Best Mathematics
Even as Virginia’s Jim Crow laws required them to be segregated from their white counterparts, the women of Langley’s all-black “West Computing” group helped America achieve one of the things it desired most: a decisive victory over the Soviet Union in the Cold War, and complete domination of the heavens. Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden, four African American women who participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes. Before John Glenn orbited Earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. Suddenly, these overlooked math whizzes had a shot at jobs worthy of their skills, and they answered Uncle Sam’s call, moving to Hampton, Virginia, and entering the fascinating, high-energy world of the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory. Even as Virginia’s Jim Crow laws required them to be segregated from their white counterparts, the women of Langley’s all-black “West Computing” group helped America achieve one of the things it desired most: a decisive victory over the Soviet Union in the Cold War, and complete domination of the heavens.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book is as much about the advances and science done at NACA and NASA as it is about the black women who were an integral part of this piece of history."
"Many movie goers who only see the movie will miss out on a number of opportunities to see more realistically Aunt Katherine's nature, attitudes, and life's perspectives on work, family, and race."
"Sure, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, et al are amazing, inspiring, and strong, but their own modesty over their roles in NACA/NASA history is telling: like many black pioneers of the Jim Crow era, they didn't step up for the attention or accolades. The portions of the book that were the most fascinating to me were those pertaining to the links forged by the black community in the Southern Virginia area, and how they intersected with employment and residency in Hampton as the 20th century progressed."
"I had no idea that black women played such a key role in our space program. HIDDEN FIGURES tells the story of four determined black women, who overcame numerous obstacles, and worked in the space program at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory (now known as "Langley Research Center."). To give the reader an idea of how difficult it was for a woman--much less an African-American woman--to actually become a mathematician, the author notes these statistics: "In the 1930s, just over a hundred women worked as professional mathematicians." The likelihood of a black woman actually becoming a mathematician working on the space program was about zero: "Employers openly discriminated against Irish and Jewish women with math degrees. It was unusual for a woman to even be acknowledged as co-author of a report: "The work of most of the women, like that of the computing machines they used, was anonymous."
"But this book dealt particularly well with how black society dealt with segregation and all the attendant hardships and how it fought against them."
Freakonomics is a groundbreaking collaboration between Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist. Thus the new field of study contained in this book: freakonomics.Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, Levitt and Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentiveshow people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world, despite a great deal of complexity and downright deceit, is not impenetrable, is not unknowable, andif the right questions are askedis even more intriguing than we think. Freakonomics establishes this unconventional premise: If morality represents how we would like the world to work, then economics represents how it actually does work. It will literally redefine the way we view the modern world.Bonus material added to the revised and expanded 2006 edition.The original New York Times Magazine article about Steven D. Levitt by Stephen J. Dubner, which led to the creation of this book.Seven Freakonomics columns written for the New York Times Magazine, published between August 2005 and April 2006. “Levitt dissects complex real-world phenomena, e.g. baby-naming patterns and Sumo wrestling, with an economist’s laser.” (San Diego Union-Tribune). This is bracing fun of the highest order.” (Kurt Andersen, host of public radio's Studio 360 and author of Turn of the Century). “Freakonomics challenges conventional wisdom and makes for fun reading.” (Book Sense Picks and Notables). Steven D. Levitt, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal, given to the most influential American economist under forty. Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning journalist and radio and TV personality, has worked for the New York Times and published three non- Freakonomics books.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Indeed, the most common reaction I get from people when telling them that I am an economist is that they have read Freakonomics, which implies that they have at least seen some work similar to what I do at aguanomics. All I remember was a lot of math and curves.” This depressing outcome results from lecturers who merely reproduce problems and equations on the blackboard, without helping students understand either why those theories are used or how they came to be so popular with economists. Third, there are books like mine [pdf] that try to explain how to improve failing policies using basic economic insights and incentives. This book with a memorable (but useless) name provides readers with just-so stories that are good for cocktail conversations but not for understanding economics. What struck me is their ongoing attempts to hold onto at least some elements in the original claim in later blog posts in what I’d call a “my-ladydoth-protest-too-much” manner. Looking over their other chapters (on cheating sumo wrestlers, drug dealers who live with their moms, the KKK as a multilevel marketing organization, etc. ), I agree that the chapters are interesting and thought provoking, but they do not provide “lessons on the hidden side of everything.” Instead, they read like a series of magazine articles whose quirky “insights” might contribute to your next cocktail conversation. [7] I didn’t detect any reliable technique (except perhaps to collect a neat dataset and call Steve Levitt), and that’s where I was disappointed. In this case, street dealers are (a) NOT condemned to death, (b) not able to find other work with their experience, and (c) not aware of their statistical mortality as much as their potential wealth. Dubner and Levitt present interesting puzzles worthy of cocktail conversation, but they overstate their contributions and accuracy (“numbers don’t lie” but theory can be incomplete or just wrong). He's a fine person and excellent economist, but this book is too “pop” in its oversimplification of his work and hagiographic treatment of his insights. Yes, he brings interesting statistical tools to“freaky” questions, but he’s not a “rogue economist exploring the hidden side of everything.” He’s just a guy with a dataset and empirical theory who finds some strong correlations. (8) My years of experience traveling in 100+ countries leads me to respect the diversity of beliefs and institutions that result in a variety of outcomes. As another example, take Dubner on page 199, who writes “that paper [on police officer counts and crime] was later disputed… a gradate student found an obvious mathematical mistake in it — but Levitt’s ingenuity was obvious.” I’m not sure I’d say the same about someone whose claims rested on logic with “obvious mathematical mistakes”!"
"LOVE THIS BOOK!"
"I enjoyed the many hidden causal connections that no one without the proper research could ever have put together."
"This book is absolutely brilliant."
"You may or may not agree with everything in here, but that is not the point."
"It takes an engaging and unique look at the world through the lens of an economist and the results are quite compelling."
"I thought this book was both thought provoking and interesting."
"Really a great book."
The companion book to COURSERA®'s wildly popular massive open online course "Learning How to Learn" Whether you are a student struggling to fulfill a math or science requirement, or you are embarking on a career change that requires a new skill set, A Mind for Numbers offers the tools you need to get a better grasp of that intimidating material. When she saw how her lack of mathematical and technical savvy severely limited her options—both to rise in the military and to explore other careers—she returned to school with a newfound determination to re-tool her brain to master the very subjects that had given her so much trouble throughout her entire life. How do you come to love math and science, and how do you come to learn math and science? Barbara Oakley is the magician who will help you do both.” —Francisco J. Ayala, University Professor and Donald Bren Professor of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, and former President and Chairman of the Board, American Association for the Advancement of Science. But now that learners have a handy guide for ‘knowing better’ they will also be able to ‘do better.’” —Shirley Malcom, Head of Education and Human Resources Programs, American Association for the Advancement of Science “ A Mind for Numbers is an excellent book about how to approach mathematics, science, or any realm where problem solving plays a prominent role.” —J. Given the urgent need for America to improve its science and math education so it can stay competitive, A Mind for Numbers is a welcome find.” —Geoffrey Canada, President, Harlem Children's Zone "It's easy to say 'work smarter, not harder,' but Barbara Oakley actually shows you how to do just that, in a fast-paced and accessible book that collects tips based on experience and sound science. —Glenn Harlan Reynolds, Beauchamp Brogan Distinguished Professor of Law, The University of Tennessee “ A Mind for Numbers is a splendid resource for how to approach mathematics learning and in fact learning in any area. This is a must-read for anyone who has struggled with mathematics and anyone interested in enhancing their learning experience.” —David C. Geary, Curators’ Professor of Psychological Sciences and Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, University o f Missouri. “For students afraid of math and science and for those who love the subjects, this engaging book provides guidance in establishing study habits that take advantage of how the brain works.” —Deborah Schifter, Principal Research Scientist, Science and Mathematics Programs, Education Development Center, Inc.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Although it's fair to say that these general strategies indeed do help students "excel at math and science" (as well as in any other subject), I simply think a disclaimer is necessary. There are plenty of helpful anecdotes about science and great scientists' creative perspectives, just not much for specific intractable problems found only in math and science."
"Dr. Oakley does a masterful job in introducing the science of learning to readers in a way that is very engaging, practical, infectious and liberating."
"It really helps to understand how our brain works and what we can do to achieve our objectives not only in math but in any subject or in general."
"Perhaps the flipped classroom idea will encourage more exercised which develop this skill, but I think we have just scratched the surface on new techniques to encourage innovation in school settings."
"Mrs. Oakley was able to capture with words (and scientific explanations) our mind's phenomena which makes it possible now to share the wisdom of experienced learners with novice ones."
"Wish I have read this book years ago."
"Wonderful book, not only for being good at math, but at any task of your life where you need to focus, even when you don't really love doing it."
"The title does not due justice to the material."
Best Applied Mathematics
Freakonomics is a groundbreaking collaboration between Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist. Thus the new field of study contained in this book: freakonomics.Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, Levitt and Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentiveshow people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world, despite a great deal of complexity and downright deceit, is not impenetrable, is not unknowable, andif the right questions are askedis even more intriguing than we think. Freakonomics establishes this unconventional premise: If morality represents how we would like the world to work, then economics represents how it actually does work. It will literally redefine the way we view the modern world.Bonus material added to the revised and expanded 2006 edition.The original New York Times Magazine article about Steven D. Levitt by Stephen J. Dubner, which led to the creation of this book.Seven Freakonomics columns written for the New York Times Magazine, published between August 2005 and April 2006. “Levitt dissects complex real-world phenomena, e.g. baby-naming patterns and Sumo wrestling, with an economist’s laser.” (San Diego Union-Tribune). This is bracing fun of the highest order.” (Kurt Andersen, host of public radio's Studio 360 and author of Turn of the Century). “Freakonomics challenges conventional wisdom and makes for fun reading.” (Book Sense Picks and Notables). Steven D. Levitt, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal, given to the most influential American economist under forty. Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning journalist and radio and TV personality, has worked for the New York Times and published three non- Freakonomics books.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Indeed, the most common reaction I get from people when telling them that I am an economist is that they have read Freakonomics, which implies that they have at least seen some work similar to what I do at aguanomics. All I remember was a lot of math and curves.” This depressing outcome results from lecturers who merely reproduce problems and equations on the blackboard, without helping students understand either why those theories are used or how they came to be so popular with economists. Third, there are books like mine [pdf] that try to explain how to improve failing policies using basic economic insights and incentives. This book with a memorable (but useless) name provides readers with just-so stories that are good for cocktail conversations but not for understanding economics. What struck me is their ongoing attempts to hold onto at least some elements in the original claim in later blog posts in what I’d call a “my-ladydoth-protest-too-much” manner. Looking over their other chapters (on cheating sumo wrestlers, drug dealers who live with their moms, the KKK as a multilevel marketing organization, etc. ), I agree that the chapters are interesting and thought provoking, but they do not provide “lessons on the hidden side of everything.” Instead, they read like a series of magazine articles whose quirky “insights” might contribute to your next cocktail conversation. [7] I didn’t detect any reliable technique (except perhaps to collect a neat dataset and call Steve Levitt), and that’s where I was disappointed. In this case, street dealers are (a) NOT condemned to death, (b) not able to find other work with their experience, and (c) not aware of their statistical mortality as much as their potential wealth. Dubner and Levitt present interesting puzzles worthy of cocktail conversation, but they overstate their contributions and accuracy (“numbers don’t lie” but theory can be incomplete or just wrong). He's a fine person and excellent economist, but this book is too “pop” in its oversimplification of his work and hagiographic treatment of his insights. Yes, he brings interesting statistical tools to“freaky” questions, but he’s not a “rogue economist exploring the hidden side of everything.” He’s just a guy with a dataset and empirical theory who finds some strong correlations. (8) My years of experience traveling in 100+ countries leads me to respect the diversity of beliefs and institutions that result in a variety of outcomes. As another example, take Dubner on page 199, who writes “that paper [on police officer counts and crime] was later disputed… a gradate student found an obvious mathematical mistake in it — but Levitt’s ingenuity was obvious.” I’m not sure I’d say the same about someone whose claims rested on logic with “obvious mathematical mistakes”!"
"LOVE THIS BOOK!"
"I enjoyed the many hidden causal connections that no one without the proper research could ever have put together."
"This book is absolutely brilliant."
"You may or may not agree with everything in here, but that is not the point."
"It takes an engaging and unique look at the world through the lens of an economist and the results are quite compelling."
"I thought this book was both thought provoking and interesting."
"Really a great book."
Best Chaos & Systems
In the years following her role as the lead author of the international bestseller, Limits to Growth —the first book to show the consequences of unchecked growth on a finite planet— Donella Meadows remained a pioneer of environmental and social analysis until her untimely death in 2001. Just before her death, scientist, farmer and leading environmentalist Meadows (1941-2001) completed an updated, 30th anniversary edition of her influential 1972 environmental call to action, Limits to Growth, as well as a draft of this book, in which she explains the methodology-systems analysis-she used in her ground-breaking work, and how it can be implemented for large-scale and individual problem solving. An invaluable companion piece to Limits to Growth, this is also a useful standalone overview of systems-based problem solving, "a simple book about a complex world" graced by the wisdom of a profound thinker committed to "shaping a better future." Just before her death, scientist, farmer and leading environmentalist Meadows (1941-2001) completed an updated, 30th anniversary edition of her influential 1972 environmental call to action, Limits to Growth , as well as a draft of this book, in which she explains the methodology-systems analysis-she used in her ground-breaking work, and how it can be implemented for large-scale and individual problem solving. An invaluable companion piece to Limits to Growth , this is also a useful standalone overview of systems-based problem solving, "a simple book about a complex world" graced by the wisdom of a profound thinker committed to "shaping a better future. This is modestly called a primer, and indeed it is, but unlike most books with that title, this one quickly takes one from the elementary into deep systems thinking about issues as critical today as they were when Dana wrote these words. As the book moves from the 'mechanics' of systems dynamics to Dana's more philosophical perspective, we are treated to her inherent belief in human values that consider the good of all, and how much more effective considering the needs of others is likely to be in solving larger, complex problems. The universe and our society may be very complex and operate in counterintuitive, non-liner fashion, but following the insights of this book and applying them will provide for far more effective solutions to the challenges of a 7 billion person planet than current incremental, linear responses by governments, corporations and individuals." For her systems thinking included the expected things like recognizing patterns, connections, leverage points, feedback loops and also the human qualities of judgment, foresight, and kindness. To live sustainably on our planet, we must learn to understand human-environment interactions as complex systems marked by the impact of human actions, the prominence of nonlinear change, the importance of initial conditions, and the significance of emergent properties. "An inspiring sequel to Dana Meadows' lifetime of seminal contributions to systems thinking, this highly accessible book should be read by everyone concerned with the world's future and how we can make it as good as it possibly can be."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"High level view of systems."
"If you can get past the occasional typo this book will leave you with insights that you will use every day of the rest of your life."
"Read the book (your library may have a copy), then write your own review!"
"Reach, interesting material delivered in easy to understand, easy to follow, easy to reference form."
"From lucid introduction to basic stock and flow models to deep meditations on the messiness of reality and the need to extend both attention and caring beyond the limits of the quantifiable, this book is by far the best introduction to system's thinking that I have every read."
"A very accessible introduction to Systems, with some great examples and anecdotes."
"Really changed the way I think about things on a daily basis."
Best Geometry & Topology
Generations of readers have relished Polya's deft—indeed, brilliant—instructions on stripping away irrelevancies and going straight to the heart of the problem. The traditional mathematics professor who reads a paper before one of the Mathematical Societies might also learn something from the book: 'He writes a, he says b, he means c; but it should be d.' " --E. T. Bell, Mathematical Monthly "[This] elementary textbook on heuristic reasoning, shows anew how keen its author is on questions of method and the formulation of methodological principles. "Every mathematics student should experience and live this book" -- Mathematics Magazine. "In an age that all solutions should be provided with the least possible effort, this book brings a very important message: mathematics and problem solving in general needs a lot of practice and experience obtained by challenging creative thinking, and certainly not by copying predefined recipes provided by others. John H. Conway is professor emeritus of mathematics at Princeton University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good condition, needed for class."
"Good book for learning how to solve mathematical problems, wish I had this 30 years ago in HS."
"There is a reason that this book has been in print for decades."
"If you want to figure out how to fix a satellite dish, program a piece of software or some other thorny problem, read this book."
"Not what I expected but brilliant."
"They desired to make a science for solving problems and to create a taxonomy for different problem types."
Best Infinity Mathematics
David Foster Wallace brings his intellectual ambition and characteristic bravura style to the story of how mathematicians have struggled to understand the infinite, from the ancient Greeks to the nineteenth-century mathematical genius Georg Cantor's counterintuitive discovery that there was more than one kind of infinity. The task Wallace (author of the bestseller Infinite Jest and other fiction) has set himself is enormously challenging: without radically compromising the complexity of the philosophy, metaphysics, or mathematics that underlies the evolving concept of infinity, present the material to a lay audience in a manner that is entertaining. --Patrick OKelley The subject of infinity would probably strike most readers familiar with Wallace as perfectly suited to his recursive style, and this book is as weird and wonderful as you'd expect. There are footnotes galore, frequently prefaced by the acronym IYI ("If You're Interested"), which can signal either pure digression or the first hint of an idea more fully developed in later chapters. Had he not pursued a career in literary fiction, it's not difficult to imagine Wallace as a historian of science, producing quirky and challenging volumes such as this every few years.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Heavy on the math but explained very well if you give it the time."
"If this is not a review of math for you and math is of no interest to you, just enjoy the writing and go as far as you can."
"I bought and read this almost ten years ago, but the Kindle version was irresistible."
"Great book if you're into math & philosophy."
"From the cover to the Intro and foreword to the list of commonly used signs symbols and abbreviations, this book is genius."
"Brilliant beyond words."
"Fine vendor!"
"Brilliantly written exposition on undergraduate math analysis."
Best Mathematical Analysis
Included are step-by-step instructions on how to carry out Bayesian data analyses in the popular and free software R and WinBugs, as well as new programs in JAGS and Stan. Accessible, including the basics of essential concepts of probability and random sampling Examples with R programming language and JAGS software Comprehensive coverage of all scenarios addressed by non-Bayesian textbooks: t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and comparisons in ANOVA, multiple regression, and chi-square (contingency table analysis) Coverage of experiment planning R and JAGS computer programming code on website Exercises have explicit purposes and guidelines for accomplishment Provides step-by-step instructions on how to conduct Bayesian data analyses in the popular and free software R and WinBugs. "Both textbook and practical guide, this work is an accessible account of Bayesian data analysis starting from the basics…This edition is truly an expanded work and includes all new programs in JAGS and Stan designed to be easier to use than the scripts of the first edition, including when running the programs on your own data sets." “has the potential to change the way most cognitive scientists and experimental psychologists approach the planning and analysis of their experiments" Prof. Geoffrey Iverson, U. of Cal., Irvine; past pres. The book begins with the basics, including essential concepts of probability and random sampling, and gradually progresses to advanced hierarchical modeling methods for realistic data. It provides a bridge between undergraduate training and modern Bayesian methods for data analysis, which is becoming the accepted research standard.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Probably the best (most reachable) book on the topic."
"This book is fantastic and has the potential to revolutionize science, particularly psychological science."
"That has lead me to read 5-10 different books on the subject (with a range of scopes and focuses), which lead me to read the first edition of this book. Some of the books that I read are better than others, but I can easily say that Kruschke's was the best introductory book I found. In addition, the book gives you TONS of useful programming help in R, all in downloadable files."
"My son loves this book....."
"It's better than anything you'll find online, and quite a bit clearer than most "intro to stats" type books that introduce Bayes' Theorem and haphazardly try to show you how to do something useful with it."
"Takes a complex subject and explains it in well organized chapters to anyone with a basic understanding of statistics."
"Too wordy that convey important Bayesian concept less effective."
Best Matrices
The reader learns by doing, writing programs to implement the mathematical concepts and using them to carry out tasks and explore the applications. He has been a Visiting Scientist at Princeton’s Computer Science Department, at MIT’s Mathematics Department, and at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), where he is currently a Research Affiliate. His love for computer science has never abated, but in a chance encounter with E. W. Dijkstra in 1979, he was told that, if he wanted to do computer science, he had better learn some math.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am am a retired software engineer who spent my entire career working for an aero-space research company."
"Being lazy and wanting to focus on the math, not the typing -- I downloaded the code examples from the website and that worked as advertised."
"I found this book invaluable while taking the author's course Coding the Matrix on coursera.org."
"I feel like this book covers every aspect of the theory, applies it step-by-step and does more than my semester of linear algebra to prepare the reader for applying this to real world solutions."
"I learned quite a lot by reading chapters and writing code for exercises and labs."
"The autograding system is really great, except that it's not complete yet!"
"A really great book that approaches linear algebra from a different angle."
"As many other readers have noted going back several years, the 1st edition of this book had an over abundance of typographical errors which have been corrected in more recent print versions. Amazon has cheapened the Kindle brand by selling old versions of books and tagging them with recent publication dates."
Best Mensuration
Lockhart’s Mathematician’s Lament outlined how we introduce math to students in the wrong way. (Steven Strogatz, New York Times contributor and author of The Joy of X (forthcoming)). No matter what mathematical education you had, or didn't have, you will be delighted by this enticing book if you take up Paul Lockhart's invitation to engage in the mathematical sensibility that radiates from its pages, and try your own hand―not only at answering, but even more fruitfully, at formulating questions as you explore the world of mathematics. Lockhart presents math as an art and argues that just as there is no systematic way to create beautiful and meaningful art, there is also no method for producing beautiful and meaningful mathematical arguments. Measurement is only one of the many rivers in the "vast, ever-expanding jungle" of mathematics, which for Lockhart satisfies our need to find patterns as well as our curiosity...His playful and ingenious approach not only takes the fear out of math but also elegantly illustrates that universe and the joy he finds in it. Lockhart is famous in the math world for a 2002 essay about the state of mathematics teaching. Measurement is his attempt to change the equation: a conversational book about mathematics as an art that invites the reader to join in the fun. Prospective readers should rest assured that while aimed at the nonexpert, Lockhart 's writing is sophisticated and mathematically modern...In place of the usual boxed and high-lighted formulas and tricks, Measurement offers questions to be pondered. Lockhart invites readers to trade tutorial fake problems about actual objects, which lead students to abhor school mathematics, for real problems about fantastical objects, which lead mathematicians to love math.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The sections combine explanations and plenty of illustrations with questions (or homework) for the reader, so the reader should expect some time away from the book thinking about the problems and maybe discover their own questions and answers. In the same way, the book moves from measurement to motion by introducing time - which is then again simply replaced by (or reduced to) an arbitrary dimension similar to length. While there were things that I really didn't like, they probably won't interrupt other people's enjoyment of the book."
"Lockhart's enthusiasm and humor shows through on every page of this book, as he makes cheerful battle with fundamental ideas. Too often we teach dead & dry facts, and leave creativity as an exercise for the reader, if we mention it at all."
"This book really helps to build an intuitive understanding of elementary math, not unlike the mechanistic approaches of schools today."
"A wonderful book."
"I loved his sense of humor and obvious excitement about his subject."
"Lockhart has written a really good book."
"I remember throughout my studies of mathematics having professors mention the beauty of math."
"I wish I could have read it when I entered highschool."
Best Number Systems
Organized according to level and subject area of mathematics, it first covers the basics of high school algebra and graphing, continues with calculus and differential equations then moves on to more advanced topics, such as linear algebra, vector calculus, complex analysis, special functions, group theory, number theory and combinatorics.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"great book, great quality, great service."
"A bit dated but well written and very helpful."
"This book was written for Maple 7, and since then Maple has come a very long way with many new packages and new routines, both numeric and symbolic. This book was written with Maple 7 in mind, so the book is more than 10 years old. (Maple has added a great deal since Maple 7 but has taken away very little."
"The first chapters are written as a hands-on tutorial, beginning with Maple's environment and basic commands and progressing step by step toward programming structures, document preparation and ample discussions of some higher math topics (such as differential equations, 2d and 3d graphics, linear algebra, vector calculus, complex analysis and statistics)."
Best Popular & Elementary Mathematics
Secrets of Mental Math will have you thinking like a math genius in no time. “A great introduction to the wonder of numbers, from two superb teachers.” —Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe “A magical mystery tour of mental mathematics! Michael Shermer is host of the Caltech public lecture series, a contributing editor to and monthly columnist of Scientific American , the publisher of Skeptic magazine, and the author of several science books.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon":) It's a great book to get the old mind to do some mental push ups and become younger."
"Arthur Benjamin makes math fun and interesting."
"OK, I may just like math for math's sake, but there are some actually useful techniques and methods in here."
"After seeing the author at our local college I bought this book for my son."
"Very good... and have many useful math short cut tricks and some of them are complex for the kids to remember."
"Very useful book which tells you how to handle Math problem in a totally different way, Must read."
"Tickles the gray matter."
"One word of caution: make sure you feel comfortable with each technique before moving on."
Best Pure Mathematics
Jason speaks in simple English and uses the metaphor of The Seven Steps to SEO Fitness to explain to you how to 'get SEO fit.'. Goals : Define Your SEO Goals Keywords : Identify Winnable, High Value SEO Keywords On Page SEO : Optimize Your Website to 'Speak Google' via Page Tabs, your home page, and structural elements Content Marketing : Learn to produce content that pleases Google and your customers Off Page SEO : Build links, leverage social media, and go local. Check out the other 2018 SEO Books on Amazon - SEO For Dummies , SEO for Growth , SEO Book , SEO Like I'm 5 etc., - they're great, they're good, but they don't include powerful step-by-step worksheets, links to online videos, and the free SEO Toolbook with hundreds of free tools for search engine optimization 2018. Listed on many SEO book lists as one of the best books SEO books of 2018 as well as a best SEO book for beginners. ~ Alexandra Hager. In Sept. and Oct. 2016, I took Jason's SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Ad Words, and Social Media Marketing online class series. However, since SEO, Ad Words, and Social Media live on the internet, watching Jason walk through everything in an online format works really well. He demonstrates this through his exhaustive list of resources that he shares in his classes as well as his expert, insider tips about internet marketing that you cannot get from Google. The book grew out of my class at Stanford University's Continuing Studies Program, "Marketing without Money."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There's an unending number of resources that Jason provides (not just in the book- but also linked to his website) and he gives plenty of examples to make things practical and easy to apply to your website. Undoubtedly, you will learn a lot!"
"Even if you are thinking of hiring a group to do this for you, read the book and become a person that delegates a task, understands why it was delegated, what is expected from that group you hire."
"I am a beginner at SEO, and this book has helped me immensely!"
"SEO Fitness Workbook: 2017 Edition: The Seven Steps to Search Engine Optimization Success on Google. I'm glad I've got this handy SEO Book, it's my go-to guide for reference on SEO best practices."
"With all the many varied sources of SEO information available on the internet, I needed a step by step practical guide to help get my website into Google and Bing searches."
"Whether you are a marketing professional, web developer, content writer or a business owner wanting to understand SEO, this is a great book to include in your library of knowledge!"
"I found the book a bit repetitious at times, and would prefer a shorter version, Still I won't take a star off."
"My goal is to be a small business owner and reducing the SEO to seven understandable steps relieves a small part of the business but also an important one."
Best Mathematics Recreation & Games
In The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus , distinguished mathematicians Hannah Fry and Thomas Oléron Evans demonstrate, with eminently readable clarity, how applied mathematics are so thoroughly interwoven throughout our everyday lives by explaining mathematical concepts through one very merry motif: Christmas. Thomas Oléron Evans, PhD is a Teaching Fellow for the Smart Cities and Spatial Data Courses at the University College London.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is not too difficult on the math, the scary bits are in the endnotes, but you would have to enjoy math to love this book."
"Bought this for my son who is a mathematics major."
"Great book."
"Great way to get a math-phobic granddaughter to appreciate math."
"not very new insights for any of those that have studied math or enjoy these types of books."
"Enjoyed but only for math nerds."
"Interesting topics to apply mathematics."
"Brilliant, funny, enjoyable read!"
Best Mathematics Reference
In Fermat's Enigma --based on the author's award-winning documentary film, which aired on PBS's "Nova"--Simon Singh tells the astonishingly entertaining story of the pursuit of that grail, and the lives that were devoted to, sacrificed for, and saved by it. Fermat's Enigma contains some problems that offer a taste of the math, but it also includes limericks to give a feeling for the goofy side of mathematicians. In the 17th century, a French judicial assistant and amateur mathematician, Pierre De Fermat, produced many brilliant ideas in the field of number theory. Finally, after working in isolation for eight years, Andrew Wiles, a young British mathematician at Princeton University, published a proof in 1995.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Singh typically writes his unique histories for the casual layman (I've also read "The Code Book"), which makes them as accessible as possible."
"Fermat's Enigma is truly one of the most dramatic reading where various mathematicians in real life are on a quest to solve the world's greatest mathematical problem where n represents 3, 4, 5...no solution."
"This is an absolutely wonderful book, and you don't need to be a math wizard to enjoy it. One of the world's great mathematicians, Fermat, idly noted in the margin of a book he was reading, that the Pythagorean Theorem (which my father used to recite as "the squaw on the hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the squaws on the other two hides") --- ahem, more formally, Hypotenuse (squared) = (Side1(squared) + Side2(squared)). Well, Math Genius M. Fermat scribbled in the margin of his book "This equation only works for the power of two. Then Math Genius Fermat put the book back on his bookshelves, and, sooner or later, gave up the ghost --- without making his claim public. And, slowly but surely, the mathematical world came to realize that Fermat was most probably right --- the equation only worked for the power of two --- but they had no idea at all of how to prove it. All around the world, math experts would chat about "Fermat's Last Theorem," and wonder whether or not it was nonsense, all the while realizing that IF ONLY THEY COULD PROVE IT, they would win lasting fame and, perhaps, mathematical immortality."
"I read twice myself and read once to my kids; for the kids, later chapters starting from TS conjecture is more interesting and sees more actions."
"Singh does a tremendous job of, in a very short book, describing what Fermat's last theorem was and how people went about proving it."
Best Mathematics Research
It tells the human story of numerous phi-fixated individuals, including the followers of Pythagoras who believed that this proportion revealed the hand of God; astronomer Johannes Kepler, who saw phi as the greatest treasure of geometry; such Renaissance thinkers as mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci of Pisa; and such masters of the modern world as Goethe, Cezanne, Bartok, and physicist Roger Penrose. Theoretical astrophysicist Livio gives pi's overlooked cousin phi its due with this lively account, the first on the subject written for the layperson. Livio (The Accelerating Universe) carefully investigates these and other claims and does not hesitate to debunk myths perpetuated by overzealous enthusiasts he calls "Golden Numberists." Livio is gifted with an accessible, entertaining style: one typical chapter bounds within five pages from an extended discourse on prime numbers to a clever Oscar Wilde quote about beauty to an amusing anecdote about Samuel Beckett and finally to an eminently clear explanation of G"del's incompleteness theorem. On the way, he debunks a number of popular myths (e.g., the notion that Mondrian used it in his abstract paintings) and does a wonderful job explaining the Fibonacci sequence and its relationship to phi.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Love the story thus far."
"It is an excelent book!"
"Explains the history and fundamental essence of Phi in a clear and entertaining manner."
"Very well written for the general public."
"Very interesting book!"
"It's a thorough & interesting treatment of a fascinating mathematical topic It should do well among both mathermaticians & the wider public.."
Best Mathematics Study & Teaching
Secrets of Mental Math will have you thinking like a math genius in no time. “A great introduction to the wonder of numbers, from two superb teachers.” —Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe “A magical mystery tour of mental mathematics! Michael Shermer is host of the Caltech public lecture series, a contributing editor to and monthly columnist of Scientific American , the publisher of Skeptic magazine, and the author of several science books.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Actually picked up this book to help with the GRE and just found all the math tricks fun."
":) It's a great book to get the old mind to do some mental push ups and become younger."
"Arthur Benjamin makes math fun and interesting."
"OK, I may just like math for math's sake, but there are some actually useful techniques and methods in here."
"After seeing the author at our local college I bought this book for my son."
"Very good... and have many useful math short cut tricks and some of them are complex for the kids to remember."
"Very useful book which tells you how to handle Math problem in a totally different way, Must read."
"Tickles the gray matter."
Best Transformations
From analyzing your competitors and developing an understanding for your target audience all the way to outsourcing your page’s day-to-day activities, this book will teach you everything you need to reach 1 million followers in 6 months!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For anyone new or even familiar with instagram marketing this will point you in the right direction and is pretty much all practical information that you can use to dominate instagram, little to no fluff."
"One of my friends is earning a lot of money on his Instagram account, but he never told how he do it."
"Good tips."
"great product and perfect service."
"The book is interesting to read and shows the logic of promotion through Instagram."
"I was hoping for a bit more from this book, but it was helpful and direct."
"Thin content, vague details, an absolute waste of money."
"What an embarrassment."
Best Trigonometry
Steadfast Support for your Evolving Course The College Algebra series, by Lial, Hornsby, Schneider, and Daniels, combines the experience of master teachers to help students develop both the conceptual understanding and the analytical skills necessary for success in mathematics. Students, if interested in purchasing this title with MyMathLab, ask your instructor for the correct package ISBN and Course ID. When John Hornsby enrolled as an undergraduate at Louisiana State University, he was uncertain whether he wanted to study mathematics education or journalism. His specific professional interests are recreational mathematics, mathematics history, and incorporating graphing calculators into the curriculum. He has an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Oberlin College and a PhD in mathematics from MIT. She has two Master’s degrees: one in Applied Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Missouri—Rolla, the second in Adult Education from the University of Missouri—St. Her professional interests include improving success in the community college mathematics sequence, using technology to enhance students’ understanding of mathematics, and creating materials that support classroom teaching and student understanding.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The student is left to guess or YouTube for help in understanding the steps of how they came to the concluding answer."
"This book is good, but sometimes it doesn't choose the best #'s for examples at the beginning of each lesson."
"Exactly what was expected."
"Ended up teaching myself the material from the MathLabs and looking up difficult topics online and in a different textbook at our campus tutoring center."
"This book is worthless with out the code (that is not included) and unless you click on the "more info" you won't see that it isn't included."
"This book has many examples throughout the chapters, but most of them do not show you step by step how to solve the problems."
Best Sciences & Technology in Chinese
《线性代数教程》共分5章，第一章介绍了行列式的概念、性质、特殊的解法和简单的应用；第二章介绍了矩阵的概念、特殊矩阵、逆阵、矩阵的秩和分块矩阵；第三章介绍了向量、相关性和线性方程组解的结构；第四章介绍了特征值和特征向量、矩阵的对角化；第五章介绍了二次型、标准化、正定型《线性代数》以矩阵为工具，彻底地解决了线性方程组解的问题，再利用行列式和解方程组的知识解决了矩阵对角化和二次型标准化的问题。.
Find Best Price at Amazon