The Joy of Mathematics

""The Joy of Mathematics is aptly titled. The beauty, ingenuity, and mystery of this timeless discipline is laid out to captivate even a non-mathematician like myself. The history of major mathematical discoveries is noted as we are walked through the corridors of an unfolding digital universe, be it the science of probability, the intellectual beauty of Pascal's triangle, or the intricacies of Kepler's star shapes. The book should be a mandatory read for all who are mathematically literate and curious.”—Tom Breen, chairman, Breen Property, Sydney, Australia“Too many young people leave school without ever having acquired an enjoyment of [mathematics] or recognition of the importance of mathematical understanding in everyday life, from our bank accounts to politicians' use of statistics. This delightful book fills a vital role in making mathematics relevant, intelligible, and above all—fun! I recommend it unreservedly to pupils and teachers as a way of opening the door to joy in this key subject.”—Baroness Pauline Perry, former head of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge University, and formerly Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education“The Joy of Mathematics includes wonderful examples of often-overlooked gems in elementary mathematics. Even an expert can benefit a lot from it, but it is written in such a catchy style that everyone—layperson or expert—will enjoy each page.”—Rudolf Taschner, professor at the Technical University of Vienna, Austria's 2004 Scientist of the Year, and author of Game Changers“A pleasant and fascinating excursion through the amusements, byways, curiosities, and diversions of mathematics. It even gets up to public-key cryptography and several unsolved problems. This is just the book to give to anyone who doesn't like mathematics or who wonders, What is ‘recreational mathematics'?” —David Singmaster, author of Problems for Metagrobologists