Fascinating Mathematics
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Summary
Editor's review
As an editor, I believe the book's greatest value lies in how it strips mathematics of its familiar labels of 'fear' and 'dryness,' revealing the sheer pleasure of it as mental gymnastics. It does not demand an advanced mathematical background; instead it encourages a playful spirit of exploration. Each problem is explained concisely and clearly, accompanied by Moscovich's signature lively illustrations, making abstract concepts visible and tangible. Reading this book is like traveling with a witty and wise guide, rediscovering the logical reasoning and spatial imagination we are all born with but have grown rusty at using. For adults who find mathematics dull or who want to sharpen their thinking, it is an excellent brain tonic.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Adults who are curious about mathematics but were put off by traditional education and hope to rediscover its pleasures
- People in creative, design, or educational fields who need to keep their thinking flexible
- Casual readers who enjoy logic puzzles, brain games, and challenging mental workouts
- Parents looking for inspiration for their children's early math education, or who want to explore fun problems with teenagers
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting to systematically learn mathematical formulas and theorems for exams or professional needs
- Readers with no interest in visual or spatial puzzles who seek only pure text-based narration
Reading tips
- Approach it in a relaxed, playful spirit; no need to read in order—start with whichever puzzle appeals to you most
- When you get stuck, put the book down and think for a while, or discuss it with friends and enjoy solving it together
- Keep pen and paper handy to sketch as you go; much of the delight in many problems lies in the process of trying things out
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
- 推荐序
- 自序
- 第一章 激发思考的玩意与你的大脑
- 第二章 希腊数学、几何学与阿默士谜题
- 第三章 质数、幻方与狄多女王问题
- 第四章 点、拓扑与欧拉的七桥问题
- 第五章 概率、切蛋糕与钟摆的神秘之处
- 第六章 维度、随机性与河内塔游戏
- 第七章 无穷、不可能图形、混在一起的帽子与茶混奶谜题
- 第八章 悖论、元胞自动机、空心立方体与夜间过桥谜题
- 第九章 幻觉、奇偶性与雷蒙德的真假话谜题
- 第十章 答案
- 关于伊凡·莫斯科维奇
- 感谢
FAQ
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About the author
Ivan Moscovich is an author known for popular mathematics books, though public information about his life is quite limited: his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded. Judging from the four works held in the collection, his writing centers on the fun and beauty of mathematics. Representative titles include The Moscow Puzzles? No—representative titles include the Chinese editions of his mathematics titles, such as the two-volume set of fascinating mathematics and Beautiful Mathematics, along with Fascinating Mathematics 2: Stimulating Your Creative Brain. These books generally fall under popular science and are aimed at general readers rather than specialists, tending to present mathematical thinking through games, puzzles, and intuitive examples, turning abstract concepts into hands-on problems that encourage creativity and active exploration. Words such as "fascinating," "beautiful," and "creative" in the titles reflect his aim of removing readers' sense of distance from mathematics and making the reading experience akin to an intellectual game. On the available evidence, he is an author devoted to making mathematics accessible to a wide audience, offering readers an easy entry point into popular science reading.
She Zhuohuan is an author about whom limited public information is available. Four of the author's works are currently known, spanning the categories of popular science and management. Among the representative titles, The Fascinating Mathematics and its two-volume and two-book collections all center on mathematics; the word "fascinating" in the title suggests an emphasis on interest and readability, aiming to lead readers toward mathematical knowledge in an accessible way. The other work, Just Do It: A Workplace Methodology for Rapid Progress (six volumes), falls into the field of workplace methods and management, focusing on action and self-improvement. The considerable distance between these two subjects indicates that the author has written in both popular science and practical management. Because basic details such as dates of birth and death, nationality, and English name remain unavailable, a detailed account of the author's personal experience and background cannot be given; readers may instead begin with the works above to understand the author's approach to fostering interest in mathematics and to methods of workplace progress.
