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Archimedes' Revenge (Mass Market Paperback)

by Paul Hoffman (Author)

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Archimedes' Revenge is an extremely accessible, lighthearted account of a number of mathematical topics, many with modern interest, such as complexity theory. Hoffman quotes living mathematicians extensively, giving the reader a feel for the nature of the mathematical community and insight into how this community attempts to resolve open questions. This book is low in mathematical rigor, making it suitable for any interested reader.

From School Library Journal
YA-- This collection of highly readable essays on a variety of mathematical puzzles will both appeal to YAs and expand their understanding of the topics with which mathematicians grapple. Hoffman explains how to construct an unbreakable code, how to build an Easter egg, what a Mobius strip is, and how that relates to molecular structure. He discusses a puzzle which has remained unsolved since Archimedes' time, and explains why some problems are truly insoluble, even by computers. He discusses the origins and limits of computers, and the relationship between mathematical statistics and politics. The book can be read in total, or at random. Students and teachers will appreciate its content and style.
- Dorcas Hand, Episcopal High School, Bellaire, Tex.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Fawcett (July 30, 1989)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0449217507
ISBN-13: 978-0449217504
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,413,329 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Citations (learn more)

20 books cite this book:

Political Numeracy: Mathematical Perspectives on Our Chaotic Constitution by Michael I. Meyerson on 9 pages
Political Numeracy: Mathematical Perspectives on Our Chaotic Constitution by Michael I. Meyerson on 7 pages
A Mathematical Mosaic: Patterns & Problem Solving by Ravi Vakil on page 71, page 73, and Back Matter
Thinking Strategically: The Competitive Edge in Business, Politics, and Everyday Life by Avinash K. Dixit on page 43, and Back Matter
Math Odyssey 2000: Puzzles, Mysteries, Unsolved Problems, Breakthroughs, and the People of Mathematics by Clement W. Falbo on page 41, and page 70

See all 20 books citing this book

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	89% buy the item featured on this page: Archimedes' Revenge 4.5 out of 5 stars (8)
	11% buy MY BRAIN IS OPEN: The Mathematical Journeys of Paul Erdos 4.6 out of 5 stars (34) $14.00

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for non-math types to see the wonder of math, June 19, 2000

By	Tung Yin (Iowa City, IA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Archimedes' Revenge (Paperback)

Most people have math-phobia, which is too bad, because math exhibits a certain beauty and perfection. The great thing about Paul Hoffman's "Archimedes' Revenge" is that he shows you the beauty and perfection without your having to be a math major to understand.

Moreover, for anyone who's wondered what use math is, Hoffman can answer that as well. Among the subjects covered are: cryptology (code making and code breaking), architecture, computer science, and political science.

The book is divided into a number of sections, ranging from number theory to topology to game theory. While these may sound like esoteric (and useless) concepts, Hoffman masterfully weaves in stories, such as the (in)famous Beale cipher, a secretly coded treasure map that has resisted all attempts to crack it for over 100 years.

I recommended to a colleague of mine that she buy this book for her teenage son, who is bright but a slacker. She reported that he raved about the book and was so eager to discuss it with her!

As an example of the sort of thing covered in this book, Hoffman describes a game where A, B, and C all have balloons and darts. A hits his target 80% of the time; B hits his target 60% of the time; and C hits his target 40% of the time. If each person attacks his strongest opponent, who wins most often? Surprisingly, the answer is C, because A and B concentrate their attacks on each other.

In summary, if you have math-phobia but would like to conquer it, this is a great place to start. There are no equations to speak of, just concepts explained in (relatively) plain English. It may take a couple of readings to understand it all, but it's definitely within grasp for those who progressed no farther than Algebra 2 in high school.

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing read bordering on tedious, August 18, 2000

By A Customer

This book might always have come across as a disjointed read (as it delves into four separate areas of mathematics) but it also suffers because these areas fail to hold the reader's attention. The four sections covered are number theory, shapes and topology, computer science, and the mathematics of voting.

Of the four, the number theory section is the most interesting, but a more in-depth and charming analysis of this area of mathematics can be found in Simon Singh's two books: Fermat's Last Theorem and The Code Book.

The chapter on computing machines is weakened by the fact that the book was published first in 1989 and consequently is rather dated.

Overall I would describe this book as a page-turner but only in the sense that I skipped pages to swiftly conclude certain chapters.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Archemides Revenge by Paul Hoffman, February 2, 2004

By	Joseph S. Maresca "Dr. Joseph S. Maresca CPA,... (Bronxville, New York USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Archimedes' Revenge: The Joys and Perils of Mathematics (Hardcover)

This book is perfect for math buffs. The author discusses the
intricacies of dot patterns, prime numbers, codes, geometric
shapes, conic forms, states and the Palindrom check-just to
mention a few of the topics treated. Math majors would find this
work a delight. It is perfect for a school math project.
You could also develop a thesis from some of the challenges
proposed in this book. It is worth the price for persons
interested in higher mathematics and the sciences. It could be
useful for computer scientists and machine language specialists.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent source of material for anyone researching an essay in mathematics
Long on joy and short on perils, this book is full of mathematical excitement. The thirteen chapters, each of which could stand alone as a mathematical essay, describe some of the... Read more

Published 22 months ago by Charles Ashbacher

4.0 out of 5 stars Very like a Martin Gardner book
Well written and the author anticipates current interest in number theory
and cryptography. It reminded me very much of the earlier Martin Gardner " Mathematical Magic Show".

Published on January 23, 2007 by R. Bagula

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting tour of math and its applications
I found the book to be rather interesting, and not difficult to understand. A scientific or mathematical background is an added plus while reading the book. Read more

Published on August 23, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars Wierdness in Mathematics
You may have thought math was cut and dry. This book blows that thought away. In easy to understand, lay language, this book explains some of the wierdness in mathematics. Read more

Published on June 24, 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars Number theory, game theory, and other obscure branches
Hoffman was very readable, especially the section on number theory. Only the last few chapters on game theory got bogged down in the technicalities.

Published on March 1, 1998

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