Many of us trained mainly in the humanities and liberal arts may respect mathematics as an essential scientific discipline, but have done very little mathematics themselves and often feel intimidated by its rigors. If you’ve ever wondered what mathematicians mean by the aesthetic elegance of their subject, here is your chance to experience firsthand mathematics intellectual pleasures.

For his new book, Jerry P. King, has designed a grand tour of mathematics in ten essential lessons for the general reader who wants to know how mathematics is done. Almost no prior mathematical knowledge is assumed and through lively exposition and lucid explanations real mathematics is made not only palatable, but even enjoyable to the uninitiated. Read the rest of this entry »

In Journey through Genius, author William Dunham strikes an extraordinary balance between the historical and technical. He devotes each chapter to a principal result of mathematics, such as the solution of the cubic series and the divergence of the harmonic series. Not only does this book tell the stories of the people behind the math, but it also includes discussions and rigorous proofs of the relevant mathematical results.

In the Preface, the author comments that it is common practice to teach appreciation for art through a study of the great masterpieces. Art history students study not only the great works, but also the lives of the great artists, and it is hard to imagine how one could learn the subject any other way. Why then do we neglect to teach the Great Theorems of mathematics, and the lives of their creators? Dunham sets out to do just this, and succeeds beyond all expectations. Read the rest of this entry »

This is a one-of-a-kind reference for anyone with a serious interest in mathematics. Edited by Timothy Gowers, a recipient of the Fields Medal, it presents nearly two hundred entries, written especially for this book by some of the world’s leading mathematicians, that introduce basic mathematical tools and vocabulary; trace the development of modern mathematics; explain essential terms and concepts; examine core ideas in major areas of mathematics; describe the achievements of scores of famous mathematicians; explore the impact of mathematics on other disciplines such as biology, finance, and music–and much, much more.

Unparalleled in its depth of coverage, The Princeton Companion to Mathematics surveys the most active and exciting branches of pure mathematics, providing the context and broad perspective that are vital at a time of increasing specialization in the field. Packed with information and presented in an accessible style, this is an indispensable resource for undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics as well as for researchers and scholars seeking to understand areas outside their specialties. Read the rest of this entry »

The Language of Mathematics is Devlin’s second iteration of the approach he used in Mathematics: The Science of Patterns. It covers all the same ground (and uses many of the same words) as the latter, but with fewer glossy pictures, sidebars, and references. Devlin has also added chapters on statistics and on mathematical patterns in nature.

Keith Devlin is trying to be the Carl Sagan of mathematics, and he is succeeding. He writes: “Though the structures and patterns of mathematics reflect the structure of, and resonate in, the human mind every bit as much as do the structures and patterns of music, human beings have developed no mathematical equivalent of a pair of ears. Mathematics can be seen only with the eyes of the mind”. All of his books are attempts to get around this problem, to “try to communicate to others some sense of what it is we experience–some sense of the simplicity, the precision, the purity, and the elegance that give the patterns of mathematics their aesthetic value”. Read the rest of this entry »

The complete home-study program to help children practice the essential math skills they learn in school. Matches the math curriculum so children will reach their full potential in school — and on important standardized tests!

The successful way to improve child’s math. These workbooks have been compiled and tested by a team of math experts to increase child’s confidence, enjoyment, and success at school. First Grade: Provides practice at all the major topics for Grade 1 with emphasis on addition and subtraction concepts. Includes a review of Kindergarten topics and a preview of topics in Grade 2.

The Math Made Easy provides an incremental, comprehensive approach to teaching math. There are 156 pages — lessons. Early on, student learns how to tackle simple math problems, and then those concepts are developed into more complex problems in later lessons. This is an excellent way of learning — incrementally and progressively. Read the rest of this entry »

Hands-On Math Projects with Real-Life Applications, Second Edition offers an exciting collection of 60 hands-on projects to help students in grades 6–12 apply math concepts and skills to solving everyday, real-life problems!

The book is filled with classroom-tested projects that emphasize: cooperative learning, group sharing, verbalizing concepts and ideas, efficient researching, and writing clearly in mathematics and across other subject areas. Each project achieves the goal of helping to build skills in problem solving, critical thinking, decision making and supports an environment in which positive group dynamics flourish. Read the rest of this entry »

Math’s infinite mysteries and beauty unfold in this follow-up to the best-selling The Science Book. Beginning millions of years ago with ancient “ant odometers” and moving through time to our modern-day quest for new dimensions, it covers 250 milestones in mathematical history. Among the numerous delights readers will learn about as they dip into this inviting anthology: cicada-generated prime numbers, magic squares from centuries ago, the discovery of pi and calculus, and the butterfly effect.

Each topic gets a lavishly illustrated spread with stunning color art, along with formulas and concepts, fascinating facts about scientists’ lives, and real-world applications of the theorems.

In the “Math Book”, Pickover takes on the great moments or milestones of mathematics. While the great laws of physics were almost all named by the early twentieth century, scientific milestones continue to be established. Thus, the mathematical milestones of the “Math Book” are documented into the twenty-first century. Read the rest of this entry »

The Eighth Edition of this highly dependable book retains its best features–accuracy, precision, depth, and abundant exercise sets–while substantially updating its content and pedagogy. Striving to teach mathematics as a way of life, Sullivan provides understandable, realistic applications that are consistent with the abilities of most readers. Chapter topics include Graphs; Trigonometric Functions; Exponential and Logarithmic Functions; Analytic Geometry; Analytic Trigonometry; Counting and Probability; and more. For individuals with an interest in learning algebra and trigonometry as it applies to their everyday lives.

A proven motivator for students of diverse mathematical backgrounds, this text is organized and written with all students in mind. Striving to teach mathematics as a way of life, Sullivan provides understandable, realistic applications that are consistent with the abilities of any student. Read the rest of this entry »

James Stewart’s CALCULUS texts are world-wide best-sellers for a reason: they are clear, accurate, and filled with relevant, real-world examples. With CALCULUS: EARLY TRANCENDENTALS, Sixth Edition, Stewart conveys not only the utility of calculus to help you develop technical competence, but also gives you an appreciation for the intrinsic beauty of the subject. His patient examples and built-in learning aids will help you build your mathematical confidence and achieve your goals in the course.

This is the early transcendentals version of Stewart’s calculus. The title of the book is quite appropriate, in that to learn calculus well, one must transcend the Stewart approach early and often. Stewart takes an inconsistent (sometimes rigorous, sometimes intuitive) approach toward teaching the calculus. Read the rest of this entry »

Linear algebra is relatively easy for students during the early stages of the course, when the material is presented in a familiar, concrete setting. But when abstract concepts are introduced, students often hit a brick wall. Instructors seem to agree that certain concepts (such as linear independence, spanning, subspace, vector space, and linear transformations), are not easily understood, and require time to assimilate.

Since they are fundamental to the study of linear algebra, students’ understanding of these concepts is vital to their mastery of the subject. Lay introduces these concepts early in a familiar, concrete Rn setting, develops them gradually, and returns to them again and again throughout the text so that when discussed in the abstract, these concepts are more accessible. Read the rest of this entry »