{"product_id":"the-moment-of-proof-mathematical-epiphanies-9780195117219","title":"The Moment of Proof: Mathematical Epiphanies","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen Archimedes  while bathing  suddenly hit upon the principle of buoyancy  he ran wildly through the streets of Syracuse  stark naked  crying \"eureka!\" In The Moment of Proof  Donald Benson attempts to convey to general readers the feeling of eureka--the joy of discovery--that mathematicians feel when they first encounter an elegant proof. This is not an introduction to mathematics so much as an introduction to the pleasures of mathematical thinking. And indeed the delights of this book are many and varied. The book is packed with intriguing conundrums--Loyds Fifteen Puzzle  the Petersburg Paradox  the Chaos Game  the Monty Hall Problem  the Prisoners Dilemma--as well as many mathematical curiosities. We learn how to perform the arithmetical proof called \"casting out nines\" and are introduced to Russian peasant multiplication  a bizarre way to multiply numbers that actually works. The book shows us how to calculate the number of ways a chef can combine ten or fewer spices to flavor his soup (1 024) and how many people we would have to gather in a room to have a 50-50 chance of two having the same birthday (23 people). But most important  Benson takes us step by step through these many mathematical wonders  so that we arrive at the solution much the way a working scientist would--and with much the same feeling of surprise. Every fan of mathematical puzzles will be enthralled by The Moment of Proof. Indeed  anyone interested in mathematics or in scientific discovery in general will want to own this book.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45792388284469,"sku":"ByrdShop_0195117212","price":65.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780195117219.jpg?v=1784748170","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-moment-of-proof-mathematical-epiphanies-9780195117219","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}