- Hardcover: 272 pages
- Publisher: Princeton University Press; illustrated edition edition (3 Nov 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0691113211
- ISBN-13: 978-0691113210
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.2 x 2.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,465,300 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
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 )
(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 )
Review
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 Science
--This text refers to the
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent book with lots of great ideas and new ways of thinking about some common (and not so common) ideas in maths. It's perfect for a motivated GCSE student. The style is gentle and easy to read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it highly to anyone who likes a good mathematical read. If you are a maths teacher you'll find lots of bits and bobs that you can use to add variety and interest to your lessons. I look forward to his next book.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Interesting for autodidacts interested in math
13 Dec 2003
Format:Hardcover
I would agree with the back cover advanced praise for this book. I wanted to make a special note for people who consider themselves to be self-starters in terms of their interest in math: This book has problems throughout the book with SOLUTIONS. The best way to learn math is to do it. While I enjoy a lot of 'pop math' books out there, I am disappointed that there hasn't been an attempt to include a few illustrative problems with solutions (books without solutions aren't going to be useful to autodidacts or even more serious students of the subject). Well, finally this book offers what many of us have been looking for.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Just about as good as it gets
29 Sep 2006
Format:Hardcover
It should be easy for a mathematician to write a book on recreational mathematics, right? Ha! You can look through my reviews for some godawful examples of this genre.
It is not enough to know mathematics. The writer has to write well and to have an understanding of the mindset of those of us who are strictly amateurs. The material has to have intrinsic interest and the explanations have to be clear and well motivated but not condescending. The problems should be challenging but not impossible and they should serve to gain insight into the material. And they should come with answers!
All of this Ball accomplishes. The quality of the writing reminds me of Martin Gardner. There is one thing that I need to emphasize. This book contains proofs, because proofs are the heart and soul of mathematics. The proofs are exceptionally clear, but if mathematical proofs are not your thing then go elsewhere. If you are not intimidated by proofs and have a knowledge of high school matematics up through calculus then you are in for a real treat.
I particularly liked the chapter on continued fractions. This is the first time that I have seen a treatment of the matrix approach. I do have one very small quibble. The matrix approach allows for a very simple derivation of the formula for convergents, which I was able to discover for myself but which is not presented in the book. All of the other proofs I have seen for the formula do not provide a derivation, but instead do a proof by induction. I hope that future editions of the book include the derivation of the convegents formula.
It is not enough to know mathematics. The writer has to write well and to have an understanding of the mindset of those of us who are strictly amateurs. The material has to have intrinsic interest and the explanations have to be clear and well motivated but not condescending. The problems should be challenging but not impossible and they should serve to gain insight into the material. And they should come with answers!
All of this Ball accomplishes. The quality of the writing reminds me of Martin Gardner. There is one thing that I need to emphasize. This book contains proofs, because proofs are the heart and soul of mathematics. The proofs are exceptionally clear, but if mathematical proofs are not your thing then go elsewhere. If you are not intimidated by proofs and have a knowledge of high school matematics up through calculus then you are in for a real treat.
I particularly liked the chapter on continued fractions. This is the first time that I have seen a treatment of the matrix approach. I do have one very small quibble. The matrix approach allows for a very simple derivation of the formula for convergents, which I was able to discover for myself but which is not presented in the book. All of the other proofs I have seen for the formula do not provide a derivation, but instead do a proof by induction. I hope that future editions of the book include the derivation of the convegents formula.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Great - well written and entertaining
29 Dec 2003
Format:Hardcover
On opening this Christmas present I inwardly groaned - didn't like the title and the subjects seemed to be ones that had been covered many times elsewhere. BUT...I was so wrong! The writing is clear and entertaining, and the subjects are covered in new and interesting ways. If you like 'popular maths' books then you'll find Ball to be a great new author to keep an eye on. If you are a math teacher or instructor you'll find lots of material here that can only enliven your lessons. One of the best popular maths books for a long time.
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