Thinking Better: The Art of the Shortcut in Math and Life

by Marcus Du Sautoy

Overview

A “gifted and tireless mathematical communicator” (Financial Times) shows why math is the ultimate timesaver—and how everyone can make their lives easier with a few simple shortcuts. 
 
Success isn’t about hard work – it’s about shortcuts. Shortcuts allow us to solve one problem quickly so that we can tackle an even bigger one.  And according to Marcus du Sautoy, math is the very art of the shortcut. 
 
Thinking Better is a celebration of how math lets us do more with less. Du Sautoy explores why calculus is the greatest shortcut ever invented, whether mastery of the violin really takes ten thousand hours, and why shortcuts give us an advantage over even the most powerful AI.   
 
Delightful, illuminating, and above all practical, this book is for anyone who has wondered why you should waste time climbing the mountain when going around it is much faster.  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541604407
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	09/05/2023
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	504,497
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Marcus du Sautoy is Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. He is author of eight books and two plays, including Around the World in Eighty Games. Du Sautoy is a Fellow of the Royal Society and recipient of many awards, including the Berwick Prize and an OBE. He lives in London.

Editorial Reviews

One of Bloomberg's "49 Most Fascinating, Mind-Blowing, Challenging, Hilarious, and Urgent Titles of the Year" for 2021—Matteo del Fante, Bloomberg

“Du Sautoy is a gifted and tireless mathematical communicator with considerable range… This is a ‘greatest hits’ of mathematical ideas presented with trademark clarity and energy.”—Tim Harford, The Financial TImes

"The joy of this book is not in the facts but in the journey. Du Sautoy expertly weaves mathematical strategies, historical background and accessible examples into an engaging narrative that a seasoned scientist can enjoy as much as someone with less maths in their background/"—Nina Meinzer, Nature Physics

“[Marcus du Sautoy is] one of the great contemporary popularizers of mathematics. In print, radio, and television, he is known for spreading the gospel that mathematics is endlessly interesting and a great deal of fun. His latest book, Thinking Better, is a prime example of his ability to communicate with a broad audience… As always, Du Sautoy opens the world of mathematics for those who are at least a little curious about what it offers.”
 —MAA Focus

"I can warmly recommend mathematicians and non-mathematicians alike to read this very entertaining reflection on many different disguises of the shortcut."—Adhemar Bultheel, MAA Reviews

“Du Sautoy masterfully guides readers through complex math… All the while, he’s encouraging about the importance of problem-solving: ‘Mathematics is a mindset for navigating a complex world and finding the pathway to the other side.’ Math-minded readers will find much to consider.”—Publishers Weekly

“In Thinking Better, Oxford mathematician Marcus Du Sautoy pulls back the curtain to show how mathematicians think. The result is an engaging, delightful adventure through a variety of situations where mathematical thinking – in particular, the search for clever shortcuts – illuminates deeper mathematical truths. And it turns out these short cuts are incredibly useful for the rest of us too!”—David Schwartz, author of The Last Man Who Knew Everything

“If mathematics has proved anything, it is that shortcuts can change the world. Marcus du Sautoy has created a smart, well-written and entertaining guide to the connecting tunnels, underpasses and other tricks we can use to traverse the trials of everyday life.” —Roger Highfield, journalist and author of The Dance of Life

“This is a book about shortcuts that takes no shortcut. It is chock-full of thought-provoking examples, ranging from the mathematical to the sociological.”—Melissa Franklin, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics, Harvard University

“Marcus du Sautoy compellingly answers the age-old plaint 'When am I going to use this?' with a wide-ranging tour of the real uses of mathematically-flavored thinking, in domains from the stock market to psychotherapy to modern sculpture."—Jordan Ellenberg, New York Times-bestselling author of Shape

From the Publisher

08/30/2021

“Laziness is our saving grace,” writes mathematician Du Sautoy (The Creativity Code) in this accessible look at thousands of years of mathematical shortcuts. Focusing on 10 different shortcuts, Du Sautoy sets out to prove that finding the quickest way to a solution can grant “complete understanding... without unnecessary hard work.” There’s the “power of spotting a pattern,” which can be used to understand the progression of a pandemic and predicted the existence of the asteroid Ceres. The way humans represent numerical values, meanwhile, from tally marks to the invention of zero, provides a shortcut for counting, and the “language shortcut” that’s used to describe problems lead to the development of algebra. Each chapter begins with a “puzzle” and ends with a “pitstop” that applies patterns to real-world problems, and Du Sautoy masterfully guides readers through complex math behind particle interactions, calculus used to determine spacecraft trajectories, and the “black magic” of Scottish mathematician John Napier’s logarithms. All the while, he’s encouraging about the importance of problem-solving: “Mathematics is a mindset for navigating a complex world and finding the pathway to the other side.” Math-minded readers will find much to consider. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly