How the Other Half Thinks

Math enthusiasts aren't necessarily the number-crunching geeks we tend to assume. In fact, they know that math is about much more than numbers; it is a profoundly philosophical endeavor, as well as a stimulating mental exercise. In How the Other Half Thinks, Sherman Stein emphasizes the creative element of mathematics by exploring some significant mathematical discoveries through simple, intuitive manipulations. With an ingenious technie that uses no algebra or trigonometry, and only a minimum of arithmetic, Stein takes us through the thought process behind some of math's great discoveries and applications. Each chapter begins with a simple question about strings made up of the letters a and b, which leads to other, more profound questions. Along the way, we become familiar with concepts from such fields as topology and probability, and learn how they have led to applications such as codes and radar, computing, and even baseball statistics. Recreational and instructive, How the Other Half Thinks will appeal to die-hard math enthusiasts (of which there are many) as well as those "right-brainers" who are looking for a way to understand and enjoy math.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Philosophy, Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.