Designed for high school students and teachers with an interest in mathematical problem-solving, this volume offers a wealth of nonroutine problems in geometry that stimulate students to explore unfamiliar or little-known aspects of mathematics.Included are nearly 200 problems dealing with congruence and parallelism, the Pythagorean theorem, circles, area relationships, Ptolemy and the cyclic quadrilateral, collinearity and concurrency, and many other subjects. Within each topic, the problems are arranged in approximate order of difficulty. Detailed solutions (as well as hints) are provided for all problems, and specific answers for most.Invaluable as a supplement to a basic geometry textbook, this volume offers both further explorations on specific topics and practice in developing problem-solving techniques.
The most ubiquitous, and perhaps the most intriguing, number pattern in mathematics is the Fibonacci sequence. In this simple pattern beginning with two ones, each succeeding number is the sum of the two numbers immediately preceding it (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, ad infinitum). Far from being just a curiosity, this sequence recurs in structures found throughout nature - from the arrangement of whorls on a pinecone to the branches of certain plant stems. All of which is astounding evidence for the deep mathematical basis of the natural world. With admirable clarity, two veteran math educators take us on a fascinating tour of the many ramifications of the Fibonacci numbers. They begin with a brief history of a distinguished Italian discoverer, who, among other accomplishments, was responsible for popularizing the use of Arabic numerals in the West. Turning to botany, the authors demonstrate, through illustrative diagrams, the unbelievable connections between Fibonacci numbers and natural forms (pineapples, sunflowers, and daisies are just a few examples). In art, architecture, the stock market, and other areas of society and culture, they point out numerous examples of the Fibonacci sequence as well as its derivative, the "golden ratio." And of course in mathematics, as the authors amply demonstrate, there are almost boundless applications in probability, number theory, geometry, algebra, and Pascal's triangle, to name a few. Accessible and appealing to even the most math-phobic individual, this fun and enlightening book allows the reader to appreciate the elegance of mathematics and its amazing applications in both natural and cultural settings
"If you think of mathematics as a series of pointless classroom exercises without much relevance to real life, this book will change your mind. As the authors show, math is deeply embedded in almost every aspect of daily life--from managing your personal finances, making consumer purchases, and sharpening your computational skills, to learning to apply mathematical concepts that will give you a better grasp of both ordinary and extraordinary events and help you better appreciate the world we live in. With some basic geometry under your belt, you'll discover that there is an optimal point on a soccer field from which to shoot a goal. And you'll be more clever with the gears of a bike. If you like to play cards or go to the casino, knowing something about probability will give you an edge. You'll also have an enhanced understanding of the "whispering effect" inside the Capitol rotunda, why a car's headlights are so bright, and even why sewer covers are round."--Publisher description
Stimulating collection of over 300 unusual problems involving equations and inequalities, Diophantine equations, number theory, quadratic equations, logarithms and more. Problems range from easy to difficult. Detailed solutions, as well as brief answers, for all problems are provided.
What Successful Math Teachers Do is a powerful portal to what the best
research looks like in practice, strategy by strategy-now aligned to both the
Common Core and the NCTM Standards.
In his latest book, mathematician Alfred S. Posamentier provides easily
understandable, easily presentable and easily replicated tricks that one can
do with mathematics.
If you remember anything about high school geometry class, it's probably doing
proofs. But geometry is more than axioms, postulates, theorems, and proofs.
It's the science of beautiful and extraordinary geometric relationships--most
of which is lost in high school classrooms w...
Did you grow up thinking math is boring? It’s time to reconsider. This book will teach you everything you ever wondered about numbers—and more.How and why did human beings first start using numbers at the dawn of history? Would numbers exist if we Homo sapiens weren’t around to discover them? What’s so special about weird numbers like pi and the Fibonacci sequence? What about rational, irrational, real, and imaginary numbers? Why do we need them?Two veteran math educators explain it all in ways even the most math phobic will find appealing and understandable. You’ll never look at those squiggles on your calculator the same again.
"Two veteran math educators concisely profile leading mathematicians throughout history highlighting their often unusual personalities and lives while giving average readers insights into the importance of their mathematical discoveries."--
