Mathematics is an essential component for almost any educational or professional goal, yet to many students it is also an obstacle - and a source of deep seated frustration. In Studying Math: Pathways to Success, we help students bring their math anxiety under control by identifying its root causes, by revealing constructive ways to cope with frustration, and by explaining the best techniques for studying college math successfully. We examine tips for note-taking, homework, and exams, and demystify the college math curriculum so that students can better understand how studying math fits into their broader goals.
B. Sidney Smith served in the US Army as an enlisted soldier for five years in the 1980's, much of it spent driving M1 battle tanks around the German Countryside or serving in various staff sections. Although the Chief Tobias mysteries, such as The Officer's Wife, are fictional, their themes, events, and characters are taken from these experiences.
After his discharge he returned to school, eventually earning a PhD in mathematics from the University of Colorado. Now a recovering math professor, he resides in central Virginia with his wife and their standard poodles, Hypatia and Madeleine, tending his garden and geese and mulling over Chief Tobias' next adventure.
More of Sid's mathematical writings can be found on the Platonic Realms website, platonicrealms.com, and other work--including short stories featuring Chief Tobias--may be found on his personal website, www.bsidneysmith.com.
