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200 Per Cent of Nothing: An Eye-opening Tour Through the Twists and Turns of Math Abuse and Innumeracy (Paperback)

by A. K. Dewdney (Author) "The magazine ad was both catchy and impressive ..." (more)

3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Product details

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; New edition edition (11 Mar 1996)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0471145742
ISBN-13: 978-0471145745
Product Dimensions: 22.4 x 15.2 x 1.4 cm

Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 411,165 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

If you know the difference between lies, damned lies and statistics, give a copy of A K Dewdney's 200% of Nothing to your friends to get them up to speed. If you're not up to speed yourself, consider this funny, engaging little book a crash course in numeracy, the mathematical equivalent of literacy. Opening with two chapters on the importance of this dying talent, Dewdney (formerly Scientific American's "Mathematical Recreations" writer) spooks the reader with real examples of government agencies, media outlets and--of course--car salesmen deceiving their audiences with beguiling mathematical sleights-of-hand.

It's all too easy for us to think we're immune to such tactics until we actually see them laid out for us in prose as clear and disarming as Dewdney's. From there he delves more deeply into practical examples of particular problems that often catch us unaware. Gambling, advertisements using bizarre-but-normal-looking charts and bad science all come in for thorough examinations, and the reader is amazed and occasionally angered at the shamelessness of the purveyors of misleading statistics.

The book closes with two chapters designed to make readers "mathematically streetwise", with exercises to help you grasp ratios, very large and small numbers and probabilities more intuitively. 200% of Nothing inspires learning and makes it interesting--if you want to see through the fog of numbers surrounding politicians and advertisements, there's no better place to start. --Rob Lightner

Product Description

Acclaim for "In today′s world, ′innumeracy′ is an even greater danger than illiteracy, and is perhaps even more common. Advertisers and politicians exploit it; intellectuals (self–styled) even flaunt it. I hope that this wise and witty book will provide cures where they are possible, and warnings where they are necessary.

"It′s also a lot of fun. I can guarantee that 100%."––Arthur C. Clarke

"Dewdney retells with charm and wit magnificent morsels of mathematical mayhem discovered by his army of volunteer ′abuse detectives.′ From ′sample trashing′ to ′numerical terrorism,′ from ′percentage pumping′ to ′dimensional dementia,′ 200% of Nothing plumbs the depths of innumeracy in daily life and reveals what ordinary people can do about it.

A rich, readable, instructive, and persuasive book."––Lynn Arthur Steen, Professor of Mathematics, St. Olaf College

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The magazine ad was both catchy and impressive. Read the first page

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	79% buy the item featured on this page: 200 Per Cent of Nothing: An Eye-opening Tour Through the Twists and Turns of Math Abuse and Innumeracy 3.0 out of 5 stars (2) �10.99
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars "200 Percent of Nothing" is 50 Percent Paulos, 27 Jan 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 200 Per Cent of Nothing: An Eye-opening Tour Through the Twists and Turns of Math Abuse and Innumeracy (Hardcover)

When Dewdney took over Douglas Hofstadter's Scientific American column, he had some pretty big shoes to fill. But he did a marvellous job, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his Computer Recreations every month. They were original and inspiring. With 200 percent of nothing, Dewdney is clearly scraping the barrel. When I read it, I thought it was OK, although I found the style of writing pretty bad. Still, there was enough enjoyable material there. However, I recently read John Allen Paulos' "Innumeracy", and that was a real shocker. Paulos' book is *so* much better than Dewdney's, that it is embarrasing the latter one. Not only that, but comparing the two books, it is evident that Dewdney leaned heavily on "Innumeracy". Yes, he *does* reference the book, but many, many of his examples are taken straight from it. Worse even, he writes the examples in his own words, which makes it immediately clear that he is not even close to the perfect style of writing Paulos displays. After having read "200 Percent of Nothing", I gave it a 7, but after reading "Innumeracy" (which I rate at 10), Dewdney's feeble attempt devaluates to a 4. "200 Percent of Nothing" is 50 Percent Paulos and 150 Percent hot air.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Confirms what I've always suspected., 4 Jan 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 200 Per Cent of Nothing: An Eye-opening Tour Through the Twists and Turns of Math Abuse and Innumeracy (Hardcover)

The way you feel when you see those 1-900-pshycic info-mercials (how can ANYONE be SO stupid?). Well, after reading this book, I can summize why the people who DON'T call DON'T call... Certainly an adequate and explainative adaptation to modern, everyday reasoning; as well as how it realistically corresponds to the average "Joe". Put new batteries in your scientific calculator, and have a ball comparing notes! At times, somewhat a little insulting to your intelligence, while at other times opens your eyes to simple little things that you've seen 100 times, put into a true but different perspective. Bottom line...I'm glad that I bought it, and will most assuredly reference it from time to time now that its on my bookshelf.

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