A Mathematical Mystery Tour: Higher-Thinking Math Tasks [Paperback]

Mark Wahl (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0913705268 | ISBN-13: 978-0913705261 | Publication Date: July 1, 1988

This classic motivator of math thinking is now updated with a year 2000 insert, providing more Fibonacci and golden ratio activities related to the stock market, fractals, algebra, and more! The book also includes helpful web sites related to the book’s content! Engage the naturalist intelligence with its fascinating pattern activities and tap several of the other intelligences as well. Let this graphically alive mystery tour integrate math into art, science, philosophy, history, social studies, and language arts. The use of the calculator, geometric construction, metric measurement, problem solving, formulating results, and making inferences is woven throughout the book. Teacher-help pages provide answers and useful insights to the material.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Wahl is owner and director of Mark Wahl Math Learning Services located near Seattle in Washington State. A mathematics learning specialist since the 70's, he has been a teacher at many grade levels, a writer of three activity books and many articles, a conference presenter, a teacher trainer, and a curriculum design consultant. He develops strategies of creative, multi-intelligence mathematics instruction, both to make “fuzzy math” concepts laser clear and to gently lower math anxiety. Some of his unique approaches include story-telling, "personalizing" numbers, finding tunes in number patterns, making concepts visual, and bringing alive the history behind math ideas.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Zephyr Press (July 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0913705268
• ISBN-13: 978-0913705261
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,359,661 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Homeschool & higher thinking, August 5, 2006

By 

Pat Sullivan - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Mathematical Mystery Tour: Higher-Thinking Math Tasks (Paperback)

I used this book while homeschooling my 6th grade son, and it was his favorite math day. The Fibonacci numbers intrigued him and revealed the connection between spiral galaxies, patterns on a pine cone, and our own DNA. It also incorporates reading skills, as the book refers the student to an accompanying newspaper for further data he needs. A unique and wonderful book!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Creative Thinking, October 3, 2004

By 

Cheryl Smith - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Mathematical Mystery Tour: Higher-Thinking Math Tasks (Paperback)

I have used this book in teaching both Consumer Math and Geometry. It includes many activities to be done by groups or individuals. Especially evident are the patterns in nature which lead to mathematical insight. Anyone who is intrigued by Fibonacci numbers (1,1,2,3,5,8,...) and the Golden Ratio (.618, 1.618) will love the activities included in this highly interesting and helpful book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing Math even for Mathphobes, August 1, 2009

By 

Brenda Storz "Hungry for Books" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Mathematical Mystery Tour: Higher-Thinking Math Tasks (Paperback)

Mark Wahl takes an interdisciplinary discovery/adventure approach to higher-level math skills (focusing on Fibonacci numbers & the Golden Ratio), which really attracts kids with a variety of interests and levels of engagement/interest in math. Totally Refreshing for parents and students alike. DO check to make sure that the accompanying TOUR GUIDE newspaper is actually included in your purchase -- the author originally included it (I called him to track this down)-- it has since been turned into a pdf file which is downloadable directly through Prufrock Publishers -- and there should be no additional charge. Kids can use this independently, though it's interesting enough that parents will want to be involved. Thus far, this title has piqued the interest of my 9 yo math skeptic and he picks it up for leisure, though it looks like it's complexity builds steeply.