Probability Without Tears [Hardcover]

Rowntree (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 169 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (November 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684179946
• ISBN-13: 978-0684179940
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,242,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars With a few improvements, this could be a terrific book, January 15, 2006

By 

Barry Rucker (Murrieta, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Probability Without Tears (Hardcover)

The author has written a very interesting, indeed almost addictive book. I found myself studying this book from dawn till dusk until I finished it. It is in the format of a programmed text, meaning the author presents information in very short bits and immediately quizzes the reader, so that one receives instant feedback on how well one is learning the material. In this 1984 edition, there are several typographic errors, plus there are a few mistakes in the text. The major problem with this book arises in the tests that end each chapter--the author gives answers, but does not tell how to work out the solution to each problem. Thereby a reader cannot learn how to work the problems that stump him, leading to discouragement about learning probability.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best introduction to probability one could ask for, September 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Probability Without Tears (Hardcover)

Each paragraph leads into the next with examples and review of probability concepts. After awhile, you'll discover that you've learned quite a bit without even noticing it, as the book is seamless.

Perfect for poker players or anyone who wants to learn how to figure odds. I can't recommend it enough. It was just what I was looking for.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too little insight, September 13, 2008

By 

George Frank (Jackson MS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Probability Without Tears (Hardcover)

No clarification of the essential ideas of probability theory, including the difference between theoretical and physical random mechanisms, why we study theoretical when we are interested in physical, the meaning and essential role of the trial, the different kinds of random mechanisms, different kinds of outcomes, subtrials, different kinds of outcomes, the real meaning of "conditional probability," the real meaning of an "event," different kinds of events, misnomers in probability theory such as "experiment" (probability theory does not deal with experiments) and "sample space" (there is no concept of a sample in probability theory) and different "kinds" of probability, the sudden switch from calculating probabilities to random variables and their distributions, no mention of the Monte Hall debacle and the kind of thing that was involved, the different kinds of problems that arise relating the probabilities of outcomes to the probabilities of events, the essential difference between probability theory and statistics, and so on. It's all mechanics and drill instead of understanding. I was disappointed. Probability theory is not about "How To." The book should be called "Probability Without Understanding."