This book is another great collection of problems, discussions, and mathematical curiosities from Martin Gardner - and one of his best.
In this book, Martin Gardner has assembled an absorbing discussion on the theoretical aspects and possibility of time travel, including the many paradoxes that may arise; two problem collections to give to try out yourself and give to your friends; two chapters on tangrams and tiling each; along with 15 more chapters on interesting topics such as the melody-making machines, anamorphic art, block packing and more.
Particularly interesting are the chapters "Six Sensational Discoveries" and "Dodgem and Other Simple Games." The former is a collection of six April Fool's jokes he published in April of 1975. The latter is an extensive and occupying discussion of simple games that one can play with friends, along with winning strategies for some and just mathematical theories for others.
I strongly recommend this book for those interested in mathematical curiousities and the likeness. It is especially interesting for children of ages 6-12; they may not understand everything, but certain chapters they will remember and revisit forever!
Author(s): Martin Gardner
Edition: First Thus
Publisher: W.H. Freeman & Company
Year: 1987
Language: English
Commentary: +OCR
Pages: 297
HOME......Page
CONTENTS......Page 6
Preface......Page 9
Time Travel......Page 11
Hexes and Stars......Page 25
Tangrams, Part 1......Page 36
Tangrams, Part 2......Page 47
Nontransitive Paradoxes......Page 63
Combinatorial Card Problems......Page 78
Melody-Making Machines......Page 92
Anarnorphic Art......Page 104
The Rubber Rope and Other Problerns......Page 117
Six Sensational Discoveries......Page 131
The Csaszar Polyhedron......Page 145
Dodgem and Other Simple Games......Page 159
Tiling with Convex Polygons......Page 169
Tiling with Polyominoes, Polyiarnonds, and Polyhexes......Page 183
Curious Maps......Page 194
The Sixth Symbol and Other Problems......Page 209
Magic Squares and Cubes......Page 217
Block Packing......Page 230
Induction and Probability......Page 243
Catalan Numbers......Page 254
Fun with a Pocket Calculator......Page 268
Tree-Plant Problems......Page 278
Index of Names......Page 292
