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Mathematical Fallacies, Flaws, and Flimflam [Spectrum]

The Book Forest
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US $129.59
Approximately£97.03
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eBay item number:167216040834
Last updated on 29 Jul, 2025 12:28:17 BSTView all revisionsView all revisions

Item specifics

Condition
New: A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. See the ...
ISBN
9780883855294

About this product

Product Identifiers

Publisher
American Mathematical Society
ISBN-10
0883855291
ISBN-13
9780883855294
eBay Product ID (ePID)
1681471

Product Key Features

Number of Pages
168 Pages
Publication Name
Mathematical Fallacies, Flaws, and Flimflam
Language
English
Publication Year
2000
Subject
General
Type
Textbook
Author
Edward Barbeau
Subject Area
Mathematics
Series
Spectrum Ser.
Format
Trade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height
0.4 in
Item Weight
9.1 Oz
Item Length
9 in
Item Width
5.9 in

Additional Product Features

Intended Audience
Scholarly & Professional
LCCN
99-067971
Reviews
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 Reviews
Series Volume Number
25
Illustrated
Yes
Table Of 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.
Synopsis
Through hard experience, mathematicians have learned to subject even the most evident assertions to rigorous scrutiny, as intuition and facile reasoning can often lead them astray. However, the impossibility and impracticality of completely watertight arguments make it possible for errors to slip by the most watchful eye. They are often subtle and difficult of detection. When found, they can teach us a lot and can present a real challenge to straighten out. Presenting students with faulty arguments to troubleshoot can be an effective way of helping them critically understand material, and it is for this reason that I began to compile fallacies and publish them first in the Notes of the Canadian Mathematical Society and later in the College Mathematics Journal in the Fallacies, Flaws and Flimflam section. I hoped to challenge and amuse readers as well as to provide them with material suitable for teaching and student assignments. This book collects the items from the first eleven years of publishing in the CMJ. One source of such errors is the work of students. Occasionally, a text book will weigh in with a specious result or solution. Nonprofessional sources, such as newspapers, are responsible for a goodly number of mishaps, particularly in arithmetic (especially percentages) and probability; their use in classrooms may help students become critical readers and listeners of the media. Quite a few items come from professional mathematicians. The reader will find in this book some items that are not erroneous but seem to be. These need a fuller analysis to clarify the situation. All the items are presented for your entertainment and use. The mathematical topics covered include algebra, trigonometry, geometry, probability, calculus, linear algebra, and modern algebra., 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., A collection of mathematical errors, drawn from the work of students, textbooks, and the media, as well as from professional mathematicians themselves.
LC Classification Number
QA99 .B17 2000

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Registered as a private sellerThereby, consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not apply. eBay buyer protection still applies to most purchases.
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