essential concepts. With MR. BIG WEALTH as your guide, you'll gain confidence in number crunching and lay a solid foundation for future mathematical success.
Mak introduces Java programmers to numerical computing. This book contains clear, non-theoretical explanations of practical numerical algorithms, including safely summing numbers, finding roots of equations, interpolation and approximation, numerical integration and differentiation, and matrix operations, including solving sets of simultaneous equations.
An incomparable collection of stimulating math puzzles from bestselling author Paul Nahin What does quilting have to do with electric circuit theory? The answer is just one of the fascinating ways that best-selling popular math writer Paul Nahin illustrates the deep interplay of math and physics in the world around us in his latest book of challenging mathematical puzzles, Mrs. Perkins's Electric Quilt. With his trademark combination of intriguing mathematical problems and the historical anecdotes surrounding them, Nahin invites readers on an exciting and informative exploration of some of the many ways math and physics combine to create something vastly more powerful, useful, and interesting than either is by itself. In a series of brief and largely self-contained chapters, Nahin discusses a wide range of topics in which math and physics are mutually dependent and mutually illuminating, from Newtonian gravity and Newton's laws of mechanics to ballistics, air drag, and electricity. The mathematical subjects range from algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and calculus to differential equations, Fourier series, and theoretical and Monte Carlo probability. Each chapter includes problems—some three dozen in all—that challenge readers to try their hand at applying what they have learned. Just as in his other books of mathematical puzzles, Nahin discusses the historical background of each problem, gives many examples, includes MATLAB codes, and provides complete and detailed solutions at the end. Mrs. Perkins's Electric Quilt will appeal to students interested in new math and physics applications, teachers looking for unusual examples to use in class—and anyone who enjoys popular math books.
