Intriguing Mathematical Problems

by Oswald Jacoby, William H. Benson

Overview

Amusing and informative in its approach to solving mathematical bafflers, this treasury of theories, games, puzzles and oddities of all kinds, compiled by one of the world's best card players (Jacoby) and an expert in mathematical recreations (Benson) will delight and fascinate math enthusiasts.
Although primarily intended to entertain, the wide variety of puzzles ― ranging from facile curiosities to very difficult intellectual exercises ― will challenge you to keep your mind going full steam. Each of the book's five sections ― "Fun with Numbers," "Fun with Letters," "The Odds: Explorations in Probability," "Where Inference and Reasoning Reign" and "The Answers Are Whole Numbers" ― is made up of approximately 30 problems, with solutions grouped at the end of each section. Math buffs will love testing their puzzle-solving skills on such challenging brainteasers as The Enterprising Snail, Mrs. Crabbe and the Bacon, The Fly and the Bicycles, The Lovesick Cockroaches, The Three Prisoners, Girls Should Live in Brooklyn, Who Was Executed?, Creaker vs. Roadhog, The Crossed Ladders, The Ancient Order of the Greens, and many more.
Few of these problems require any advanced mathematical knowledge or prowess. You'll find that simply keeping your wits about you and your logical skills honed are all you need to enjoy a delightful and thought-provoking adventure in recreational mathematics. Foreword. 10 illustrations. 14 tables.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780486168364
Publisher:	Dover Publications
Publication date:	04/25/2013
Series:	Dover Books on Mathematics
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	3 MB

Table of Contents

1. fun with numbers
1. the enterprising snail
2. bargain day
3. the bright graduate
4. the erudite bookworm
5. mother's little kitchen helper
6. seven loaves of bread
7. average speed
8. the ladder
9. remainder of one
10. how much dirt?
11. ten digits
12. rare flowers
13. chickens
14. send more money!
15. the empty flask
16. mrs. crabbe and the bacon
17. window-washing
18. mr. spendmore
19. time?
20. tires
21. trains
22. prime settlement
23. mixture
solutions
2. fun with letters
1. the professor's fish
2. floating down the river
3. one hundred dollars needed
4. what is the product?
5. joe nitwit
6. the fly and the bicycles
7. birds in flight
8. phil anthrope
9. the wire fence
10. my favorite orange
11. candles
12. three drain pipes take-?
13. helen's age is?
14. jack and jill
15. mrs. crabbe and the prunes
16. trust fund
17. what is the first time?
18. round trip from abletown
19. mr. wright and the insurance salesman
20. phillip gibson's children
21. ducks
22. ten-o'clock scholar
23. packing crate
24. trains passing
25. wheat
26. the professor's window
27. as the crow flies
28. courier
29. outboard vs. speedboat
solutions
3. the odds: explorations in probability
1. cue's chance
2. transfers
3. the odds are two to one
4. how many left?
5. tennis at lower dropshot
6. face cards
7. the king of hearts
8. birthdays
9. the walk to 15th and m
10. the three prisoners
11. the dictator
12. more tennis at lower dropshot
13. cubes
14. king's town
15. professor of ancient history
16. two spades
17. smithley's problem
18. the odds against smith
19. professor knowsodd's reply
20. opinionated is not satisfied
21. a pair of dice
22. girls should live in brooklyn
23. the three chess players
24. the five balls
25. how many balls?
solutions
4. where inference and reasoning reign
part 1. inference
1. ho island
2. the island of ha
3. bridge
4. the diners
5. "fur and feather" show"
6. the dine-out club
7. who was executed?
8. literary dinner party
9. bridge at the greens'
10. mr. smith is?
11. the squabble
12. the new member cut in
13. bella's gifts
14. smithley back at ho island
15. bridge on ha island
16. confusing?
17. flowers
18. king arthur
19. outdoors
20. horsemen
21. muddle at mixwell
22. five sons
23. the island of hi
24. david?
25. the island of hu
26. "artichoke, bergamot, and celery"
27. the bank manager is?
28. white and green
29. strange!
solutions
part 2. reasoning
30. the light coin
31. how often does christmas fall on friday?
32. the lovesick cockroaches
33. chain smoker
34. commuter service
35. beefeater's convention
36. the walking fly
37. chessboard
38. u.s. coins
39. white hats
40. bigdome's park
41. jim and judy
42. jones was early
43. north
44. the prince
45. creaker vs. roadhog
46. chains
47. triangles
48. as the tide rises
49. what time is it?
50. the fresh-air fiend
51. mr. Jones
52. billiard plays?
53. much dithering
54. the back-alley gang
55. the seven housemasters
56. his instructor's age
solutions
5. the answers are whole numbers
1. the farmers' market
2. jody and sandra
3. cashier's error
4. the crossed ladders
5. egg money
6. "wendy, sally, and debby"
7. monkey business
8. scholarships
9. birthday cakes
10. which is nearer?
11. muggins
12. mary
13. knights vs. bishops
14. the price went down
15. four brothers and their gin game
16. the ancient order of the greens
17. mrs. overtwenty
18. how many men?
19. seventeen pencils
20. jones' children
21. mrs. quigley
22. the rhind papyrus
23. poppy
24. the graustark cabinet
25. the two cousins
26. professor algebra's garden
27. coconuts
28. a box of chocolates
"seventeeners"
solutions