Magical Mathematics
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Summary
A masterwork by a renowned teacher, authoritative and certified! Author Li Yongle has over ten years of teaching experience and has helped many students gain admission to Tsinghua and Peking University. He is a "people's teacher" with over 30 million followers across the internet!
"Which is harder: getting into Tsinghua or winning 5 million yuan?" "What is the maximum number of pieces you can get by cutting a watermelon with 4 cuts?" This book uses everyday scenarios and over 100 fascinating questions to set your mathematical thinking in motion!
Not dull, not boring—learn six major categories of math problems with ease and build scientific thinking!
In this book, Li Yongle writes about math topics the public cares about in a style that is both humorous and rigorous, helping readers strengthen their mathematical knowledge and literacy through enjoyable learning. The Magic of Mathematics focuses on math questions that interest the general public—such as how people in ancient times represented large numbers, what prime numbers are, what 1+1 is, whether negative numbers have square roots, whether there are more points on a line or on a plane, what the principle behind the infinite monkey typewriter is, what Fermat numbers and Fermat's Last Theorem are, and so on. Li Yongle offers rigorous yet humorous explanations of all these intriguing questions.
Editor's review
The value of this book lies in its success in breaking down the "fear barrier" surrounding mathematics. It does not try to turn readers into mathematicians; rather, it guides them to discover the power of mathematics as a thinking tool—how to use mathematical models to understand the laws governing the world, and how to use logical reasoning to analyze problems. The explanations of probability, statistics, geometry, and other chapters all reflect this pragmatic orientation. For readers who have been "hurt" by mathematics in the past, this book may offer a chance to repair their relationship with math and rediscover its fun and power.
In terms of content organization, it balances systematic knowledge with enjoyable reading. It can serve as extracurricular reading for middle school students to broaden their horizons, and it can also satisfy adults' desire to refresh their understanding. Overall, this is an excellent introductory work of popular mathematics; its core appeal lies not in teaching specific problem-solving techniques, but in sparking interest in mathematical thinking.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Adult readers who are curious about math but intimidated by it
- Parents who want to cultivate their children's interest in math
- Middle school students who need to broaden their knowledge and improve logical thinking
- Science enthusiasts who enjoy interpreting everyday phenomena from a scientific perspective
Not a good fit for
- Mathematics students seeking advanced mathematical theory or professional textbooks
- Readers expecting extensive exercises and exam-taking techniques
Reading tips
- Read chapters in order—each chapter is relatively independent—or start with a topic that interests you
- Keep pen and paper handy while reading to sketch the book's logical diagrams and deepen your understanding
- After each case, try using the book's approach to explain a real problem you have encountered
About the publisher
Hunan Science & Technology Press has long focused on science popularization and medical publishing, balancing academic depth with accessibility for general readers. Among the 462 titles in the database are Richard Feynman's classic lectures on QED, the nature of physical laws, and relativity in the "Approaching Feynman" series, as well as general-audience works such as George Gamow's One, Two, Three... Infinity and Sean Carroll's The Big Picture. Its paleontology and dinosaur list includes Gregory S. Paul's Princeton field guides and authors such as Xing Lida. Hermann Weyl's Symmetry further reflects the press's attention to classic works bridging science and the humanities. Overall, the publisher shows a clear author profile and an emphasis on illustrated, well-rounded science publishing across both translated and original titles.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一章 统计问题
- 如何找到真命天子？
- 如何判断数据造假？
- 考清华和中500万元哪个难？
- 街头游戏：摸珠子/
- 公交车为啥总不来？
- 詹姆斯和马龙谁的投篮命中率更高？
- 寒门为啥总出贵子？
- 第二章 概率问题
- 几个有趣的概率问题
- 四只鸭子的概率问题和伯特兰悖论
- 为啥我总是这么倒霉？
- 为什么久赌无赢家？
- 葫芦娃救爷爷，为啥一个一个上？
- 第三章 函数问题
- 那些二进制的有趣问题
- 100⁹⁹和99¹⁰⁰谁更大？
- 如何证明3=0？
- x的x次方，图像长啥样？
- 举例子能证明数学题吗？
- 冰雹猜想
- 一个西瓜切4刀，最多有几块？
- 第四章 逻辑问题
- 皇帝的新装
- 如何公平地切蛋糕？
- 零知识证明
- 100名囚犯问题
- 找次品问题
- 双蛋问题
- 约瑟夫环问题
- 第五章 博弈论问题
- 策梅洛定理
- 囚徒困境
- 胆小鬼博弈
- 海盗分金币问题
- 田忌赛马
- 三个火枪手问题
- 第六章 图形问题
- 赛车问题
- 不走回头路的公园
- 马能走遍棋盘上的所有位置吗？
- 香蕉皮和橘子皮，谁能展成平面？
- 最速降线问题
- 如何用尺规作出正十七边形？
- 如何三等分任意角？
FAQ
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About the author
Li Yongle was born in Jilin City, Jilin Province, in 1983. He graduated from the Department of Physics at Peking University and later earned a master's degree from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Tsinghua University. He is a physics teacher and physics competition coach at the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, and he also writes popular science. He has long explained physics and mathematics to general audiences, turning abstract concepts into clear, accessible everyday language. His writing is lively and his examples are close to daily life, which has won him readers among both students and the general public. His popular science short videos have circulated widely online, helping more people encounter and understand basic science. The library holds his popular science work The Magic of Mathematics, a science title that continues his usual explanatory style. Because public information is limited, details of his personal history and creative process cannot be fully described; readers can sense his approachable, accessible approach to writing through his works.
