How can math help you bet on horses or win in Vegas? What's the foolproof way to solve Sudoku? How can probability teach you to calculate your chances of survival in Russian roulette?

In this irreverent and entertaining guide to mathematics, Lawrence Potter takes the fear out of everything from long division to percentages. Using fascinating puzzles and surprising examples, from M.C. Escher to Pascal, he shows us how math is connected with the world we encounter every day, from how to calculate a tip to why weather forecasts are wrong, from winning at Monopoly to improving your mental arithmetic.

Along the way you'll also discover who invented numbers, whether animals can count, and what nuns have to do with multiplication.

About the Author
Lawrence Potter attended Oxford University and graduated with a degree in classics before becoming an adventurous mathematics teacher in Romania and Rwanda. He is the author of This May Help You Understand the World and lives in London.

Reviews
"Does for numbers what Eats, Shoots & Leaves did for punctuation." -- The Times Educational Supplement
"If you follow this eloquently written book you will be equipped to cope with all manner of challenges." -- The Daily Telegraph
"Anyone whose memories of math class leave "the bitterest taste" will find comfort as well as insight and plenty of laughs in this informal, irreverent look at math. Each topic here is based on a situation one could encounter in everyday life. For anyone who has ever felt defeated by 'the dark forces of mathematics,' Potter's constructive guide offers enlightenment and hope." -- Publishers Weekly



Book Information
ISBN 9781605985176
Author Lawrence Potter
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Pegasus Books
Publisher Pegasus Books
Weight(grams) 255g
Dimensions(mm) 208mm * 140mm * 20mm