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Strange happenstances and chance encounters have puzzled us for
centuries. This fun and fascinating book takes readers on a journey
through the mathematics behind coincidences both famous and
never-before-examined. From peculiar patterns in geometry and
calculus to the famous Waring Problem, and other astonishing
numerical curiosities, The Call of Coincidence begins by examining
the mathematical properties that underpin everything there is.
Next, author Owen O'Shea - along with fictional guides Charlie
Chance and the enigmatic Dr. Moogle - reveals surprising
connections and correlations throughout history, including
numerical coincidences behind the reign of King Richard III, the
sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the 1996 FIFA World Cup, and
much, much more. By investigating the properties, puzzles, and
problems within, you will gain a newfound appreciation for the
beautiful simplicity of mathematics in its many forms. Featuring
surprising trivia gems alongside serious questions like why there
is something rather than nothing, readers will be enriched by this
exploration of remarkable number coincidences and the mathematics
that make them possible - and probable.
In the modern world the theory of probability is used extensively
in mathematics, science, engineering, medicine and, of course,
gambling. A proposition bet is one that involves the use of
probability -both estimated and actual -where an individual makes
an apparently attractive bet to someone who is easily deceived by
the odds, which are at first glance in his favor. The Book of
Proposition Bets gathers together, and reveals the true mathematics
behind, over 50 classic and original proposition bets. From the
famous Three Card Monty (really an exercise in the Monty Hall
Paradox), to probabilities based on rolling dice and pulling
playing cards, or whether or not a mark can guess 3 correct digits
of a one dollar bill's serial number (spoiler: the odds are against
it), author Owen O'Shea here compiles a fascinating and engaging
survey of prop bets. In addition, Part 2 of the book contains a
brief history of the theory of probability and some examples of
cons and scams perpetrated on the general public to this day around
the world, (plus a few more mathematical proposition bets!).
Whether to learn the intricacies used by hustlers, or borrow a
couple of tricks for yourself, we wager that there is a high
probability that readers will enjoy this entertaining and
illuminating book!
Proves that math can be serious fun! If you like any kind of game
at all, you'll enjoy the amazing mathematical brainteasers in this
entertaining book. No special mathematics training is needed. With
an emphasis on puzzling word problems with surprising solutions,
the author presents his mathematical hurdles in order of increasing
difficulty. Many appear deceptively simple, such as: How many
quarter-inch marks are on an unusual sixteen-inch ruler? Or: If the
cost of a bottle and a cork is $1.10 and the bottle costs $1.00
more than the cork, how much did the bottle alone cost? Check the
answers before you decide that these are too easy. You may be
surprised. Novices may want to begin with some of the teasers in
the first "easy" section. More experienced math-heads may want to
test their wits with the "challenging" or even the "difficult"
sections (some are fiendishly difficult). Including word problems
by famed mathematical puzzle geniuses Sam Loyd (1841 - 1911) and
Henry Ernest Dudeney (1857 - 1930), which have entertained
recreational math aficionados for more than a century, this book
has something for puzzle solvers at any level. And for the math
phobic, it may whet your appetite to delve into a subject you
thought could only be boring.
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Paperback
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R398
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