My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles (Math & Logic Puzzles)

Book Description

Noted expert selects 70 "short" puzzles. The Returning Explorer, The Mutilated Chessboard, Scrambled Box Tops, and 67 more. Solutions included.

Customer Reviews:

The best compilation from Martin Gardner's Scientific American mathematical games column.......2006-07-19

"My best mathematical and logic puzzles" presents 70 of the best of the brain teaser that Martin Gardner published over a period of 25 years in his Mathematical games column at Scientific American. It some cases references to new developments related with specific puzzles have been added.

Martin Gardner was always especially careful to present in his American Scientific column only new and unfamiliar puzzles that have not been included in classic collections before. Now you can challenge your solving skills and rattle your ego with a compilation of his best mind-benders.

Here is an example of what you can find inside this book (31. The absent-minded teller}:

"An absent-minded bank teller switched the dollars and cents when he cashed a check for Mr. Brown, giving him dollars instead of cents, and cents instead of dollars. After buying a five-cent newspaper, Mr. Brown discovered that he had left exactly twice as much as his original check. What was the amount of the check?"

One of the best things about Martin Gardner books is that a carefully explained solution follows each problem, this way you learn and add new abilities to your problem solving skills, that will sure be helpful in solving real life problems, while entertaining yourself with a good and challenging reading.

The best of one of the best.......2004-04-26

Martin Gardner is the grand old man of puzzles and recreational mathematics. I recommend this book for intermediary and advanced puzzle enthusiasts - beginners might find some of these too challenging.

Intermediary puzzlists will find the pleasures of often working at the upper edge of their skills. The solutions at the end of the book are complete enough so that even those who didn't get it right the first time will get aha insights.

The book is well worth its price even for puzzle enthusiasts. Even I knew many of the puzzles beforehand - classics indeed - but the notes in the solutions often add a twist, a clever solution or a human interest point of view.

The age recommendation of amazon.com - 4-8 years - is probably either an insider joke or a typo. I'd recommend this book to people between 14-80 years of age, and even over.

Puzzles requiring intermediate mathematical skills.......2001-03-26

Marvelous book. I found it better than many books but my friends, who were not that conversant with intermediate mathematics did not like it much. Though this book doesn't require a knowledge of calculus, people who have this level might appreciate the book more. But it has more to do with mathematical 'thinking' rather than mathematics itself.

So get this one if you are good at mathematical thinking and want to challenge yourself. If you are weak in math and would rather read puzzles that require only logic, cleverness, and lateral thinking only, this may not be the one for you.

A Question.......2000-08-16

I just had to question this - the book is rated at a reading level for 4 - 8 year olds, but some of the reviewers mention going on technical interviews and keeping track of columns in Scientific America over a number of years?

Great collection of what it says it is: prepublished puzzles.......2000-06-05

This is a great collection of puzzles from the Master Of It All. However, the book is exactly what is says it is: It is a collection of Martin Gardner's puzzles previously published in Scientific America. That means if you have followed Gardner's column over the years, you will have seen many of these puzzles already. And precisely because they're the "best," chances are you still remember them. Of course my favorite (a monk leaves his monastery and goes up the mountain...) is in there, as are a number of other favorites.

Brainteaser Physics: Challenging Physics Puzzlers

Average customer rating:

A fun, casual approach to learning the science of physics

Brainteaser Physics: Challenging Physics Puzzlers
Göran Grimvall
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0801885124

Book Description

Does a glass of ice water filled to the brim overflow when the ice melts? Does the energy inside a sauna increase when you heat it up? What's the best way to cool your coffee -- adding the creamer first or last?

These and other challenging puzzlers provide a fresh -- and fun -- approach to learning real physics. Presenting both classic and new problems, Brainteaser Physics challenges readers to use imagination and basic physics principles to find the answers. Göran Grimvall provides detailed and accessible explanations of the solutions, sometimes correcting the standard explanations, sometimes putting a new twist on them. He provides diagrams and equations where appropriate and ends each problem by discussing a specific concept or offering an extra challenge.

With Brainteaser Physics, students and veteran physicists alike can sharpen their critical and creative thinking -- and have fun at the same time.

Customer Reviews:

A fun, casual approach to learning the science of physics.......2007-06-09

BRAINTEASER PHYSICS: CHALLENGING PHYSICS PUZZLERS provides a fun, casual approach to learning the science of physics, through a series of fun question-and-answer 'puzzlers' posing both classic and new problems and answers. Diagrams, equations, and scientific discussions support teach brainteaser with a survey of scientific thinking and concepts, making this perfect for high school or general-interest collections seeking reinforcements to physics principles.

The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations (Math & Logic Puzzles)

Average customer rating:

Funny, challenging, and well written!
very good
An absolutely must have for puzzle lovers.
Wonderful, charming puzzles teach problem solving.
Comprehensive set of math puzzles for various levels

The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations (Math & Logic Puzzles)
Boris A. Kordemsky
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles (Math & Logic Puzzles)
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The Colossal Book of Mathematics: Classic Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Problems

ASIN: 0486270785

Amazon.com

This book has been a classic in the former Soviet Union since it was first published in 1956, and it remains just as entertaining today. A master at making math fun for his high school students, Boris Kordemsky loaded this clever collection with a wide variety of math and logic related games and puzzles dealing with magic squares, tricky weights and measures, properties of numbers, mathematical tricks, and more. Number and math game fans are bound to find several new amusements here. Even many of the well-known classics from generations past take on new life with the fresh twists Kordemsky provides.

Book Description

Most popular Russian puzzle book ever published. Marvelously varied puzzles ranging from simple "catch" riddles to difficult problems. Lavishly illustrated with clear diagrams and amusing sketches. Edited for English-readers, while retaining warmth and charm of original. Inexpensive edition of first English translation. Introduction by Martin Gardner. 425 line illustrations. Solutions.

Customer Reviews:

Funny, challenging, and well written!.......2006-11-08

I bought this book while working as a gifted children teacher. I liked it so much that I used to keep it in my car and solve riddles whenever I had to wait for someone. It is a great resource for all teachers; children are suddenly made quiet when you present a puzzle to them.

I especially like the stick puzzles, where you can distribute a number of matches to students (by the way, it works with kids, teenagers and adults alike) and give them a puzzle. The advantage of this kind of puzzle is that you can give additional tasks to those fast-solvers; you do not have a story behind it.

The organization of the book is excellent; it is divided by difficulty levels as well as by type of puzzle. For example, you have different levels of geometry problems and of sticks problems.

Great book!

very good .......2006-11-05

despite of difficulty, I love it because there are various good problems
Thanks you

An absolutely must have for puzzle lovers........2006-07-19

Excellent collection of math puzzles not requiring advanced math - A book for anyone and everyone

With and outstanding collection of 359 mathematical recreations and being lavishly illustrated with more than 400 diagrams and sketches, this book will certainly become a treasure in the personal library of anyone that enjoys solving puzzles.

It's a mammoth puzzle collection, compare with most math teasers and puzzles book available. But what is important is not the quantity, but the quality and charm of the problems presented.

The book is divided in fifteen chapters, as shown:
- Amusing problems.
- Difficult problems.
- Geometry with matches.
- Measure seven times before you cut.
- Skill will find its application everywhere.
- Dominoes and dice.
- Properties of nine.
- With algebra and without it.
- Mathematics with almost no calculations.
- Mathematical games and tricks.
- Divisibility.
- Cross sums and magic squares.
- Numbers curious and serious.
- Numbers ancient but eternally young.
- Solutions.

Everyone will find the type of problems the like most. Often the puzzles are presented in the form of charming stories that provides valuable insights into contemporary Russian life and customs.

Wonderful, charming puzzles teach problem solving........2006-01-12

I was thrilled and surprised to see that this book is still in print. I loved puzzles as a child and spent many hours for fun working the problems in this book (which may have paved the way for my PhD in Computer Science). I fished out my old copy recently to show my 11 year old daughter how I spent my spare hours as a child - *not* playing computer games of dubious educational value. I am sure that working the problems in this book helped increase my problem solving skills - in a different and more general way than I was learning in school.

Of all the puzzle books and puzzles I ever owned, this is the only one I saved. The book has a wide variety of types of puzzles (not all involve numbers). While some are easy, most were challenging. The descriptions were charming, with Russian names of children and towns and quaint puzzle descriptions involving wells, or steam engines or household objects. All in all, a delightful, very educational puzzle collection.

Comprehensive set of math puzzles for various levels.......2001-11-14

Nice collection of problems which demand some creativity as well as varying degrees of mathematical prowess. Also populated with interesting anedotes regarding mathematicians throughout history.

Although no mathematics beyond the high school level is required, the challenge lies in the ingenious application of even the most rudimentary math and logic necessary to successfully tackle these exercises. The problems range from rather simple to difficult. Some amount to raw logic riddles requiring little or no math while others offer the opportunity to fine tune one's skills in geometry and algebra. In addition to offering a rich variety of problems which will satisfy the needs of puzzlists at many levels, the editors have made a good point of dividing the problems into categories emphasizing different sets of skills including geometry, algebra, arithmetic operations, spatial visualization and logic. Such a delineation makes it easy evaluate strengths and weaknesses so you can focus on areas of improvement.

Given the long history of this publication, several problems will be familiar to some seasoned puzzle enthusiasts but most will still provide a fresh challenge.

Giant Book of Sudoku: 1,001 Sudoku Puzzles
Average customer rating:

recommended

Real Giant.. Good for addicts :)

LOTS of puzzles

Giant Book of Sudoku: 1,001 Sudoku Puzzles
Colin Yarnall
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Sudoku: Medium to Hard

Sudoku: Easy to Medium

ASIN: 1554072255

Book Description

Expert tips on solving these extraordinarily popular puzzles.

In September 2005 CNN reported: "According to the most recent list of best-selling books tracked by USA Today, seven of the top 100 were compilations of Sudoku puzzles." This ever-expanding market hungers for more new books on Sudoku.

Giant Book of Sudoku is the most comprehensive Sudoku book, with 1,001 brand new puzzles organized in seven skill levels from very easy to very difficult. Already a great value for the number of its puzzles, this book also shows how to improve puzzle-solving skills so essential for any Sudoku player -- from the novice to the experienced to the truly obsessed.

A step-by-step guide to solving Sudoku describes the five rules of logic basic to the game -- missing numbers, single candidates, unique candidates, linked pairs, and linked triples -- and how to apply them. The book includes 300 pages of puzzles, with dozens of expert tips and techniques.

Giant Book of Sudoku will tweak the interest of every member of the ever-growing ranks of Sudoku aficionados.

Customer Reviews:

recommended.......2007-08-09

when i opened the packages from amazon, then i looked this book.. i was thinking when i would finish it.. hehehe cause there're 1001 puzzle of sudoku.. 1 book for 1 year.. it's a good book

Real Giant.. Good for addicts :).......2007-06-28

Really giant book with 2 puzzles in each page. My main disappointment is the low recycled paper quality and the mistakes in few of the puzzles in the 1 and 2 stars level. I expected it to be well prepared by an expert!! Overall, it's worth what you paid for.

LOTS of puzzles.......2007-06-14

There are lots of puzzles but there are also some typos in the puzzles(i.e.repeated numbers). You have to check the answers to correct the puzzles before working them. The answers are correct. I am still doing the 200 Easy puzzles and learning a lot about solving. Have had the book for several months and still not 1/3 through. But I am also not an expert solver.

Forever Undecided: A Puzzle Guide to Godel

Average customer rating:

Where is an example?
Brain candy in a logical form
Unique method uses puzzles to explain Go:del's theorem

Forever Undecided: A Puzzle Guide to Godel
Raymond M. Smullyan
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0394549430
Release Date: 1987-03-12

Customer Reviews:

Where is an example?.......2002-12-23

In the every day practice of mathematics or viewing the works of others, I have never ran across or derived a self-referential statement of the kind that Goedel used in his proof of the incompleteness theorems. The appearance of these kinds of statements takes place only in the context of mathematical logic, and their construction is is somewhat artificial, involving the use of 'diagonalization'. It is for this reason that I don't find the incompleteness theorems in any way troubling for the "truth" of mathematics. If they kept arising in the everyday practice of mathematics, this would lend support to the incompleteness theorems. As such though there is no "empirical" support for them, and until they do arise they can be safely ignored.

The results of Goedel have been used to cast doubt on the "foundations" of mathematics and the "strong AI" problem. But they have also been used to support "strong AI", as it is felt that the existence of self-referential statements are an indication that a machine is conscious. All of these arguments are interesting, but they have yet to help in the practice of mathematics or in the construction of intelligent machines. In fact, too long an emphasis on these results has probably retarded the advancement of artificial intelligence research. The incompleteness theorems though have stimulated research in the field of 'automatic theorem proving' and in this respect they can be said to have had some value.

This book gives an overview of Goedel's incompleteness theorems and its corollaries from a "semi-popular" point of view, meaning that readers are expected to have some background in elementary logic as well as philosophy, in order to appreciate the contents. The author is eloquent and enthusiatic throughout the book, and this serves to make the book more palatable for the absolute beginner. It would be unfortunate maybe that readers will begin to doubt the "truth" of mathematics after reading this book, but that doubt could also be viewed as a virtue, in that it would motivate further thinking and research. But again, to this date there has been no self-referential statement that has appeared in the everyday practice of mathematics....that I know of anyway.

Brain candy in a logical form.......2000-03-14

Do you believe that you know what you believe? Is it possible to believe only those things that are true? These questions are but two of the many addressed in this book by Professor Smullyan, and the answers will surprise you!
With most of the material in the form of puzzles, and nearly all of them solved, it is possible for a logical novice to read and understand the book. However, it is recommended that you find another source for explanations of the standard logical operators and read it first. Even then, you should not be surprised to find yourself rereading a solution thinking that the answer simply cannot be correct. But keep trying, as eventually you will begin to understand, and come to appreciate some of the unresolvable consequences of mathematics, the most precise of disciplines. For while Professor Smullyan may not be logically consistent, he is consistently logical. (This is of course a bad pun, but it is no worse than some of the groaners in the book.)
Finally, as the following example shows:

"The following dialogue ensues between a student and his theology professor:

Student: If I believe that God exists, then I will also believe that I will be saved?
Professor: It that is true, then God exists.
Student: If I believe that God exists, then will I be saved?
Professor: If God exists, then that is true.

Prove that if the professor is accurate and if the student believes the professor, then God must exist and the student will be saved"

You may also be given insight into one of the most fundamental questions regarding human existence.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

Unique method uses puzzles to explain Go:del's theorem.......1998-09-03

This is a great book for anyone wanting to understand Go:del's theorem, which basically proves that logic is inherently flawed. The book is very readable. Just make sure that you don't let your head explode.

How to Solve Sudoku: A Step-by-Step Guide (52 Brilliant Ideas)

Average customer rating:

Logical, simplified method for tackling sudoku.
Guide to Easy Sodoku
How to Solve Sudoku: A Step-by-Step Guide (52 Brilliant Ideas)
Disappointing
How to Solve Sudoku: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Solve Sudoku: A Step-by-Step Guide (52 Brilliant Ideas)
Robin Wilson
Manufacturer: Infinite Ideas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1904902626

Book Description

Sudoku’s spreading faster than you can count to nine. But these seriously addictive, completely captivating puzzles can get fans a little gridlocked from time to time. They’ll be able to get back in the game with the help of mathematician and bestselling author Robin Wilson—himself a sudoku aficionado. He’s got the solution to unraveling these conundrums, with 52 tried and tested tips and tactics. How to Solve Sudoku takes you through them, one by one, with plenty of examples and practice grids so that you can hone your skills before you move on to the next fiendish brainteaser.

Customer Reviews:

Logical, simplified method for tackling sudoku........2007-09-30

This smallish "text book" on sudoku is very well written,understandable, and guides one step by step into the maze of solving puzzles from the easiest to the fiendish! For one at the starting or middle stages of sudoku-puzzle solving, I recommend this book most highly. This is the first such book I purchased about soduku and it is the best I have read thus far!

Guide to Easy Sodoku.......2007-03-06

This guide is well organized and easy to follow. Mr. Wilson offers several puzzles for you to apply what you've learned as you go. But you can go only so far with this book. It's good for solving easy to moderately difficult puzzles, but for the harder puzzles you'll have to turn elsewhere. In fact, Mr. Wilson almost says as much: "Using these little numbers [the final technique he demonstrates] you should now be able to solve all but the most difficult puzzles." Instead of taking you all the way, Mr. Wilson points the way to other resources, in case you want "to hone your sudoku skills further." (He particularly recommends a newspaper article by Hugo Rifkind in "The Times" of 14 May 2005.)

How to Solve Sudoku: A Step-by-Step Guide (52 Brilliant Ideas).......2007-02-14

Very basic book, only for beginners. Better books available.

Disappointing .......2007-02-01

I excel at logic games. I had hoped to learn something useful with this book. It advertises itself to be a step-by-step guide. However, about half way through the book, on page 33, it says, "Since you're now more familiar with the ideas, we'll give less explanation in what follows."

Then it proceeds to just give statements telling you that certain numbers belong in certain boxes of the exemplar puzzle, without telling you how the author arrived at that conclusion.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. It leaves a lot to be desired.

How to Solve Sudoku: A Step-by-Step Guide.......2007-01-19

Not much help. I still have problems with the hard Sudokus.

Brain Busters! Mind-Stretching Puzzles in Math and Logic

Average customer rating:

Unhelpful for LSAT prep
Ingenious!
The Mathematical Poetry of a Puzzle Artist: Barry R. Clarke
Mind S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g!

Brain Busters! Mind-Stretching Puzzles in Math and Logic
Barry R. Clarke
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486427552

Book Description

Puzzle lovers of every persuasion, prepare to be mystified and wonderously maddened! These 51 original puzzles by Barry R. Clarke, puzzle columnist for the Daily Telegraph (UK), present challenges ranging from moderate to difficult and span a terrific range of clever conundrums : word puzzles, complex crosswords, and math and logic puzzles.

The first section, Popular Puzzles, calls for a moderate amount of effort and imagination. It features complex crosswords in which cryptic clues must be solved in sequence and the solutions fitted together on the grid. Teaser Tales, the following section, contains longer puzzles in the form of amusing stories with a series of clues that must be solved to provide a single solution at the end.

The final section represents the Mount Everest of the collection, the Advanced Puzzles. Designed to stretch the mental muscles, these puzzles are more mathematical than their predecessors, but even the most difficult ones require no greater knowledge than high school algebra. Most of the puzzles include hints, and solutions are provided for all (no peeking!).

Customer Reviews:

Unhelpful for LSAT prep.......2007-09-14

This was posted near LSAT review materials. I did not find it helpful. Too many of the questions are dissimilar from the type needed for the LSAT logic section.
It was also frustratingly difficult, because the directions and hints were too cryptic.

Ingenious!.......2003-12-07

Almost exactly ninety years ago, Sam Loyd's 'Cyclopaedia of Puzzles' was published in New York. This was a collection of a very large number of his puzzles which had mostly appeared in the American Press. Many were illustrated with delightful pictures at the head of the page, drawn in Sam's own hand. Barry Clarke's new book has marked similarities in layout with illustrations drawn by the author at the head of many pages and many puzzles had previously appeared in the 'Brain Twister' column in the Daily Telegraph. The drawings are remarkably like Sam Loyd's, but there the similarity stops. Sam Loyd's book was foolscap size and hard bound while Barry's has the typical Dover cover, but the real difference is in the puzzles themselves. Barry's puzzles are graded in difficulty, so that readers who do not wish to be challenged too much can start with the first section and gradually work themselves in. Also, the puzzles are ingenious and well thought out and hints are provided before the full solutions for those who need a bit of steering. This is altogether a very good read, guaranteed to keep the puzzler in the family busy over Christmas. I thoroughly recommend it.

(Angela Newing has written for The Daily Telegraph, UK)

The Mathematical Poetry of a Puzzle Artist: Barry R. Clarke.......2003-11-11

In this most recent adventure into the Puzzling World of Barry R. Clarke, I found my mind quite well entertained. What I enjoy most about logic puzzles is their requirement for little if any prior knowledge, and each of Barry's "puzzlers" is no different. However, what is missing in most logic and mathematical puzzle books is a touch of true creativity and humor. In Brain Busters! I found that while my mathematical mind was challenged to the limit, I was also encouraged to think in new and original ways, moving from basic logic to the simple yet complex world of recreational mathematics. Barry Clarke pushes your mind to the edge with this most recent creation, and holds you there.

As Mr. Clarke notes in the introduction, his reasons for this puzzle compilation included the pure enjoyment of creating logical and mathematical art. Fortunately for us, Barry's creations serve not only the role of entertainment, but also more importantly the role of instruction, as he leads us down different paths of twisting logic, with excellent scenery along the way. If you view mathematics as a form of poetry, you will certainly enjoy this opportunity to learn from a mathematical wizard. Brain Busters! is indeed a "mind-stretching" experience, one that allows you to see the way Barry's imagination is captured in a distinctly unique manner in each of his puzzles. His mathematical imagination is the communality that runs through each puzzle, but at the same time it is his creative touch that serves as the specificity, giving great variation to this excellent and enjoyable work.

Mind S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g!.......2003-10-24

I'm always thrilled when an exciting book of puzzles appears on the bookshelves, especially if it is by Barry Clarke.

Brain Busters, like Barry's other books, demonstrates his wonderful ability to create funny offbeat puzzles as only he can. Besides the imaginatively written puzzles, I really enjoyed his charming cartoons that accompany many of them. My favourite one is of a sorcerer who has just turned the furious Count Lettuce into a little furry creature.

As well as math and logic problems, the book also contains some very tricky crosswords, short puzzle stories and fun lateral-type puzzles using matchsticks. In fact, there is something to suit every taste. So, if you like puzzles, you'll absolutely love this book. I did!

Riddle of Scheherazade, The: And Other Amazing Puzzles, Ancient and Modern
Average customer rating:

Some hard some simple

The value of logic, or the illogic of value?

Good book---too much algebra

Better than Sam Loyd!

The only logic book you'll ever need

Riddle of Scheherazade, The: And Other Amazing Puzzles, Ancient and Modern
Raymond M. Smullyan
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles (Math & Logic Puzzles)

ASIN: 0679446346
Release Date: 1997-05-20

Customer Reviews:

Some hard some simple.......2007-01-06

Some of the puzzles are really great brainteasers a few of them are pretty simple....

The value of logic, or the illogic of value?.......2005-08-31

This book, by a well-known poser of puzzles, sets out of the order of a thousand logic puzzles in a format loosely styled upon the presentation of Scheherazade, but in a somewhat less entrancing way. The problem with logic is that there is just so much of it about. Perhaps the axiom 'less is more' might have been applied and some judicious excision of the more mechanical or repetitious examples been performed. The jewels are lost amongst the glass beads. Obviously by its nature mathematical logic eschews value judgements, but in the present case this seems to have been taken rather too literally.

Good book---too much algebra.......2004-09-01

This book is a good source of riddles, old and new. Unfortunately, a lot of the riddles are just basic algebra problems... and that's not very fun. But if you skip (or quickly work out) the silly algebra riddles, there are still a lot of other interesting riddles. And also there's a neat way to prove Gauss's summing rule in this book.

Also, I was looking for an errata for this book, but I couldn't find one, so I will just mention here that the answer to number 71 is incorrect. But, if you just remove the last sentence from the answer, then it is right.

Better than Sam Loyd!.......2004-07-27

This is probably the best book on logic puzzles ever written (aside from other Smullyan books, that is). It is witty, challenging, and has problems of all kinds. The first half is framed as a continuation to the Arabian Nights, with ingenious and original puzzles (aside from the occasional oldy snuck in) given an Arabian touch.
However, after those brilliant puzzles comes the greatest part of the book. The second half is a collection of puzzles, paradoxes, and even has a couple of chapters on coercive logic, invented by Raymond Smullyan himself.
I reccomend this book to any logic buff, or indeed to anyone who's ever enjoyed a logic puzzle. And if you don't fall into either category, then you need this book all the more.

The only logic book you'll ever need.......2001-02-02

Seeing my frustration at being thoroughly unchallenged in logic in my math class at school, my mom bought me this book. I owe her one. There are coercive logic puzzles, easy but sneaky riddles, and math games. There are liar/truthteller problems to keep you guessing for hours. That said, this is also a great book to read on a plane. It is so complete, you will never need another brainteaser book. That is, until you memorize all the questions.

1000 Play Thinks: Puzzles, Paradoxes, Illusions & Games

Average customer rating:

awsome book
Fantastic Brain Challenges
Review of review?
Good But Loose
Riddled with errors

1000 Play Thinks: Puzzles, Paradoxes, Illusions & Games
Ivan Moscovich , and Ian Stewart
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

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Similar Items:

The Big Book of Brain Games: 1,000 PlayThinks of Art, Mathematics & Science
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ASIN: 0761118268

Book Description

1000 PLAYTHINKS is the most compulsive, head-scratching, and--at 5.08 pounds--gargantuan puzzle book ever. An obsessive collection of 1,000 challenges, puzzles, riddles, illusions-both original as well as must-do classics. Jam-packed on the page and illustrated throughout in full-color, with a visual for each entry, the book, opened anywhere, is like a call to action. And once started it's hard to stop, because at the end of every successfully completed game the puzzle-solver feels smart, successful, and at one with the beauty of mathematics.

Created by Ivan Moscovich, PLAYTHINKS is the first and only book where science, math, and art puzzles all come together. Broken down by chapter, PLAYTHINKS challenges with 12 basic categories, including games of Geometry; Patterns; Numbers; Logic and Probability; and Perception. A special Bonus Round is included for die-hard puzzlers who, after all that, still haven't had enough. An easy-to-read key at the!top of each game ranks its difficulty on a scale of 1 to 10. The lie-flat spiral binding makes the hefty book completely reader-friendly. So do the answers in the back.

Customer Reviews:

awsome book.......2005-12-28

This is one of the best puzzle books EVER!They are challenging but not to hard. The only problem is 5 days after i got it the binding broke in 4 spots. Still very satisfied

Fantastic Brain Challenges.......2005-09-15

I teach gifted children, and I am always looking for something I can pull out quickly for the one or two students who finish their work early. This is a fantastic resource. In fact, I've had to put it up on a high shelf. Otherwise, my students run into the room and grab it. The puzzles really require thinking and concentration. The variety of puzzles provides something for any type of intelligence (math, verbal, etc.) and any age group. This would also be a good coffee table book for a waiting room, employee lounge, or your own living room. Hours of building new brain cells -- that's a good thing!

Review of review?.......2005-09-08

I apologize - this may be more of a review of a review than a review of the book itself, but it MAY help your decisions. I've learned enough about the book from these reviews to realize there are some sloppy mistakes and things to watch for.

On the other hand, the review of KC Carrel below (Dec 29, 2003) ALSO contains some SERIOUS mistakes. His/her 2nd paragraph is flat out WRONG. The probability in the problem referred IS 18/36, not 12/21, and her/his discussion of "outcomes" is misleading at best. (By KC's reasoning, a two child family would have a child of each gender one third of the time, instead of 1/2 of the time, as is the case.)

You may choose not to buy the book, but DO NOT make that choice on the strength of this review alone. (I notice that everyone found it helpful and that's scary.)

Good But Loose.......2005-07-11

The puzzles/questions in the book are challenging but several times the author is too vague in his description and leaves the reader wondering what exactly the author is asking. Thus, the reader is left with several ways to interpret the puzzle/question. However, it is fun and I would still recommend it to help with critical thinking skills and nurturing creative thinking/ideas.

Riddled with errors.......2004-01-09

As I dipped into this book I became more and more annoyed. It has many, many mistakes, of all kinds, in it. Even in presenting well-known puzzles the author manages to make serious errors. Here are a few of the mistakes that I noticed:

(Puzzle 307) Morley's theorem is (to quote the late H.S.M. Coxeter) "one on the most surprising theorems in elementary geometry", but Moscovich manages to get the diagram wrong! The triangle which he picks out does not even look equilateral!

(Puzzle 772) For the well-known puzzle of passing a cube through a smaller cube the author begins his explanation: "If you hold a cube so that one corner points directly toward you, its edges outline a hexagon. It then becomes obvious that the cube has ample space for a square hole slightly larger than one of its faces." There is even a picture of a hexagon with a square superimposed on it. Although a cube can be passed through a (slightly) smaller cube in this way, it is well known that the optimum solution does not have the edges of the hole parallel to the space diagonal of the cube.

(Puzzle 990) Weighing from 1 to 40 grams using weights on one side of a balance only. Moscovich says "you must have the weights 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 grams". Not so. For example, 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 and 16 would be ok.

I began to compile a list of errors in this book, but I gave up when I had accumulated over 30, having read, I would estimate, about a quarter of the book.

The book has a "Difficulty Index" which should be renamed the "Difficult Index". You have to know the exact title of a puzzle and its level (from 1 to 9), in order to find it again using this index.

Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life
Average customer rating:

Personally engaging!

Fun and silly

Fun gift for the math geek in your life

Math Made Fun!

cute and clever

Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life
Garth Sundem
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived: How Characters of Fiction, Myth, Legends, Television, and Movies Have Shaped Our Society, Changed Our Behavior, and Set the Course of History

ASIN: 0761140212

Book Description

Here for the geek in all of us are fifty foolproof equations that take the guesswork out of life—and the funniest twist on an idea since Richard Smith’s The Dieter’s Guide to Weight Loss During Sex. Call it the algebra oracle: By plugging in the right variables, GEEK LOGIK answers life’s most persistent questions. It covers Dating and Romance, Career and Finance, and everyday decisions like Should I get a tattoo? Can I still wear tight jeans? Is it time to see a therapist? How many beers should I have at the company picnic?

How does it work? Take a simple issue that comes up once or twice a week: Should I call in sick? Fill in the variables honestly, such as D for doctor’s note (enter 1 for “no,” 10 for “yes,” and 5 for “yes, but it’s a forgery”), R for importance of job (1-10, with 10 being “personally responsible for Earth’s orbit around Sun”), Fj for how much fun you have at work (1-10, with 10 being “personal trainer for underwear models”), N for how much you need the money (1-10, with 10 being “I owe the mob”), then do the math, and voilà—if the product, Hooky, is greater than 1, enjoy your very own Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Includes a pocket calculator so that prospective geeks can immediately solve the equation on the back cover: Should I buy this book?

Customer Reviews:

Personally engaging!.......2007-08-28

The easiest refresher of introductory algebra I've ever seen. No cold-turkey review of numerous rules, this! Geek Logic introduces a mnemonic indicationg the order of arithmatic functions, then the fun begins--readers assign numerical values to formulae and calculate personal answers to hilarious life quandries. It's so entertaining, I forgot I was "studying." I hope the sequel delves into more advanced algebraic functions.

Fun and silly.......2007-07-01

As a high school (and later college) student, I always struggled with the utility of algebra, asking the ages old question, "When am I going to use this stuff in life?" Sundem's _Geek Logik_ finally answers that question with 50 equations that provide a mathematical answer to such burning real-life questions as "Should I get a tatoo?" or "Am I over qualified for my job?" The answers may surprise you. Certainly its not the sort of book one takes too seriously, but the process of crunching through the formulae is both entertaining and (to me) fascinating to see how the equations were put together.

Fun gift for the math geek in your life.......2007-03-09

Very witty/fun book. Geve this to my husband, who's a senior level statistical analyst, and he took it to work and had a ball with it. The other analysts were asking to borrow it over the weekend.

Math Made Fun!.......2007-01-20

I haven't had this much fun with math since I calculated my latest tax refund! This book not only gives good, useful information, but it is a great way to review some basic algebra. Better for the brain than crosswords. I loved it!

cute and clever.......2007-01-16

Overall, not a terribly useful book, but very cute and clever. A good gift for the geek in your life.

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