Mathematical Fallacies, Flaws, and Flimflam
Published on 30. December 2000
Book
Paperback/Softback
167 pages
978-0-88385-529-4 (ISBN)
Description
Through hard experience mathematicians have learned to subject even the most 'evident' assertions to rigorous scrutiny, as intuition and facile reasoning can often be misleading. However, errors can slip past the most watchful eye, they are often subtle and difficult to detect; but when found they can teach us a lot and can present a real challenge to straighten out. This book collects together a mass of such errors, drawn from the work of students, textbooks, and the media, as well as from professional mathematicians themselves. Each of these items is carefully analysed and the source of the error is exposed. All serious students of mathematics will find this book both enlightening and entertaining.
Reviews / Votes
For several years now, Ed Barbeau has been editing a regular column in the CMJ called Fallacies, Flaws, and Flimflam. The column collects interesting examples of mistakes, fallacies, and other mathematical howlers. Some come from students, some from publications, others from contributors who have invented their own swindles and fallacies. This book (which acquired a 'Mathematical' in the title to accomodate readers unfamiliar with the column) is a kind of 'Best of FFF.' It collects over 150 articles from the column, organized by topic into sections ranging from 'Numbers' to 'Advanced Undergraduate Mathematics,' with some 'Parting Shots' thrown in for good measure. There are some wild errors and some quite subtle ones; some things we recognize from many past student productions, others that are quite original...Collected together, they make a book of the sort one reads compulsively from cover to cover. I suspect it can be very useful in our teaching, since some of these creative mistakes would make great discussion starters...Mathematical Fallacies, Flaws, and Flimflam is definitely worth your time.""- Fernando Q. Gouvea, MAA ReviewsMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Washington DC
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 228 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Weight
259 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-88385-529-4 (9780883855294)
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Schweitzer Classification
Content
1. Numbers; 2. Algebra and trigonometry; 3. Geometry; 4. Finite mathematics; 5. Probability; 6. Calculus: limits and derivatives; 7. Calculus: integration and differential equations; 8. Calculus: multivariate and applications; 9. Linear and modern algebra; 10. Advanced undergraduate mathematics; 11. Parting shots.