"In 2010, award-winning professor Steven wrote a series for the New York Times online called "The Elements of Math." It was hugely popular: Each piece climbed the most emailed list and elicited hundreds of comments. Readers begged for more, and has now delivered. In this fun, fast-paced book, he offers us all a second chance at math. Each short chapter of The Joy of X provides an "Aha!" moment, starting with why numbers are helpful, and moving on...

An informative guide to financial investment discusses the current high-tech boom, explains how to maximize gains and minimize losses, and examines a broad spectrum of financial opportunities, from mutual funds to real estate to gold.

Sir Cumference and Lady Di discover "Fracton numbers" while purchasing cloth and cheese at the Fracton Faire. While twofourths may seem like the same as one-half, in truth it denotes two parts of one-half, or two quarters of the whole. But the real mystery is the fact that items at the fair keep disappearing, and Sir C, Lady Di, and the Earl of Fracton must set a numeric trap for the thief, teaching an important lesson along the way about the comparative...

Focusing on how people from ancient Egyptians to modern scientists have used numbers to measure things through the ages, "Why Pi?" makes math interesting and is filled with games, puzzles, brainteasers, and fun facts.

This book won't overwhelm you with endless drills. Instead, it offers an original, step-by-step approach to learning math. The book will first introduce you to essential math concepts--allowing you to grasp the subject almost immediately. You will gradually progress to more challenging skills. Along the way, you will learn how to solve practical problems using clear, step-by-step instructions. Exercises for each section, with detailed, worked-out...

"At first glance, the worlds of math and the arts might not seem like comfortable neighbors. But as mathematician John D. Barrow points out, they have a strong and natural affinity--after all, math is the study of all patterns, and the world of the arts is rich with pattern. Barrow whisks us through 100 thought-provoking and often whimsical intersections between math and many arts, from the golden ratios of Mondrian's rectangles and the curious fractal-like...

Everyone has stared at the crumpled page of a math assignment and wondered, where on Earth will I ever use this? It turns out, Earth is precisely the place. As teen math prodigy Agnijo Banerjee and his teacher David Darling reveal, complex math surrounds us. If we think long enough about the universe, we're left not with material stuff, but a ghostly and beautiful set of equations. Packed with puzzles and paradoxes, mind-bending concepts, and surprising...

Whether you're starting from scratch or refreshing your math skills, this accessible guide will help you develop a better understanding of math. Offering concise coverage of all math basics, the book is packed with clear, easy-to-grasp review material. Hundreds of practice exercises increase your grasp of math concepts and help you retain what you have learned. --Publisher