Overview

Have you ever daydreamed about digging a hole to the other side of the world? Robert Banks not only entertains such ideas but, better yet, supplies the mathematical know-how to turn fantasies into problem-solving adventures. In his sequel to ""Towing Icebergs, Falling Dominoes, and Other Adventures in Applied Mathematics"", Banks presents another collection of puzzles for readers interested in sharpening their thinking and mathematical skills. The problems range from the wondrous to the eminently practical. In one chapter, the author helps us determine the total number of people who have lived on Earth; in another, he shows how an understanding of mathematical curves can help a thrifty lover, armed with construction paper and scissors, keep expenses down on Valentine's Day. Designed to entertain and stimulate thinking, the book can be read for enjoyment value alone.

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9780691102849

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Reviews

Banks turns trivial questions into mind-expanding demonstrations of the magical powers of mathematics. Nor does he restrict himself to trivial questions: his shrewd analyses coax secrets out of such weighty topics as global population growth and the melting of polar ice caps... Not a math textbook which teaches readers how to solve set types of problems, this collection of puzzles does something far more important: it teaches us how to delight in unexpected challenges to our numerical imagination. -- Booklist [Banks displays] a playful imagination and love of the fantastic that one would not ordinarily associate with a mathematical engineer... Banks's style is entertaining but never condescending. -- The Christian Science Monitor

[Banks displays] a playful imagination and love of the fantastic that one would not ordinarily associate with a mathematical engineer... Banks's style is entertaining but never condescending. -- The Christian Science Monitor Banks turns trivial questions into mind-expanding demonstrations of the magical powers of mathematics. Nor does he restrict himself to trivial questions: his shrewd analyses coax secrets out of such weighty topics as global population growth and the melting of polar ice caps... Not a math textbook which teaches readers how to solve set types of problems, this collection of puzzles does something far more important: it teaches us how to delight in unexpected challenges to our numerical imagination. -- Booklist

Banks turns trivial questions into mind-expanding demonstrations of the magical powers of mathematics. Nor does he restrict himself to trivial questions: his shrewd analyses coax secrets out of such weighty topics as global population growth and the melting of polar ice caps... Not a math textbook which teaches readers how to solve set types of problems, this collection of puzzles does something far more important: it teaches us how to delight in unexpected challenges to our numerical imagination. -- Booklist [Banks displays] a playful imagination and love of the fantastic that one would not ordinarily associate with a mathematical engineer... Banks's style is entertaining but never condescending. -- The Christian Science Monitor

Banks turns trivial questions into mind-expanding demonstrations of the magical powers of mathematics. Nor does he restrict himself to trivial questions: his shrewd analyses coax secrets out of such weighty topics as global population growth and the melting of polar ice caps... Not a math textbook which teaches readers how to solve set types of problems, this collection of puzzles does something far more important: it teaches us how to delight in unexpected challenges to our numerical imagination. Booklist [Banks displays] a playful imagination and love of the fantastic that one would not ordinarily associate with a mathematical engineer... Banks's style is entertaining but never condescending. The Christian Science Monitor

Author Information

Robert B. Banks, author of ""Towing Icebergs, Falling Dominoes, and Other Adventures in Applied Mathematics"" (Princeton), was a Professor of Engineering at Northwestern University and Dean of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He served with the Ford Foundation in Mexico City and with the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok. He won numerous national and international honors, including being named Commander of the Order of the White Elephant by the King of Thailand and Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the government of France.

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