- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Wiley; New edition edition (Jan 29 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0471329746
- ISBN-13: 978-0471329749
- Product Dimensions: 22.8 x 16.1 x 1.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 476 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #996,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
"Let's cut to the quick. Read this book. Stein has given us a delightful, refreshing new look at old mathematics, and introduces us to the new in a readable and entertaining way."-New Scientist
"The diverse themes hold the reader throughout. . . . A rich and charming book."-Choice
"Strength in Numbers should find a home in every school library, and mathematics teachers will want to recommend chapters of this book to their students."-Mathematics Teacher
"The diverse themes hold the reader throughout. . . . A rich and charming book."-Choice
"Strength in Numbers should find a home in every school library, and mathematics teachers will want to recommend chapters of this book to their students."-Mathematics Teacher
Book Description
An Easygoing, Highly Entertaining Refresher on all the Math You'll Ever Need.
What do two goats and a car have to do with making good decisions? Was the golden ratio used to build the Great Pyramid of Khufu? Can it be that some numbers are unmistakably "hot," while others are inherently "cool"? With his infectiously enthusiastic and engaging style, award-winning teacher and author Sherman K. Stein offers a new appreciation for mathematics, from the beauty of its logic ("as inevitable and memorable as a Mozart symphony") to its amazing power and pervasiveness in our lives. Requiring no math knowledge beyond basic arithmetic and high school geometry, Strength in Numbers is an enlightening introduction to all the math you'll ever need.
What do two goats and a car have to do with making good decisions? Was the golden ratio used to build the Great Pyramid of Khufu? Can it be that some numbers are unmistakably "hot," while others are inherently "cool"? With his infectiously enthusiastic and engaging style, award-winning teacher and author Sherman K. Stein offers a new appreciation for mathematics, from the beauty of its logic ("as inevitable and memorable as a Mozart symphony") to its amazing power and pervasiveness in our lives. Requiring no math knowledge beyond basic arithmetic and high school geometry, Strength in Numbers is an enlightening introduction to all the math you'll ever need.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
Practically everyone can understand and enjoy mathematics and appreciate its role in modern society. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Practically everyone can understand and enjoy mathematics and appreciate its role in modern society. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
As Someone Who Has to Encourage Math. to Youngsters,
By Voranart (Bangkok Thailand) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Strength In Numbers: Discovering the Joy and Power of Mathematics in Everyday Life (Paperback)
I can use the book to indirectly persuade youngsters, who think Math. is nothing but number and boring, to take it more seriously. It's hard for me to come up with more logical and more convincing than what already there in the book.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Examples of why math makes the world go round,
By
This review is from: Strength In Numbers: Discovering the Joy and Power of Mathematics in Everyday Life (Paperback)
Since it does provide much of the foundation for modern societies and the applications are commonly covered with very effective disguises, mathematics is both a pillar and a whipping post. More misunderstood and hence feared than any other subject, it is the only one where it is fashionable and acceptable to profess ignorance. The only solution to this problem is to gently explain how valuable it is and let the economic realities of mathematical knowledge take control. In this book, Stein puts forward many valuable points concerning how necessary mathematics is.While I do endorse the book, there is one negative point that must be made. The title should be different. One of the points in the book is that mathematics is much more than just number manipulation. Although this is well-known to mathematicians, it is a very common misconception. Therefore, the emphasis on numbers present in the title is unfortunate, but probably necessary for marketing purposes. Now that the ranting is complete, it is time to praise the interior of the book. All of the points are significant and well made. Stein writes very well, explaining topics in a manner that keeps understanding within the range of the target audience, which is the intelligent layperson. His multiple explanations as to why the product of two negative numbers is positive is excellent. In my career, I have encountered several very educated people in technical fields who really did not understand why this is so. They had simply accepted it because they knew it worked, but had always been afraid of raising the question for fear of embarrassment. Another point that cannot be emphasized enough is the sudden appearance of a "miracle"(reviewer word) number. These are numbers that are put forward to justify a point and are not subject to critical review. After that, they are accepted at a level that makes the belief in them an act of faith. Honestly, is nature so inefficient in anything that humans really use only 10% of their brains? This is an absurd number that has been repeated so many times that it is accepted as gospel. Stein does his part to help clear up some of these problems. However, it would have been better if more time had been spent in this area. While there is some strength in numbers, the real power lies in the effective use of them, which is the realm of the underlying mathematics. This book contains many valuable lessons on why mathematics, rather than money, makes the world go round.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Demystifying math...,
By sactofan (Sacramento, Ca.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Strength In Numbers: Discovering the Joy and Power of Mathematics in Everyday Life (Paperback)
Professor Stein's book is an amazing read. It's humorous, insightful, and educational. A couple of those "great mysteries" from our math classes in school are solved and you will slap your forehead and say,"Well, they could have taught me THAT years ago!"I highly recommend this book to all levels of math students AND math teachers.
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