Game, Set and Math: Enigmas and Conundrums

Twelveessaystakeaplayfulapproachto thesubject,exploringhowtoplaypokeroverthetelephonewithoutthepossibilityofcheating,howtodistinguishplausiblefallaciesfromunbelievablefacts,andhowtocopemathematicallywithcontortedworms,drunkentennisplayers,andsnakesthateattheirowntails.
FormercolumnistforScientificAmerican's"MathematicalGames"section,IanStewartisa professorattheUniversityofWarwickandthe authorofAnotherFineMathYou'veGotMeInto...andascoreofotherbooksofmathematicalrecreations,popularscience,andsciencefiction.Inthiscollectionof pun-studdedfables,heonceagainexerciseshisimmensetalentfortransformingcomplicated conceptsofmodernmathematics intostimulating,accessible fun.Stewartintroducesthedifferentkindsofinfinity,explainshowtobuildyourownvirus,exploresthebrighterideasofPascalandFermat,andevenoffersadozendifferentpuzzlesforthe twelvedaysofChristmas.