Mathematics Can Be Fun
by Yakov Perelman · first published 1986
100% recommend
Why HN recommends it
Light, puzzle-driven tour of popular mathematics that builds intuition; readers recall it sparking lasting interest in math and CS. Suits high schoolers and programmers who want problem-solving over theory.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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for me it was gardner, and yakov perelman's "mathematics can be fun". i still mourn that the latter went out of print and has all but vanished.
on “Martin Gardner, puzzle master extraordinaire” ↗"Mathematics Can Be Fun" by Yakov Perelman Not really a book that has lectures but it's a great book that covers all popular topics in Mathematics (fun to read). (Link: https://mirtitles.org/2015/12/07/mathematics-can-be-fun-yako...)
on “Ask HN: Are there books for mathematics like Feynman's lectures on physics?” ↗yakov perelman - mathematics can be fun. I still remember the sense of wonder and deeper understanding that this book provided, which led to interest in math and cs. Found it on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Mathematics-Can-Fun-Yakov-Perelman/dp...…
on “Soviet children’s books became collectors’ items in India” ↗Try ‘Mathematics can be fun’ by Perelman. I was a ‘math prodigy’ in school. To me mathematics was always about solving problems, learning any theory/apparatus makes much more sense when you understand what problems it helps you…
on “Ask HN: I suck at math, where to start?” ↗1. Physics for Entertainment (aka Physics for Fun), Mathematics can be Fun, Arithmetic for Fun, Algebra for Fun etc. all by Yakov Perelman (aka Y.I.Perelman) and published by Mir Publishers in the erstwhile USSR. These were absolutely fantastic and kindled interest in Science/Maths…
on “Ask HN: Books that made you fascinated to learn more mathematics?” ↗This one is new to me. I still have my copies of Physics for Entertainment and Mathematics can be fun by the same author - Yakov Perelman. I owe my superfast stereogram decoding skills ( < 2 seconds most of the times ) to him :) Here's an interesting tidbit from his wikipedia page - He is not related…
on “Geometry for Entertainment (1950)” ↗screwdriver head. perelman's "mathematics can be fun" has that and another couple of fun examples https://archive.org/details/MathematicsCanBeFun-Eng-YakovPer... i got a copy of that book and gardner's "mathematical magic show" when i was 12 or so, and…
on “Math and puzzle fans find magic in Martin Gardner's legacy” ↗…classic Soviet era books by Yakov Perelman - https://mirtitles.org/?s=yakov+perelman Specifically; start with the 2-vol Physics for Entertainment (the breadth of coverage is really good) followed by Mathematics can be Fun, Algebra can be Fun etc. Note: Do not be misled by the words "Entertainment"/"Fun" etc. in the title. As is typical of Soviet era books these are serious works with precise, succinct and focused topics…
on “The Problem of Teaching Physics in Latin America (1963)” ↗…https://mirtitles.org/?s=Handbook+of+Physics 6) Fundamentals of Physics by Ivanov - https://mirtitles.org/2018/04/21/fundamentals-of-physics-iva... 7) Ever popular Science/Maths books by Yakov Perelman viz. Physics for Entertainment, Mathematics can be Fun etc. - https://mirtitles.org/?s=Yakov+Perelman
on “Mathematics: Its Content, Methods and Meaning” ↗…these in Sri Lanka, some of it translated to the local language and published by local publishers. I can't remember whether it was specifically a Mir publication, but I have fond memories of Y. Perelman's Mathematics can be Fun -- beautifully printed and hardbound, with meticulously drawn line art illustrations covering various applications of mathematics.
on “Mir Books – Books from the Soviet Era” ↗If you've never read his books (esp. "Physics for Entertainment") in high school , then you really did not have fun with Physics. His math books: 1. Mathematics Can Be Fun 2. Figures for Fun 3. Arithmetic for entertainment 4. Geometry for Entertainment 5. Lively Mathematics 6. Fun with Maths & Physics His physics books: 1. Physics for Entertainment (1913) 2. Physics…
on “11 Books by Yakov Perelman (in Spanish)” ↗A whole generation of Indian geeks grew up on his books, particularly the superb "Mathematics Can Be Fun". It's a real shame Mir publishers died :(
on “11 Books by Yakov Perelman (in Spanish)” ↗a lot of Indian geeks of my generation grew up on "mathematics can be fun". amazing book.
on “Geometry for Entertainment (1950)” ↗"Mathematics can be fun" is an awesome book A group of people decided to seat together and talk about some casual math problems The one problem I keep remembering is a bet about 1000 men walking by on the street in a row.…
on “Round the tree, yes, but not round the squirrel” ↗"mathematics can be fun" was one of my favourite books when I was a kid. I remember spending a lot of time on this particular puzzle, wrapping my head around the various rotational motions of something both rotating around its…
on “Round the tree, yes, but not round the squirrel” ↗