The Only Math Book You'll Ever Need: Practical, Step-By-Step Solutions to Everyday Math Problems [Hardcover]

Stanley Kogelman (Author), PH. D. And Barbara R. Stanley Kogelman (Author), Barbara R. Heller (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Checkmark Books; Rev Sub edition (November 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816027676
• ISBN-13: 978-0816027675
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,744,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It adds up..., September 3, 2004

By 

FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Only Math Book You'll Ever Need: Practical, Step-By-Step Solutions to Everyday Math Problems (Hardcover)

As a student in college and graduate school, I had far more math than this small book covers, so in fact it is not the be-all and end-all of all mathematics texts. Alas, there is not a quadratic equation or a Fibonacci number listed in the index, nor will one find here the secrets to factoring polynomial equations. However, as my students in Algebra have often observed, one very rarely has to do those sorts of things in 'real life' (with the less than delicately phrased question, 'When am I ever going to need this...?').

For most everyday purposes, however, this is an entertaining and generally non-threatening overview of mathematics principles. There are three main sections: The Mathematics of Personal Finance (money matters!); Outdoor Math; and Indoor Math. In the first section on personal finance, the authors Kogelman and Heller look at the primary uses of math in most people's lives - how to figure out raises and taxes; how to understand bank addition and subtraction, particularly as it relates to balancing the checkbook; how to figure out returns on investments; and how to calculate interest on loans, from mortgages and automobiles to credit cards. This book will in many instances save the reader more than its purchase price. The information adds up!

The second section, Outdoor Math, includes issues as diverse as sport and travel to restaurant dining and gambling. How do you calculate a tip? If the menu says that a 15% or 18% gratuity is added, how can you be sure it was done correctly? If you travel, how do you make sure your exchange rate for money is a fair one? In the games and gambling section, the authors do not give you a perfect plan for counting cards at blackjack or beating the house at Atlantic City, but they do give you some insight into probabilities and risks. Odds are that this section will help.

For the final section, Indoor Math, the authors again return to some crucial, everyday applications. How does one figure out if bills are done correctly? Are you really using that much gas and electricity? Do you save anything by closing a room or shutting off the hot water heater part of the day? Also, practical matters like figuring the square foot measurements for carpeting, comparison shopping for better values involving math, and understanding news reports and media (just what is the difference between 'average income' and 'median income', anyway?).

Kogelman and Heller write in an interesting and accessible way, without jargon and without abstraction -- everything is grounded in real-world applications and is meaningful to the reader. Math can be your friend! This is a good companion.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Only Math That Matters in Real Life, February 10, 2012

By 

U. Balu - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Only Math Book You'll Ever Need: Practical, Step-By-Step Solutions to Everyday Math Problems (Hardcover)

Here is very practical, everyday math book for the everyday person. No jargon or technical terms, just useful math with easy calculations for day-to-day life situations-whether is banking, taxes, investments, or tipping at a restaurant.

The author has divided the book into three parts-Personal finance, Outdoor math and Indoor Math. Personal Finance covers everything from balancing a check book to calculating payments, loans, and planning retirement, all explained in understandable, simple style.

Outdoor math includes tipping, currency, measurement and temperature conversions for foreign travel, miles per gallon `car math', and math for hobbies, games and gambling, with a great introduction to probability.

Indoor math, the most interesting section of the book, is about price fluctuations, comparison shopping, easy computations for doing almost any job around the house (example: how to make a round table cloth), and making sense out of descriptive, detailed, and confusing bills.

An all-around fun book and easy reading for any one who may want some help in figuring it all out!