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Third printing. First paperback printing. Original copyright date: 2013.
Book Synopsis The Logician and the Engineer by : Paul J. Nahin
Download or read book The Logician and the Engineer written by Paul J. Nahin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2017-04-04 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Third printing. First paperback printing. Original copyright date: 2013.
Boolean algebra, also called Boolean logic, is at the heart of the electronic circuitry in everything we use--from our computers and cars, to our kitchen gadgets and home appliances. How did a system of mathematics established in the Victorian era become the basis for such incredible technological achievements a century later? In The Logician and the Engineer, best-selling popular math writer Paul Nahin combines engaging problems and a colorful historical narrative to tell the remarkable story of how two men in different eras--mathematician and philosopher George Boole (1815-1864) and electrical engineer and pioneering information theorist Claude Shannon (1916-2001)--advanced Boolean logic and became founding fathers of the electronic communications age. Presenting the dual biographies of Boole and Shannon, Nahin examines the history of Boole's innovative ideas, and considers how they led to Shannon's groundbreaking work on electrical relay circuits and information theory. Along the way, Nahin presents logic problems for readers to solve and talks about the contributions of such key players as Georg Cantor, Tibor Rado, and Marvin Minsky--as well as the crucial role of Alan Turing's "Turing machine"--In the development of mathematical logic and data transmission. Nahin takes readers from fundamental concepts to a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of how a modern digital machine such as the computer is constructed. Nahin also delves into the newest ideas in quantum mechanics and thermodynamics in order to explore computing's possible limitations in the twenty-first century and beyond. The Logician and the Engineer shows how a form of mathematical logic and the innovations of two men paved the way for the digital technology of the modern world.
Book Synopsis The Logician and the Engineer by : Paul J. Nahin
Download or read book The Logician and the Engineer written by Paul J. Nahin and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Boolean algebra, also called Boolean logic, is at the heart of the electronic circuitry in everything we use--from our computers and cars, to our kitchen gadgets and home appliances. How did a system of mathematics established in the Victorian era become the basis for such incredible technological achievements a century later? In The Logician and the Engineer, best-selling popular math writer Paul Nahin combines engaging problems and a colorful historical narrative to tell the remarkable story of how two men in different eras--mathematician and philosopher George Boole (1815-1864) and electrical engineer and pioneering information theorist Claude Shannon (1916-2001)--advanced Boolean logic and became founding fathers of the electronic communications age. Presenting the dual biographies of Boole and Shannon, Nahin examines the history of Boole's innovative ideas, and considers how they led to Shannon's groundbreaking work on electrical relay circuits and information theory. Along the way, Nahin presents logic problems for readers to solve and talks about the contributions of such key players as Georg Cantor, Tibor Rado, and Marvin Minsky--as well as the crucial role of Alan Turing's "Turing machine"--In the development of mathematical logic and data transmission. Nahin takes readers from fundamental concepts to a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of how a modern digital machine such as the computer is constructed. Nahin also delves into the newest ideas in quantum mechanics and thermodynamics in order to explore computing's possible limitations in the twenty-first century and beyond. The Logician and the Engineer shows how a form of mathematical logic and the innovations of two men paved the way for the digital technology of the modern world.
"Here the author of How to Solve It explains how to become a "good guesser." Marked by G. Polya's simple, energetic prose and use of clever examples from a wide range of human activities, this two-volume work explores techniques of guessing, inductive reasoning, and reasoning by analogy, and the role they play in the most rigorous of deductive disciplines."--Book cover.
Book Synopsis Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning: Induction and analogy in mathematics by : G. Polya
Download or read book Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning: Induction and analogy in mathematics written by G. Polya and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 1990-08-23 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Here the author of How to Solve It explains how to become a "good guesser." Marked by G. Polya's simple, energetic prose and use of clever examples from a wide range of human activities, this two-volume work explores techniques of guessing, inductive reasoning, and reasoning by analogy, and the role they play in the most rigorous of deductive disciplines."--Book cover.
Learn how INTPs view the world and what makes them tick!Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device!In INTP: Understanding & Relating with the Logician, you'll learn about the INTP Myers Brigg Personality Type. This book covers a variety of topics regarding INTPs (Introverted Intuitive Thinking Perception) and why they make such great analysts. INTPs are often referred to the great philosophers and researchers of the world. In this book, we'll begin by exploring why the MBTI test is important, before then digging into why INTPs make great leaders. From there, we'll venture into the greatest strengths and weaknesses of individuals who identify as INTPs. Finally, we'll explore what makes INTPs happy, and what they value in their personal relationships. We'll close by learning about ten famous INTPs and what you can learn from them. If you are an INTP, read this book to begin your quest in learning why you act the way you do and how you can come to appreciate who you are as an individual. Grab your copy today. Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Foreword An Introduction to MBTI The Four Dimensions of the MBTI Why is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Significant? Uncovering the "Logician": Who is an INTP? Why are INTPs Indispensable Leaders? The 8 Greatest Strengths of an INTP The 3 Greatest Areas of Improvement for an INTP What Makes an INTP Happy? What are Some Common Careers of an INTP? Common Workplace Behaviors of an INTP INTP: Parenting Style and Values INTP and Friendship INTP: Romantic Partners 7 Actionable Steps for Overcoming Your Weaknesses as an INTP The 6 Most Influential INTPs We Can Learn From Conclusion An excerpt from the book: Great leaders can come from any of the 16 personality types. However, INTPs are known for being great leaders. Probably some of the most famous leaders were considered extroverts, but history has shown that some of the best leaders were actually introverts. Some of these include: the United States President, Barak Obama; Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, and; Founder and former CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates. Below are five reasons why INTPs make great leaders. 1. They Make Decisions Based on Theories and FactsINTPs are often not hasty thinkers and love utilizing theory and facts to make decisions. They want to ensure that their decisions were made based on facts as they are thinkers and not feelers. Because of this, they always want to make sure that they make the absolutely best decisions and will use theory and thought to help make these decisions. 2. They are Great Visionary LeadersWhen leading a team, INTPs tend to focus more into the future or their goals and make decisions that help in the realization of these goals. They love setting a vision for others to follow. When setting up a vision, they will use logical and concrete facts about the environment and determine what works best. Because of this, they are able to share their vision well with their subordinates. They are great at showing why the vision works and describing the concrete direction everyone needs to have in order to fulfill that vision. Tags: INTP, MBTI, Myers Brigg Type Indicator, Psychology tests, myers briggs personality test, Personality Tests, personality types, 16 personality types, ENTJ, ESTJ, INTP famous people, INTP careers, INTP relationships, INTP jobs, INTP personality traits
Book Synopsis INTP: Understanding and Relating with the Logician by : Clayton Geoffreys
Download or read book INTP: Understanding and Relating with the Logician written by Clayton Geoffreys and published by . This book was released on 2015-10-28 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how INTPs view the world and what makes them tick!Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device!In INTP: Understanding & Relating with the Logician, you'll learn about the INTP Myers Brigg Personality Type. This book covers a variety of topics regarding INTPs (Introverted Intuitive Thinking Perception) and why they make such great analysts. INTPs are often referred to the great philosophers and researchers of the world. In this book, we'll begin by exploring why the MBTI test is important, before then digging into why INTPs make great leaders. From there, we'll venture into the greatest strengths and weaknesses of individuals who identify as INTPs. Finally, we'll explore what makes INTPs happy, and what they value in their personal relationships. We'll close by learning about ten famous INTPs and what you can learn from them. If you are an INTP, read this book to begin your quest in learning why you act the way you do and how you can come to appreciate who you are as an individual. Grab your copy today. Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Foreword An Introduction to MBTI The Four Dimensions of the MBTI Why is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Significant? Uncovering the "Logician": Who is an INTP? Why are INTPs Indispensable Leaders? The 8 Greatest Strengths of an INTP The 3 Greatest Areas of Improvement for an INTP What Makes an INTP Happy? What are Some Common Careers of an INTP? Common Workplace Behaviors of an INTP INTP: Parenting Style and Values INTP and Friendship INTP: Romantic Partners 7 Actionable Steps for Overcoming Your Weaknesses as an INTP The 6 Most Influential INTPs We Can Learn From Conclusion An excerpt from the book: Great leaders can come from any of the 16 personality types. However, INTPs are known for being great leaders. Probably some of the most famous leaders were considered extroverts, but history has shown that some of the best leaders were actually introverts. Some of these include: the United States President, Barak Obama; Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, and; Founder and former CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates. Below are five reasons why INTPs make great leaders. 1. They Make Decisions Based on Theories and FactsINTPs are often not hasty thinkers and love utilizing theory and facts to make decisions. They want to ensure that their decisions were made based on facts as they are thinkers and not feelers. Because of this, they always want to make sure that they make the absolutely best decisions and will use theory and thought to help make these decisions. 2. They are Great Visionary LeadersWhen leading a team, INTPs tend to focus more into the future or their goals and make decisions that help in the realization of these goals. They love setting a vision for others to follow. When setting up a vision, they will use logical and concrete facts about the environment and determine what works best. Because of this, they are able to share their vision well with their subordinates. They are great at showing why the vision works and describing the concrete direction everyone needs to have in order to fulfill that vision. Tags: INTP, MBTI, Myers Brigg Type Indicator, Psychology tests, myers briggs personality test, Personality Tests, personality types, 16 personality types, ENTJ, ESTJ, INTP famous people, INTP careers, INTP relationships, INTP jobs, INTP personality traits
Fun puzzles that use physics to explore the wonders of everyday life Physics can explain many of the things that we commonly encounter. It can tell us why the night is dark, what causes the tides, and even how best to catch a baseball. With In Praise of Simple Physics, popular math and science writer Paul Nahin presents a plethora of situations that explore the science and math behind the wonders of everyday life. Roaming through a diverse range of puzzles, he illustrates how physics shows us ways to wring more energy from renewable sources, to measure the gravity in our car garages, to figure out which of three light switches in the basement controls the light bulb in the attic, and much, much more. How fast can you travel from London to Paris? How do scientists calculate the energy of an atomic bomb explosion? How do you kick a football so it stays in the air and goes a long way downfield? Nahin begins with simpler problems and progresses to more challenging questions, and his entertaining, accessible, and scientifically and mathematically informed explanations are all punctuated by his trademark humor. Readers are presumed to have some background in beginning differential and integral calculus. Whether you simply have a personal interest in physics' influence in the world or you're an engineering and science student who wants to gain more physics know-how, this book has an intriguing scenario for you. In Praise of Simple Physics proves that if we look carefully at the world around us, physics has answers for the most astonishing day-to-day occurrences.
Book Synopsis In Praise of Simple Physics by : Paul J. Nahin
Download or read book In Praise of Simple Physics written by Paul J. Nahin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-19 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fun puzzles that use physics to explore the wonders of everyday life Physics can explain many of the things that we commonly encounter. It can tell us why the night is dark, what causes the tides, and even how best to catch a baseball. With In Praise of Simple Physics, popular math and science writer Paul Nahin presents a plethora of situations that explore the science and math behind the wonders of everyday life. Roaming through a diverse range of puzzles, he illustrates how physics shows us ways to wring more energy from renewable sources, to measure the gravity in our car garages, to figure out which of three light switches in the basement controls the light bulb in the attic, and much, much more. How fast can you travel from London to Paris? How do scientists calculate the energy of an atomic bomb explosion? How do you kick a football so it stays in the air and goes a long way downfield? Nahin begins with simpler problems and progresses to more challenging questions, and his entertaining, accessible, and scientifically and mathematically informed explanations are all punctuated by his trademark humor. Readers are presumed to have some background in beginning differential and integral calculus. Whether you simply have a personal interest in physics' influence in the world or you're an engineering and science student who wants to gain more physics know-how, this book has an intriguing scenario for you. In Praise of Simple Physics proves that if we look carefully at the world around us, physics has answers for the most astonishing day-to-day occurrences.
This book offers a concise introduction to the analysis of electrical transients aimed at students who have completed introductory circuits and freshman calculus courses. While it is written under the assumption that these students are encountering transient electrical circuits for the first time, the mathematical and physical theory is not ‘watered-down.’ That is, the analysis of both lumped and continuous (transmission line) parameter circuits is performed with the use of differential equations (both ordinary and partial) in the time domain, and the Laplace transform. The transform is fully developed in the book for readers who are not assumed to have seen it before. The use of singular time functions (unit step and impulse) is addressed and illustrated through detailed examples. The appearance of paradoxical circuit situations, often ignored in many textbooks (because they are, perhaps, considered ‘difficult’ to explain) is fully embraced as an opportunity to challenge students. In addition, historical commentary is included throughout the book, to combat the misconception that the material in engineering textbooks was found engraved on Biblical stones, rather than painstakingly discovered by people of genius who often went down many wrong paths before finding the right one. MATLAB® is used throughout the book, with simple codes to quickly and easily generate transient response curves.
Book Synopsis Transients for Electrical Engineers by : Paul J. Nahin
Download or read book Transients for Electrical Engineers written by Paul J. Nahin and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-07-05 with total page 189 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers a concise introduction to the analysis of electrical transients aimed at students who have completed introductory circuits and freshman calculus courses. While it is written under the assumption that these students are encountering transient electrical circuits for the first time, the mathematical and physical theory is not ‘watered-down.’ That is, the analysis of both lumped and continuous (transmission line) parameter circuits is performed with the use of differential equations (both ordinary and partial) in the time domain, and the Laplace transform. The transform is fully developed in the book for readers who are not assumed to have seen it before. The use of singular time functions (unit step and impulse) is addressed and illustrated through detailed examples. The appearance of paradoxical circuit situations, often ignored in many textbooks (because they are, perhaps, considered ‘difficult’ to explain) is fully embraced as an opportunity to challenge students. In addition, historical commentary is included throughout the book, to combat the misconception that the material in engineering textbooks was found engraved on Biblical stones, rather than painstakingly discovered by people of genius who often went down many wrong paths before finding the right one. MATLAB® is used throughout the book, with simple codes to quickly and easily generate transient response curves.
A mathematical journey through the most fascinating problems of extremes and how to solve them What is the best way to photograph a speeding bullet? How can lost hikers find their way out of a forest? Why does light move through glass in the least amount of time possible? When Least Is Best combines the mathematical history of extrema with contemporary examples to answer these intriguing questions and more. Paul Nahin shows how life often works at the extremes—with values becoming as small (or as large) as possible—and he considers how mathematicians over the centuries, including Descartes, Fermat, and Kepler, have grappled with these problems of minima and maxima. Throughout, Nahin examines entertaining conundrums, such as how to build the shortest bridge possible between two towns, how to vary speed during a race, and how to make the perfect basketball shot. Moving from medieval writings and modern calculus to the field of optimization, the engaging and witty explorations of When Least Is Best will delight math enthusiasts everywhere.
Book Synopsis When Least Is Best by : Paul J. Nahin
Download or read book When Least Is Best written by Paul J. Nahin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-05-18 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A mathematical journey through the most fascinating problems of extremes and how to solve them What is the best way to photograph a speeding bullet? How can lost hikers find their way out of a forest? Why does light move through glass in the least amount of time possible? When Least Is Best combines the mathematical history of extrema with contemporary examples to answer these intriguing questions and more. Paul Nahin shows how life often works at the extremes—with values becoming as small (or as large) as possible—and he considers how mathematicians over the centuries, including Descartes, Fermat, and Kepler, have grappled with these problems of minima and maxima. Throughout, Nahin examines entertaining conundrums, such as how to build the shortest bridge possible between two towns, how to vary speed during a race, and how to make the perfect basketball shot. Moving from medieval writings and modern calculus to the field of optimization, the engaging and witty explorations of When Least Is Best will delight math enthusiasts everywhere.
An entertaining mathematical exploration of the heat equation and its role in the triumphant development of the trans-Atlantic telegraph cable Heat, like gravity, shapes nearly every aspect of our world and universe, from how milk dissolves in coffee to how molten planets cool. The heat equation, a cornerstone of modern physics, demystifies such processes, painting a mathematical picture of the way heat diffuses through matter. Presenting the mathematics and history behind the heat equation, Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons tells the remarkable story of how this foundational idea brought about one of the greatest technological advancements of the modern era. Paul Nahin vividly recounts the heat equation’s tremendous influence on society, showing how French mathematical physicist Joseph Fourier discovered, derived, and solved the equation in the early nineteenth century. Nahin then follows Scottish physicist William Thomson, whose further analysis of Fourier’s explorations led to the pioneering trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. This feat of engineering reduced the time it took to send a message across the ocean from weeks to minutes. Readers also learn that Thomson used Fourier’s solutions to calculate the age of the earth, and, in a bit of colorful lore, that writer Charles Dickens relied on the trans-Atlantic cable to save himself from a career-damaging scandal. The book’s mathematical and scientific explorations can be easily understood by anyone with a basic knowledge of high school calculus and physics, and MATLAB code is included to aid readers who would like to solve the heat equation themselves. A testament to the intricate links between mathematics and physics, Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons offers a fascinating glimpse into the relationship between a formative equation and one of the most important developments in the history of human communication.
Book Synopsis Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons by : Paul J. Nahin
Download or read book Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons written by Paul J. Nahin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2022-05-10 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An entertaining mathematical exploration of the heat equation and its role in the triumphant development of the trans-Atlantic telegraph cable Heat, like gravity, shapes nearly every aspect of our world and universe, from how milk dissolves in coffee to how molten planets cool. The heat equation, a cornerstone of modern physics, demystifies such processes, painting a mathematical picture of the way heat diffuses through matter. Presenting the mathematics and history behind the heat equation, Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons tells the remarkable story of how this foundational idea brought about one of the greatest technological advancements of the modern era. Paul Nahin vividly recounts the heat equation’s tremendous influence on society, showing how French mathematical physicist Joseph Fourier discovered, derived, and solved the equation in the early nineteenth century. Nahin then follows Scottish physicist William Thomson, whose further analysis of Fourier’s explorations led to the pioneering trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. This feat of engineering reduced the time it took to send a message across the ocean from weeks to minutes. Readers also learn that Thomson used Fourier’s solutions to calculate the age of the earth, and, in a bit of colorful lore, that writer Charles Dickens relied on the trans-Atlantic cable to save himself from a career-damaging scandal. The book’s mathematical and scientific explorations can be easily understood by anyone with a basic knowledge of high school calculus and physics, and MATLAB code is included to aid readers who would like to solve the heat equation themselves. A testament to the intricate links between mathematics and physics, Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons offers a fascinating glimpse into the relationship between a formative equation and one of the most important developments in the history of human communication.
Today complex numbers have such widespread practical use--from electrical engineering to aeronautics--that few people would expect the story behind their derivation to be filled with adventure and enigma. In An Imaginary Tale, Paul Nahin tells the 2000-year-old history of one of mathematics' most elusive numbers, the square root of minus one, also known as i. He recreates the baffling mathematical problems that conjured it up, and the colorful characters who tried to solve them. In 1878, when two brothers stole a mathematical papyrus from the ancient Egyptian burial site in the Valley of Kings, they led scholars to the earliest known occurrence of the square root of a negative number. The papyrus offered a specific numerical example of how to calculate the volume of a truncated square pyramid, which implied the need for i. In the first century, the mathematician-engineer Heron of Alexandria encountered I in a separate project, but fudged the arithmetic; medieval mathematicians stumbled upon the concept while grappling with the meaning of negative numbers, but dismissed their square roots as nonsense. By the time of Descartes, a theoretical use for these elusive square roots--now called "imaginary numbers"--was suspected, but efforts to solve them led to intense, bitter debates. The notorious i finally won acceptance and was put to use in complex analysis and theoretical physics in Napoleonic times. Addressing readers with both a general and scholarly interest in mathematics, Nahin weaves into this narrative entertaining historical facts and mathematical discussions, including the application of complex numbers and functions to important problems, such as Kepler's laws of planetary motion and ac electrical circuits. This book can be read as an engaging history, almost a biography, of one of the most evasive and pervasive "numbers" in all of mathematics. Some images inside the book are unavailable due to digital copyright restrictions.
Book Synopsis An Imaginary Tale by : Paul J. Nahin
Download or read book An Imaginary Tale written by Paul J. Nahin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2010-02-22 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today complex numbers have such widespread practical use--from electrical engineering to aeronautics--that few people would expect the story behind their derivation to be filled with adventure and enigma. In An Imaginary Tale, Paul Nahin tells the 2000-year-old history of one of mathematics' most elusive numbers, the square root of minus one, also known as i. He recreates the baffling mathematical problems that conjured it up, and the colorful characters who tried to solve them. In 1878, when two brothers stole a mathematical papyrus from the ancient Egyptian burial site in the Valley of Kings, they led scholars to the earliest known occurrence of the square root of a negative number. The papyrus offered a specific numerical example of how to calculate the volume of a truncated square pyramid, which implied the need for i. In the first century, the mathematician-engineer Heron of Alexandria encountered I in a separate project, but fudged the arithmetic; medieval mathematicians stumbled upon the concept while grappling with the meaning of negative numbers, but dismissed their square roots as nonsense. By the time of Descartes, a theoretical use for these elusive square roots--now called "imaginary numbers"--was suspected, but efforts to solve them led to intense, bitter debates. The notorious i finally won acceptance and was put to use in complex analysis and theoretical physics in Napoleonic times. Addressing readers with both a general and scholarly interest in mathematics, Nahin weaves into this narrative entertaining historical facts and mathematical discussions, including the application of complex numbers and functions to important problems, such as Kepler's laws of planetary motion and ac electrical circuits. This book can be read as an engaging history, almost a biography, of one of the most evasive and pervasive "numbers" in all of mathematics. Some images inside the book are unavailable due to digital copyright restrictions.
Some probability problems are so difficult that they stump the smartest mathematicians. But even the hardest of these problems can often be solved with a computer and a Monte Carlo simulation, in which a random-number generator simulates a physical process, such as a million rolls of a pair of dice. This is what Digital Dice is all about: how to get numerical answers to difficult probability problems without having to solve complicated mathematical equations. Popular-math writer Paul Nahin challenges readers to solve twenty-one difficult but fun problems, from determining the odds of coin-flipping games to figuring out the behavior of elevators. Problems build from relatively easy (deciding whether a dishwasher who breaks most of the dishes at a restaurant during a given week is clumsy or just the victim of randomness) to the very difficult (tackling branching processes of the kind that had to be solved by Manhattan Project mathematician Stanislaw Ulam). In his characteristic style, Nahin brings the problems to life with interesting and odd historical anecdotes. Readers learn, for example, not just how to determine the optimal stopping point in any selection process but that astronomer Johannes Kepler selected his second wife by interviewing eleven women. The book shows readers how to write elementary computer codes using any common programming language, and provides solutions and line-by-line walk-throughs of a MATLAB code for each problem. Digital Dice will appeal to anyone who enjoys popular math or computer science.
Book Synopsis Digital Dice by : Paul J. Nahin
Download or read book Digital Dice written by Paul J. Nahin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2011-05-04 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some probability problems are so difficult that they stump the smartest mathematicians. But even the hardest of these problems can often be solved with a computer and a Monte Carlo simulation, in which a random-number generator simulates a physical process, such as a million rolls of a pair of dice. This is what Digital Dice is all about: how to get numerical answers to difficult probability problems without having to solve complicated mathematical equations. Popular-math writer Paul Nahin challenges readers to solve twenty-one difficult but fun problems, from determining the odds of coin-flipping games to figuring out the behavior of elevators. Problems build from relatively easy (deciding whether a dishwasher who breaks most of the dishes at a restaurant during a given week is clumsy or just the victim of randomness) to the very difficult (tackling branching processes of the kind that had to be solved by Manhattan Project mathematician Stanislaw Ulam). In his characteristic style, Nahin brings the problems to life with interesting and odd historical anecdotes. Readers learn, for example, not just how to determine the optimal stopping point in any selection process but that astronomer Johannes Kepler selected his second wife by interviewing eleven women. The book shows readers how to write elementary computer codes using any common programming language, and provides solutions and line-by-line walk-throughs of a MATLAB code for each problem. Digital Dice will appeal to anyone who enjoys popular math or computer science.
