Paradoxes in Mathematics

by Stanley J. Farlow

Overview

There's more than one way to define a paradox, and this intriguing book offers examples of every kind. Stanley J. Farlow, a prominent educator and author, presents a captivating mix of mathematical paradoxes: the kind with surprising, nonintuitive outcomes; the variety that rely on mathematical sleight-of-hand to impress the unwary observer; and the baffling type with a solution that passes all understanding.
Students and puzzle enthusiasts will find plenty of thought-provoking enjoyment mixed with a bit of painless mathematical instruction among these twenty-eight conundrums. Some of them involve counting, some deal with infinity, and others draw on principles of geometry and arithmetic. None requires an extensive background in higher mathematics. Challenges include The Curve That Shook the World, a variation on the famous Monty Hall Problem, Space Travel in a Wineglass, Through Cantor's Looking Glass, and other fun-to-ponder paradoxes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780486791739
Publisher:	Dover Publications
Publication date:	01/23/2014
Series:	Dover Books on Mathematics
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

A Professor of Mathematics at the University of Maine, Stanley J. Farlow is the author of numerous math texts for college students. His Dover titles include Partial Differential Equations for Scientists and Engineers and An Introduction to Differential Equations and Their Applications.

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

Paper Folding: Do Not Try This at Home 1

Rope Around the Earth 9

Oh No! The Monty Hall Problem! 15

The Birthday Paradox: You're NOT Going to Believe This 21

Mathematical Masonry 29

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh: The Curry Paradox 39

The Not-So-Uncommon Anomaly of Mr. Simpson 46

Some Paradoxes Can (Literally) Kill You 51

The Curve That Shook the World 59

Mary's Paint Can Conundrum 66

The China Paradox 71

The Two-Envelope Paradox 73

St. Petersburg Paradox 76

Through Cantor's Looking Glass 80

Aristotle's Wheel Paradox 92

Did I Ever Tell You About My Uncle Charlie? 96

Parrondo's Paradox: A Paradox for Losers 102

Zeno's Paradox 109

Will the Real Numbers Please Stand Up? 113

The Four Bears Paradox 118

Uncle George's Will 121

Milos and the Tainted Wine 126

Space-Filling Curve 132

Wheels: More Than Just Round and Round 136

Space Travel in a Wineglass 144

The Mysterious Transcendental Numbers 151

Gabriel's Horn Paradox 157

Russell's Paradox: Why We Need Rules 162