Origami, Eleusis, and the Soma Cube
Origami, Eleusis, and the Soma Cube
£106.00
GBPMartin Gardner continues to delight. He introduces readers to the Generalized Ham Sandwich Theorem, origami, digital roots, magic squares, the mathematics of cooling coffee, the induction game of Eleusis, Dudeney puzzles, the maze at Hampton Court Palace, and many more mathematical puzzles and principles. Origami, Eleusis, and the Soma Cube is the second volume in Martin Gardner's New Mathematical Library, based on his enormously popular Scientific American columns. Now the author, in consultation with experts, has added updates to all the chapters, including new game variations, mathematical proofs, and other developments and discoveries, to challenge and fascinate a new generation of readers.
- Includes expanded/revised material for every chapter
- First time reissue of entire Martin Gardner Scientific American column run
Reviews & endorsements
'Martin Gardner's fifteen volumes about Mathematical Games are The Canon - timeless classics that are always worth reading and rereading.' Don Knuth
'Hexaflexagons, Probability Paradoxes, and the Tower of Hanoi and Origami, Eleusis, and the Soma Cube provide a taste of Gardner's prowess at devising quirky and fascinating mathematical conundrums. An excellent example is the 'generalised ham-sandwich theorem', which, among other things, explains how a doughnut can be sliced into 13 pieces by three simultaneous plane cuts.' Physics World
'I recommend you approach this book on a Sunday afternoon, with paper and pen, a few biscuits for brain-power and a good hour to spare for puzzling. It is worth it.' Charlotte Mulcare, Plus Magazine
'One of Gardner's real strengths as a writer of popular mathematics is his ability to choose topics that will appeal to the general public while also having some real mathematical content. … Like the first volume, this one is in the 'must have' category.' MAA Reviews
'… presents plenty of well-known and some less well-known mathematical problems. … The presentation of problems is completed with many illustrative pictures and photos in every chapter. It is possible to find traditional solutions of every problem and also some newer views, explanations and proofs of solved problems.' EMS Newsletter
'The ten chapters in this volume are a wonderful part of Martin Gardener's work, each updated with selections from the enormous correspondence he enjoyed with his readers. This collection of Gardener's writing should be a cornerstone of a personal library for mathematicians, teachers and students everywhere.' Mathematical Reviews
Product details
November 2008Hardback
9780521756105
248 pages
224 × 144 × 18 mm
0.38kg
7 b/w illus.
Available
Table of Contents
- 1. The five platonic solids
- 2. Tetraflexagons
- 3. Henry Dudeney: England's greatest puzzlist
- 4. Digital roots
- 5. Nine problems
- 6. The soma cube
- 7. Recreational topology
- 8. Phi: the golden ratio
- 9. The monkey and the coconuts
- 10. Mazes
- 11. Recreational logic
- 12. Magic squares
- 13. James Hugh Riley Shows, Inc.
- 14. Nine more problems
- 15. Eleusis: the induction game
- 16. Origami
- 17. Squaring the square
- 18. Mechanical puzzles
- 19. Probability and ambiguity
- 20. The mysterious Dr Matrix.
