Mathematics and the Unexpected - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Mathematics and the Unexpected write by Ivar Ekeland. This book was released on 1990-01-15. Mathematics and the Unexpected available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. "Not the least unexpected thing about Mathematics and the Unexpected is that a real mathematician should write not just a literate work, but a literary one."—Ian Stewart, New Scientist "In this brief, elegant treatise, assessable to anyone who likes to think, Ivar Ekelund explains some philosophical implications of recent mathematics. He examines randomness, the geometry involved in making predictions, and why general trends are easy to project (it will snow in January) but particulars are practically impossible (it will snow from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the 21st)."—Village Voice
The Unexpected Hanging
The Unexpected Hanging - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook The Unexpected Hanging write by Martin Gardner. This book was released on 1969. The Unexpected Hanging available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle.
Unexpected Expectations
Unexpected Expectations - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Unexpected Expectations write by Leonard M. Wapner. This book was released on 2012-06-04. Unexpected Expectations available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Unexpected Expectations: The Curiosities of a Mathematical Crystal Ball explores how paradoxical challenges involving mathematical expectation often necessitate a reexamination of basic premises. The author takes you through mathematical paradoxes associated with seemingly straightforward applications of mathematical expectation and shows how these unexpected contradictions may push you to reconsider the legitimacy of the applications. The book requires only an understanding of basic algebraic operations and includes supplemental mathematical background in chapter appendices. After a history of probability theory, it introduces the basic laws of probability as well as the definition and applications of mathematical expectation/expected value (E). The remainder of the text covers unexpected results related to mathematical expectation, including: The roles of aversion and risk in rational decision making A class of expected value paradoxes referred to as envelope problems Parrondo’s paradox—how negative (losing) expectations can be combined to give a winning result Problems associated with imperfect recall Non-zero-sum games, such as the game of chicken and the prisoner’s dilemma Newcomb’s paradox—a great philosophical paradox of free will Benford’s law and its use in computer design and fraud detection While useful in areas as diverse as game theory, quantum mechanics, and forensic science, mathematical expectation generates paradoxes that frequently leave questions unanswered yet reveal interesting surprises. Encouraging you to embrace the mysteries of mathematics, this book helps you appreciate the applications of mathematical expectation, "a statistical crystal ball." Listen to an interview with the author on NewBooksinMath.com.
The Broken Dice, and Other Mathematical Tales of Chance
The Broken Dice, and Other Mathematical Tales of Chance - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook The Broken Dice, and Other Mathematical Tales of Chance write by Ivar Ekeland. This book was released on 1996-06-15. The Broken Dice, and Other Mathematical Tales of Chance available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Contemplating the randomness of nature, Ekeland extends his consideration of the catastrophe theory of the universe begun in Mathematics and the Unexpected, drawing upon rich literary sources and current topics in math and physics such as chaos theory, information theory, and particle physics. Line drawings.
Mathematical Curiosities
Mathematical Curiosities - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Mathematical Curiosities write by Alfred S. Posamentier. This book was released on 2014-08-12. Mathematical Curiosities available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. An innovative and appealing way for the layperson to develop math skills--while actually enjoying it Most people agree that math is important, but few would say it's fun. This book will show you that the subject you learned to hate in high school can be as entertaining as a witty remark, as engrossing as the mystery novel you can't put down--in short, fun! As veteran math educators Posamentier and Lehmann demonstrate, when you realize that doing math can be enjoyable, you open a door into a world of unexpected insights while learning an important skill. The authors illustrate the point with many easily understandable examples. One of these is what mathematicians call the "Ruth-Aaron pair" (714 and 715), named after the respective career home runs of Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron. These two consecutive integers contain a host of interesting features, one of which is that their prime factors when added together have the same sum. The authors also explore the unusual aspects of such numbers as 11 and 18, which have intriguing properties usually overlooked by standard math curriculums. And to make you a better all-around problem solver, a variety of problems is presented that appear simple but have surprisingly clever solutions. If math has frustrated you over the years, this delightful approach will teach you many things you thought were beyond your reach, while conveying the key message that math can and should be anything but boring.
