Sphere Packing, Lewis Carroll, and Reversi: Martin Gardner's New Mathematical Diversions

by Martin Gardner

Overview

Packing spheres, Reversi, braids, polyominoes, board games, and the puzzles of Lewis Carroll. These and other mathematical diversions return to readers with updates to all the chapters, including new game variations, mathematical proofs, and other developments and discoveries. Read about Knuth’s Word Ladders program and the latest developments in the digits of pi. Once again these timeless puzzles will charm readers while demonstrating principles of logic, probability, geometry, and other fields of mathematics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521756075
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/06/2009
Series:	The New Martin Gardner Mathematical Library , #3
Pages:	298
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

For 25 of his 90 years, Martin Gardner wrote 'Mathematical Games and Recreations,' a monthly column for Scientific American magazine. These columns have inspired hundreds of thousands of readers to delve more deeply into the large world of mathematics. He has also made significant contributions to magic, philosophy, debunking pseudoscience, and children's literature. He has produced more than 60 books, including many best sellers, most of which are still in print. His Annotated Alice has sold more than a million copies. He continues to write a regular column for the Skeptical Inquirer magazine.

Table of Contents

1. The binary system; 2. Group theory and braids; 3. Eight problems; 4. The games and puzzles of Lewis Carroll; 5. Paper cutting; 6. Board games; 7. Sphere packing; 8. The transcendental number Pi; 9. Victor Eigen, mathemagician; 10. The four-color map theorem; 11. Mr. Apollinax visits New York; 12. Nine problems; 13. Polyominoes and fault-free rectangles; 14. Euler's spoilers: the discovery of an Order-10 Graeco-Latin square; 15. The ellipse; 16. The 24 color squares and the 30 color cubes; 17. H. S. M. Coxeter; 18. Bridg-it and other games; 19. Nine more problems; 20. The calculus of finite differences.

Editorial Reviews

"In this collection of 20 reprints of his "Mathematical Games" columns from 1959 and 1961 issues of Scientific American, Gardner shares his delight in recreational math. The renowned mathematics and science writer presents concepts exemplified by board games and puzzles by the author of Alice in Wonderland and others, with solutions, updated information, and references. Among Gardener's many books is The Annotated Alice. Published in association with the Mathematical Association of America."
Book News

"While Martin Gardner has always called himself "strictly a journalist," he should really be honored as one of this country's greatest cultural treasures."
The Washington Post For the full text visit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/21/AR2009102103700.html

From the Publisher