Math Charmers: Tantalizing Tidbits for the Mind

Professional mathematicians often speak of the beauty of mathematics and the elegance of its solutions. Yet the esthetic appeal of math is rarely conveyed to students at the elementary, secondary, or even college level. Instead, most of us develop phobias in school about math's elusive logic and then pass these negative impressions on to our children. We should all be having fun with math and helping our kids to do better in life by encouraging them to appreciate not only its usefulness but especially its charm. That's just what veteran math educator Alfred Posamentier sets out to do in this delightful exploration of math's many intriguing, interesting, and fun qualities. Beginning with the beauty of the number system, thr author doesn't just talk mathematics; he entices readers to do math and discover for themselves just how stimulating the process can be! Brief and entertaining introductions to each chapter invite readers to try their hands at arithmetic marvels, surprising solutions, algebraic entertainments, geometric wonders, and fun mathematical paradoxes, among other topics. Presented in a reader-friendly, conversational tone, the text is very accessible and the examples are geared to a beginner's level, so that even the most math-phobic individual will discover the hidden joy and inherent appeal of doing math. This is the ideal book for adults looking for a way to turn their kids on to an important subject or discover for themselves what they might have missed in their own math education.