Verses to reckon with ...
50 simple, entertaining
recreational math puzzles.
Preface from book:
From the prehistoric time of counting with pebbles to the present sophisticated computer age, mathematical recreation has been indulged in by a distinct number of who were seeking diversion. In addition to the fun there has always been the rewarding results obtained from the challenge, the mental stimulation, the testing of wits and the ingenuity, the relaxation of tensions and the sense of triumph when a solution is achieved.
Some of the puzzlers in this volume are selected favorites in different dress, some are original, some are for beginners, some are for old timers and some will serve as suitable adjunct to the textbook, but we believe that all of them are slightly entertaining and will tickle anybody's mathematical fancy.
And what is more, math in verse could, to turn a phrase, make one versed in math.
Not only the kind of brain teasing problems but how they are presented have a great deal to do with their appeal. At the very core of mathematics a beat, a rhythm, and order and a sequence. These very same ingredients are noticeably to be found in poetry. With this relationship the presentation of math problems in verse form is only natural. We believe the versification will not only add to the attraction and enjoyment but multiply the number of enthusiasts - and may their tribe increase.
An Example "The Missing Pages" is below:
The Missing Pages
It's black and white and re(a)d all over and filled with joy and despair.
You can look at it in a bus or train or sitting in an easy chair...
For information of the world around us, it's undoubtedly our greatest source.
Have you guessed what all this refers to? Why, yes, it's a newspaper, of course!
In a newspaper of 24 pages as you read to find out what's new, if you were to find that page 5 is missing what other pages are missing, too?
For answer see below.
P21: This book "Figure It Out" contains 50 familiar reproducible puzzles and answers that require simple reasoning skills for their solutions. All the puzzles are illustrated and given in verse. ($8.00)
Back to Puzzles page Answer:
Pages 6, 19 and 20
Pages 5 and 20 are on the same printed sheet. Page 6 is on the reverse side of page 5. Page 19 is on the reverse side of page 20.
