If you've been waiting for a book that will evoke the delight and intrigue that mathematics has to offer, this is the book for you. What are the odds of finding two people who share the same birth date in a room of thirty-five? Most people would guess they're pretty low. In actuality, the probability is better than 80 percent. This is just one of many entertaining examples of mathematical curiosities presented. Two veteran math educators have created the perfect introduction to the wonders of mathematics for the general reader, requiring only a high school background in the subject. Among the entertaining and useful tricks they teach are shortcuts in arithmetic, such as ways to determine at a glance the exact divisors of any given number. They also demonstrate how the properties of certain numbers can lead to infinite loops. What is particularly exciting is how many correct answers turn out to be counterintuitive. Exploring all these features will instill insights into the nature of numbers, improve your ability to manipulate them, and give you an appreciation for the inherent elegance of mathematics. As you marvel at the many unusual relationships and novelties revealed in this ingenious and delightful presentation, you'll be learning more math than you ever thought possible - and will be relishing every moment of it!

By Alfred S. Posamentier and Ingmar Lehmann - Afterword by Herbert A. Hauptman