The colossal book of short puzzles and problems : combinatorics, probability : algebra, geometry, topology, chess, logic, cryptarithms, wordplay, physics, and other topics of recreational mathematics

Finally collected in one volume, Martin Gardner's immensely popular short puzzles; along with a few new ones from the master. For more than twenty-five years, Martin Gardner was Scientific American's renowned provocateur of popular math. His yearly gatherings of short and inventive problems were easily his most anticipated math columns. Loyal readers would savor the wit and elegance of his explorations in physics, probability, topology, and chess, among others. Grouped by subject and arrayed from easiest to hardest, the puzzles gathered here, which complement the lengthier, more involved problems in The Colossal Book of Mathematics, have been selected by Gardner for their illuminating; and often bewildering; solutions. Filled with over 300 illustrations, this new volume even contains nine new mathematical gems that Gardner, now ninety, has been gathering for the last decade. No amateur or expert math lover should be without this indispensable volume; a capstone to Gardner's seventy-year career. 308 illustrations Cover......Page CS1_0001.djvu The Colossal Book of Short Puzzles and Problems......Page 0006_0001.djvu Copyright......Page 0007_0001.djvu Contents......Page 0010_0001.djvu Preface......Page 0012_0001.djvu Introduction......Page 0014_0001.djvu I Combinatorial & Numerical Problems......Page 0018_0001.djvu 1. Combinatorics......Page 0020_0001.djvu 2. Probability......Page 0056_0001.djvu 3. Numbers......Page 0078_0001.djvu 4. Algebra......Page 0102_0001.djvu II Geometric Puzzles......Page 0122_0001.djvu 5. Plane Geometry......Page 0124_0001.djvu 6. Solid Geometry......Page 0157_0001.djvu 7. Shapes & Dissections......Page 0183_0001.djvu 8. Topology......Page 0214_0001.djvu III Algorithmic Puzzles & Games......Page 0242_0001.djvu 9. Procedures......Page 0244_0001.djvu 10. Scheduling & Planning......Page 0287_0001.djvu 11. Games......Page 0329_0001.djvu 12. Chess......Page 0356_0001.djvu IV Other Puzzles......Page 0382_0001.djvu 13. Logic......Page 0384_0001.djvu 14. Cryptarithms......Page 0406_0001.djvu 15. Wordplay......Page 0417_0001.djvu 16. Physical Objects......Page 0439_0001.djvu 17. Physics......Page 0457_0001.djvu Appendix: Twelve More Brain Teasers......Page 0476_0001.djvu Selected Titles......Page 0484_0001.djvu Index......Page 0488_0001.djvu

For more than twenty-five years, Martin Gardner was Scientific American's renowned provocateur of popular math. His yearly gatherings of short and inventive problems were easily his most anticipated math columns. Loyal readers would savor the wit and elegance of his explorations in physics, probability, topology, and chess, among others. Grouped by subject and arrayed from easiest to hardest, the puzzles gathered here, which complement the lengthier, more involved problems in The Colossal Book of Mathematics, have been selected by Gardner for their illuminating; and often bewildering; solutions. Filled with over 300 illustrations, this new volume even contains nine new mathematical gems that Gardner, now ninety, has been gathering for the last decade. No amateur or expert math lover should be without this indispensable volume; a capstone to Gardner's seventy-year career.

A single-volume collection of popular short puzzles culled from the math expert's Scientific American columns is grouped by subject and difficulty level and features nine new puzzles. By the author of The Colossal Book of Mathematics. 10,000 first printing. Collected in one volume, here are Martin Gardner's short puzzles - along with a few new ones from the master