Nonplussed!

Mathematical Proof of Implausible Ideas

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Science, Other Sciences, Applied Sciences, Mathematics, Applied
Cover of the book Nonplussed! by Julian Havil, Princeton University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Julian Havil ISBN: 9781400837380
Publisher: Princeton University Press Publication: August 2, 2010
Imprint: Princeton University Press Language: English
Author: Julian Havil
ISBN: 9781400837380
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication: August 2, 2010
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Language: English

Math—the application of reasonable logic to reasonable assumptions—usually produces reasonable results. But sometimes math generates astonishing paradoxes—conclusions that seem completely unreasonable or just plain impossible but that are nevertheless demonstrably true. Did you know that a losing sports team can become a winning one by adding worse players than its opponents? Or that the thirteenth of the month is more likely to be a Friday than any other day? Or that cones can roll unaided uphill? In *Nonplussed!—*a delightfully eclectic collection of paradoxes from many different areas of math—popular-math writer Julian Havil reveals the math that shows the truth of these and many other unbelievable ideas.

Nonplussed! pays special attention to problems from probability and statistics, areas where intuition can easily be wrong. These problems include the vagaries of tennis scoring, what can be deduced from tossing a needle, and disadvantageous games that form winning combinations. Other chapters address everything from the historically important Torricelli's Trumpet to the mind-warping implications of objects that live on high dimensions. Readers learn about the colorful history and people associated with many of these problems in addition to their mathematical proofs.

Nonplussed! will appeal to anyone with a calculus background who enjoys popular math books or puzzles.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Math—the application of reasonable logic to reasonable assumptions—usually produces reasonable results. But sometimes math generates astonishing paradoxes—conclusions that seem completely unreasonable or just plain impossible but that are nevertheless demonstrably true. Did you know that a losing sports team can become a winning one by adding worse players than its opponents? Or that the thirteenth of the month is more likely to be a Friday than any other day? Or that cones can roll unaided uphill? In *Nonplussed!—*a delightfully eclectic collection of paradoxes from many different areas of math—popular-math writer Julian Havil reveals the math that shows the truth of these and many other unbelievable ideas.

Nonplussed! pays special attention to problems from probability and statistics, areas where intuition can easily be wrong. These problems include the vagaries of tennis scoring, what can be deduced from tossing a needle, and disadvantageous games that form winning combinations. Other chapters address everything from the historically important Torricelli's Trumpet to the mind-warping implications of objects that live on high dimensions. Readers learn about the colorful history and people associated with many of these problems in addition to their mathematical proofs.

Nonplussed! will appeal to anyone with a calculus background who enjoys popular math books or puzzles.

More books from Princeton University Press

Cover of the book On Purpose by Julian Havil
Cover of the book Kierkegaard's Writings, XXV, Volume 25 by Julian Havil
Cover of the book Human Capitalism by Julian Havil
Cover of the book The Gross-Zagier Formula on Shimura Curves by Julian Havil
Cover of the book Beyond UFOs by Julian Havil
Cover of the book The Oil Curse by Julian Havil
Cover of the book White Flight by Julian Havil
Cover of the book Sovereignty by Julian Havil
Cover of the book On Inequality by Julian Havil
Cover of the book Dictionary of Untranslatables by Julian Havil
Cover of the book German Jewry and the Allure of the Sephardic by Julian Havil
Cover of the book Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age by Julian Havil
Cover of the book Dividing Lines by Julian Havil
Cover of the book The Children of Abraham by Julian Havil
Cover of the book Edgework by Julian Havil
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy