Math with Bad Drawings
Books | Mathematics / Essays
4.3
Ben Orlin
A hilarious reeducation in mathematics-full of joy, jokes, and stick figures-that sheds light on the countless practical and wonderful ways that math structures and shapes our world. In Math With Bad Drawings, Ben Orlin reveals to us what math actually is; its myriad uses, its strange symbols, and the wild leaps of logic and faith that define the usually impenetrable work of the mathematician. Truth and knowledge come in multiple forms: colorful drawings, encouraging jokes, and the stories and insights of an empathetic teacher who believes that math should belong to everyone. Orlin shows us how to think like a mathematician by teaching us a brand-new game of tic-tac-toe, how to understand an economic crises by rolling a pair of dice, and the mathematical headache that ensues when attempting to build a spherical Death Star. Every discussion in the book is illustrated with Orlin's trademark "bad drawings," which convey his message and insights with perfect pitch and clarity. With 24 chapters covering topics from the electoral college to human genetics to the reasons not to trust statistics, Math with Bad Drawings is a life-changing book for the math-estranged and math-enamored alike.
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More Details:
Author
Ben Orlin
Pages
376
Publisher
Workman Publishing Company
Published Date
2018-09-18
ISBN
0316509027 9780316509022
Ratings
Google: 4
Community ReviewsSee all
"I found this book enthralling, if a little disjointed. The author, a math teacher, seems like one of the teachers I always wanted to have, and rarely got...one who loves the subject they teach and their enthusiasm is infectious. I find math to be relatively dull but the excitement the author has for it was so sincere that it made me reconsider my perception of math. I found his prose and cartoons amusing and engaging. My only complaint, and its minor, is that the book is so scattered...the chapters are all so different, jumping from shorter chapters to longer ones, and from sillier concepts to more serious concerns. At the same time, this could be seen as a feature, not a bug...it made the book even harder to put down, because you never knew what you would get from chapter to chapter."
John Detrick