The Monty Hall Problem & Other Puzzles (Mastermind Collection) (Paperback)

by Ivan Moscovich (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Puzzlers will feel fit to be tied—Dog Tied: If Fido is tied to a 10-foot-long rope, and his bone is 15 feet away, how is it possible that he can reach and enjoy his bone without breaking or stretching the rope? (And yes—the rope IS tied to something.) There’s fun in finding the answer to this and other cool number-based problems. Dust off your mathematics and get solving. The intriguing enigmas include questions on interstellar communications, ancient geometry (Pythagoras and Plato), and even traffic patterns in Gridlock City. Or, play the Grasshopper Jumping Game. It’s all fascinating.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402716680
• ISBN-13: 978-1402716683
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #730,407 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What a deal!, December 5, 2004

By	Eileen Rieback (Coral Springs, FL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Did you know that mathematics is the only universal language we could expect intelligent aliens to understand? So says Ivan Moscovich, the designer of these puzzles and games which provide a learning experience that he calls "recreational mathematics." The title problem, one of dozens of puzzles within this collection, is the famous Monty Hall problem, which was popularized by Marilyn vos Savant in her Parade Magazine column. While being deceptively simple, its answer is surprising and counterintuitive. You would be amazed at how many people will not accept the correct answer! This puzzle alone, along with the solver's understanding of its solution, is worth the price of the book.

Interspersed among the puzzles in this collection are fascinating facts about such things as the number pi and how far a flea can jump at a single bound. The answer pages provide not only solutions, but explanations for the answers that use simple principles of mathematics. These puzzles are not just challenging and educational, but they are also a visual treat, since each puzzle has one or more colorful and beautiful illustrations. Some of these puzzles are very tricky, but that makes discovering the solution all the more rewarding. Enjoy!

Eileen Rieback