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"Ian Stewart's quirky humor and imaginative storytelling entice readers into a fascinating world of mathematical curiosities and mind-tickling puzzles. I couldn't help laughing as I tussled with the intricacies of graphs, groups, and catastrophes."--Ivars Peterson, author and columnist for Science News"It is impossible to read him without learning a great deal and thoroughly enjoying the instruction."-Martin GardnerPopulated by curious creatures whose stories unfold with jokes and puns, this mathematical wonderland of puzzles and games also imparts significant mathematical ideas. Ian Stewart, an active popularizer of mathematics and a university professor, has selected 16 of his columns from Pour la Science, the French edition of Scientific American. Most are based on a mathematical idea, dressed up with oddball characters and wacky wordplay, such as "The Lion, the Llama, and the Lettuce," which employs graph theory to relate how a farmer got his produce to market, and "Through the Evolvoscope," a view of catastrophe theory punctuated by flying cats and flipperpotami. 1992 ed. 125 figures.Stewart, Ian is the author of 'Another Fine Math You'Ve Got Me Into...' with ISBN 9780486431819 and ISBN 0486431819.
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