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You dont have to love math to enjoy a hand of cards, a night at the casino, or a puzzle. But your pleasure and prowess at games, gambling, and other numerically related pursuits can be heightened with this entertaining volume, in which the authors offer a fascinating view of some of the lesser-known and more imaginative aspects of mathematics.A brief and breezy explanation of the new language of mathematics precedes a smorgasbord of such thought-provoking subjects as the googolplex (the largest definite number anyone has yet bothered to conceive of); assorted geometries  plane and fancy; famous puzzles that made mathematical history; and tantalizing paradoxes. Gamblers receive fair warning on the laws of chance; a look at rubber-sheet geometry twists circles into loops without sacrificing certain important properties; and an exploration of the mathematics of change and growth shows how calculus, among its other uses, helps trace the path of falling bombs.Written with wit and clarity for the intelligent reader who has taken high school and perhaps college math, this volume deftly progresses from simple arithmetic to calculus and non-Euclidean geometry. It lives up to its title in every way [and] might well have been merely terrifying, whereas it proves to be both charming and exciting."  Saturday Review of Literature.

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Perhaps best known as the intrepid adventurer who located the missing explorer David Livingstone in equatorial Africa in 1871, Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904) played a major role in assembling the fragmented discoveries and uncertain geographical knowledge of central Africa into a coherent picture. He was the first European to explore the Congo River; assisted at the founding of the Congo Free State, and helped pave the way for the opening up of modern Africa.In this classic account of one of his most important expeditions, the venerable Victorian recounts the incredibly difficult and perilous journey during which he explored the great lakes of Central Africa, confirming their size and position, searched for the sources of the Nile, and traced the unknown Congo River from the depths of the continent to the sea. Accompanied by three Englishmen and a crew of Africans, Stanley left Zanzibar in 1874. He traveled to Lake Victoria, which he circumnavigated in his boat, the Lady Alice. Almost immediately, illness, malnutrition and conflicts with native tribes began to decimate his followers. Nevertheless, the explorer pushed on, also circumnavigating Lake Tanganyika, which he determined to be unconnected with the Nile system. Finally in 1876, Stanley was ready to undertake "the grandest task of all"  exploring the Livingstone (Congo) River. He sailed down the vast waterway to the lake he called Stanley Pool, then on to a series of 32 cataracts he named Livingstone Falls. Unable to go further by boat, Stanley continued overland, reaching the Atlantic Ocean on August 12, 1877. Mishaps, hostile tribes, and disease had killed his three white companions and half the Africans, but Stanley had attained his objective.His tremendous perseverance (his persistence led his men to nickname him Bula Matari  "the rock breaker") was complemented by Stanley's abilities as a keen observer and accomplished prose stylist. These talents are fully evident in this exciting narrative. It offers not only the action and adventure of a life-and-death struggle to survive in the African wilderness, but detailed descriptions of native peoples, customs, and culture; the flora and fauna of central Africa; and a wealth of geographical, ecological, and other information. Supplemented with 149 black-and-white illustrations and a foldout map, this monumental narrative will be welcomed by anyone interested in the European exploration of central Africa during the nineteenth century, the exploits of one of the great explorers of all time, and a breathtaking story of human endurance and achievement in the face of immense odds.

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At the turn of the century, ladies of privilege could easily afford their own dressmakers, and even middle-class housewives occasionally employed competent seamstresses. But many women did their own sewing, often relying on Dressmaking, Up to Date, a how-to book published by the Butterick Publishing Company. First published in 1905 and widely considered the first modern American sewing book, this extremely rare volume is published here complete and unabridged. This Butterick manual provides clear and concise instructions for altering patterns, hand-sewing stitches, and creating shirt-blouses, skirts, wedding and evening gowns, coats, jackets, maternity wear, undergarments, bathrobes, children's clothing, and many other articles of apparel. Today's costume historians and sewing enthusiasts will find fascinating instruction in such long-lost arts as boning a bodice perfectly, creating skirt sweepers and bust enhancers, concealing hooks and eyes, and other vintage dressmaking techniques. An indispensable archive of information on late-Victorian and turn-of-the-century clothing, this volume will be of immense interest to anyone fascinated by the fashion and costume of the period. It will also be of value to needleworkers wanting to create accurate reproductions of Victorian-era costume, or to anyone interested in applying time-honored sewing techniques to a modern wardrobe.  

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With Applications to Chemistry, Biology, and Physics

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Lasers play an increasingly important role in a variety of detection techniques, making inelastic light scattering a tool of growing value in the investigation of dynamic and structural problems in chemistry, biology, and physics. Until the initial publication of this work, however, no monograph treated the principles behind current developments in the field.This volume presents a comprehensive introduction to the principles underlying laser light scattering, focusing on the time dependence of fluctuations in fluid systems; it also serves as an introduction to the theory of time correlation functions, with chapters on projection operator techniques in statistical mechanics. The first half comprises most of the material necessary for an elementary understanding of the applications to the study of macromolecules, or comparable sized particles in fluids, and to the motility of microorganisms. The study of collective (or many particle) effects constitutes the second half, including more sophisticated treatments of macromolecules in solution and most of the applications of light scattering to the study of fluids containing small molecules.With its wide-ranging discussions of the many applications of light scattering, this text will be of interest to research chemists, physicists, biologists, medical and fluid mechanics researchers, engineers, and graduate students in these areas.

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The soil in forests, meadows, and fields  even in vacant city lots or your own backyard  swarms with countless tiny creatures, most of which are born, struggle for life, and die just beneath the earths surface. In fact, you can find a bountiful sampling of these underground inhabitants simply by filling a bucket with soil. The small animals youre likely to find are vividly described in this fascinating, easy-to-read book, specially designed to acquaint you with a vast, living world beneath your feet.Youll learn about tunnel-building earthworms; threadlike, wriggly roundworms; snails and slugs (the slime gliders); armored scavengers such as wood lice and centipedes; flying tanks, more commonly known as beetles; lurking hunters such as spiders; the busy underground colonies of ants; and numerous other inhabitants of the soil. Youll find out how these diminutive animals live, breed, and interact; learn about their methods of locomotion, feeding, and defense; and even discover how they affect the soil in which they live. The authors also provide helpful suggestions for collecting specimens and explain how they can be preserved and studied.Illustrated with more than 70 detailed black-and-white drawings, this fact-filled book will introduce you to an amazing subterranean world most people never even think about. It is sure to appeal to young naturalists, junior biologist, insect lovers, and anyone curious about the natural world.

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This clearly written, mathematically rigorous text includes a novel algorithmic exposition of the simplex method and also discusses the Soviet ellipsoid algorithm for linear programming; efficient algorithms for network flow, matching, spanning trees, and matroids; the theory of NP-complete problems; approximation algorithms, local search heuristics for NP-complete problems, more. All chapters are supplemented by thought-provoking problems. A useful work for graduate-level students with backgrounds in computer science, operations research, and electrical engineering. "Mathematicians wishing a self-contained introduction need look no further."  American Mathematical Monthly.

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Christos H. Papadimitriou, Kenneth Steiglitz

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Within every drop of pond water lurks an invisible world, alive with an amazing variety of microscopic animals. And with the help of this book and a microscope, you can bring these tiny creatures into focus and discover the ways in which they live.You'll trace the path of a blob-like amoeba as it stretches out its pseudopods to hunt and gobble up its prey, and you'll see the life-or-death water ballet of a slipper-shaped paramecium as it swims away from its mortal enemy, the pincushion-shaped suctorian. You'll also meet the euglena, classified as both plant and animal; the rotifer, a creature with two wheels of whirling hairlike projections that help it move by squeezing in and out like an accordion; and the incredible hydra, a fearsome bully that constantly threatens other small animals with its crown of grasping tentacles.With this book, your key to the world of single-celled organisms, you'll learn fascinating lessons about how these strange animals eat, reproduce, and defend themselves. Enter their microscopic domain and see for yourself!

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Simple Experiments in Atmospheric Physics

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Ever wonder why steam rises from a bowl of hot soup or why a greenhouse retains heat? And have you ever puzzled over the real meaning of "once in a blue moon" or why sand is darker when it's wet than when it's dry? And just why, exactly, do bubbles appear in a glass of beer when you add salt to it?These and many other baffling questions are answered in this engaging book by a physics professor at Pennsylvania State University. Ranging from playful to serious, Professor Bohren's lively and entertaining discussions employ a liberal mixture of humor and anecdote to debunk a host of scientific myths and render science lessons thoroughly understandable. Chapters include "On a Clear Day You Can't See Forever," "A Murder in Ceylon." "The Green Flash," "Physics on a Manure Heap," " Indoor Rainbows," and "Multiple Scattering at the Breakfast Table.""The book rings with a unifying tone: the science of the everyday physical world is fun. And so is the book," writes Jearl Walker, a member of the Physics Department at Cleveland State University. Beginning physics and general readers will be fascinated by the scientific knowledge gained from this work; and science teachers will find it a treasure trove of ideas for simple, vivid classroom demonstrations.

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"Difficult concepts are introduced in a clear fashion with excellent diagrams and graphs."  Alan E. Wessel, Santa Clara University"The style of writing is technically excellent, informative, and entertaining."  Robert McCartyThis new edition of a highly successful text constitutes one of the most influential books on fractal geometry. An exploration of the tools, methods, and theory of deterministic geometry, the treatment focuses on how fractal geometry can be used to model real objects in the physical world. Two sixteen-page full-color inserts contain fractal images, and a bonus CD of an IFS Generator provides an excellent software tool for designing iterated function systems codes and fractal images. Suitable for undergraduates and graduate students of many backgrounds, the treatment starts with an introduction to basic topological ideas. Subsequent chapters examine transformations on metric spaces, dynamics on fractals, fractal dimension and interpolation, Julia sets, and parameter spaces. A final chapter introduces measures on fractals and measures in general. Problems and tools emphasize fractal applications, and an answers section contains solutions and hints.

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The author of this concise, brilliant series of lectures on mathematical methods in quantum mechanics was one of the shining intellects in the field, winning a Nobel prize in 1933 for his pioneering work in the quantum mechanics of the atom. Beyond that, he developed the transformation theory of quantum mechanics (which made it possible to calculate the statistical distribution of certain variables), was one of the major authors of the quantum theory of radiation, codiscovered the Fermi-Dirac statistics, and predicted the existence of the positron.The four lectures in this book were delivered at Yeshiva University, New York, in 1964. The first, "The Hamiltonian Method," is an introduction to visualizing quantum theory through the use of classical mechanics. The remaining lectures build on that idea. "The Problem of Quantization" shows how one can start with a classical field theory and end up with a quantum field theory. In "Quantization on Curved Surfaces," Dirac examines the possibility of building a relativistic quantum theory on curved surfaces. He deduces that it is not possible, but it should be possible on flat surfaces. In the final lecture, "Quantization on Flat Surfaces," he concludes that "we can set up the basic equations for a quantum theory of the Born-Infeld electrodynamics agreeing with special relativity, but [not] with general relativity." Physics and chemistry students will find this book an invaluable addition to their libraries, as will anyone intrigued by the far-reaching and influential ideas of quantum mechanics.

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This introduction to graph theory focuses on well-established topics, covering primary techniques and including both algorithmic and theoretical problems. The algorithms are presented with a minimum of advanced data structures and programming details. This thoroughly corrected 1988 edition provides insights to computer scientists as well as advanced undergraduates and graduate students of topology, algebra, and matrix theory. Fundamental concepts and notation and elementary properties and operations are the first subjects, followed by examinations of paths and searching, trees, and networks. Subsequent chapters explore cycles and circuits, planarity, matchings, and independence. The text concludes with considerations of special topics and applications and extremal theory. Exercises appear throughout the text.

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One of the most important milestones in mathematics in the twentieth century was the development of topology as an independent field of study and the subsequent systematic application of topological ideas to other fields of mathematics.While there are many other works on introductory topology, this volume employs a methodology somewhat different from other texts. Metric space and point-set topology material is treated in the first two chapters; algebraic topological material in the remaining two. The authors lead readers through a number of nontrivial applications of metric space topology to analysis, clearly establishing the relevance of topology to analysis. Second, the treatment of topics from elementary algebraic topology concentrates on results with concrete geometric meaning and presents relatively little algebraic formalism; at the same time, this treatment provides proof of some highly nontrivial results. By presenting homotopy theory without considering homology theory, important applications become immediately evident without the necessity of a large formal program.Prerequisites are familiarity with real numbers and some basic set theory. Carefully chosen exercises are integrated into the text (the authors have provided solutions to selected exercises for the Dover edition), while a list of notations and bibliographical references appear at the end of the book.

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Theodore W. Gamelin, Robert Everist Greene

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The unconquerable frustration of golf, in which every player competes largely against himself and almost always loses, brings out a rich vein of unquenchable wit and fatalistic humor. Enhanced by historical and modern photographs, this hole-in-one gift book collects quotations that complete the phrase "Golf is . . ." Incisive observations from duffers and pros alike include remarks by P. G. Wodehouse, G. K. Chesterton, Winston Churchill, Ben Hogan, Tommy Bolt, and many others.

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One of France's great Renaissance thinkers, Michel de Montaigne (153392) invented the essay as a literary form. This compilation features the best of his brief, highly readable reflections on poetry, philosophy, theology, law, literature, education, and world exploration. Remarkably modern in their views, the essays continue to resonate with readers as their author bemoans his failing memory, criticizes his culture's obsession with celebrity, and attempts to pursue a more spiritual life. Abounding in aphorisms and anecdotes, enlivened by wordplay and a delightful folksiness, Montaigne's writings constitute a celebration of literacy, friendship, and joie de vivre.

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Michel de Montaigne, William Carew Hazlitt, Charles Cotton

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One of the first college-level texts for elementary courses in non-Euclidean geometry, this concise, readable volume is geared toward students familiar with calculus. A full treatment of the historical background explores the centuries-long efforts to prove Euclid's parallel postulate and their triumphant conclusion. Numerous original exercises form an integral part of the book.Topics include hyperbolic plane geometry and hyperbolic plane trigonometry, applications of calculus to the solutions of some problems in hyperbolic geometry, elliptic plane geometry and trigonometry, and the consistency of the non-Euclidean geometries. Extensive appendixes offer background information on the foundation of Euclidean geometry, circular and hyperbolic functions, the theory of orthogonal circles and allied topics, and the elements of inversion.

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Over a period of 25 years as author of the Mathematical Games column for Scientific American, Martin Gardner devoted a column every six months or so to short math problems or puzzles. He was especially careful to present new and unfamiliar puzzles that had not been included in such classic collections as those by Sam Loyd and Henry Dudeney. Later, these puzzles were published in book collections, incorporating reader feedback on alternate solutions or interesting generalizations.The present volume contains a rich selection of 70 of the best of these brain teasers, in some cases including references to new developments related to the puzzle. Now enthusiasts can challenge their solving skills and rattle their egos with such stimulating mind-benders as The Returning Explorer, The Mutilated Chessboard, Scrambled Box Tops, The Fork in the Road, Bronx vs. Brooklyn, Touching Cigarettes, and 64 other problems involving logic and basic math. Solutions are included.

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Illustrated and Explained, Together with the Implements of the Lumberman, Joiner and Cabinet-Maker i

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Classic reference describes in detail hundreds of implements in use in the American colonies in the 18th century. Over 250 illustrations depict tools identical in construction to ancient devices once used by the Greeks, Egyptians, and Chinese, among them axes, saws, clamps, chisels, mallets, and much more. An invaluable sourcebook.

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As the title suggests, More Than Singing concerns not only music and proper vocal techniques but also life and the transcendent power of art. Lotte Lehmann was among the most eminent lyric-dramatic sopranos of the early twentieth century, especially noted for her passionate and sensitive renderings of lieder. In this guide she distills a lifetime of work, research, and experience into concise, revealing lessons in the interpretation of songs by Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Haydn, Beethoven, Strauss, Mahler, Debussy, and other masters."Only that is convincing which is truly felt," declares the author, and her insightful and inspiring manual illuminates the subtleties of tempo, phrasing, enunciationeven the proper pose, facial expressions, and gesturesthat enable singers to plumb the true depths of a song and convey its deepest meanings. Lovers of lieder will particularly appreciate her inspired interpretations of complete song cycles, including Schubert's Die Winterreise and Schumann's Dichterlieber.

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"A fascinating, challenging book."  A.L.A. BooklistLearn to use the most important codes and methods of secret communication in use since ancient times. Cipher and decipher codes used by spies. Explore the famous codes that changed the fate of nations and political leaders. And enjoy hours of fun experimenting with cryptography  the science of secret writing. Beginning with simple letter substitutions and transposition ciphers, world-famous science writer Martin Gardner explains how to break complicated polyalphabetical ciphers and codes worked with grids, squares, triangles, and charts. You'll learn codes that are keyed to typewriters and telephone dials . . . even codes that use playing cards, knots, and swizzle sticks. Experiment with invisible writing  inks that glow in black light and turn red under heat  and explore the possibilities of sending messages through outer space to unknown worlds. Using this book, you can solve the historically famous Playfair Cipher used by Australia in World War II, the Pigpen Cipher used by Confederate soldiers during the Civil War, Thomas Jefferson's Wheel Cipher, the Beaufort system used by the British Royal Navy, codes devised by authors for heroes in literature  Sherlock Holmes, Captain Kidd, and the Shadow. And you will enjoy experimenting with bizarre methods of message sending  the Dot Code, Knot Code, Swizzle Code, and more. Young cryptanalysts, cipher fans, and puzzlists of all ages will find hours of intrigue and challenge in Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing. "A stimulating must for the intermediate cryptographer."  The Kirkus Reviews

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Great for classrooms and free-time fun, these small but substantial challenges offer lighthearted, nonacademic approaches to a variety of math, logic, and verbal conundrums. Most of the puzzles can be completed in only a few minutes and are a perfect way to get children interested in mathematics  adults will relish them as well.