Duelling idiots and other probability puzzlers / Paul J. Nahin.
"In this collection of twenty-one puzzles, Paul Nahin challenges us to think creatively about the laws of probability as they apply in playful, sometimes deceptive, ways to a fascinating array of speculative situations. Games of Russian roulette, problems involving the accumulation of insects on flypaper, and strategies for determining the odds of the underdog winning the World Series all reveal intriguing dimensions to the workings of probability. Over the years, Nahin, a veteran writer and teacher of the subject, has collected these and other favorite puzzles designed to instruct and entertain math enthusiasts of all backgrounds." "Written in an informal way and containing a plethora of interesting historical material, Duelling Idiots is ideal for those who are fascinated by mathematics and the role it plays in everyday life and in our imaginations."--Jacket.
Record details
- ISBN: 0691009791
- ISBN: 9780691009797
- ISBN: 0691102864
- ISBN: 9780691102863
- Physical Description: xviii, 269 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
- Publisher: Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, [2000].
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- Problems -- How to Ask an Embarrassing Question -- When Idiots Duel -- Will the Light Bulb Glow? -- Underdog and the World Series -- Curious Case of the Snowy Birthdays -- When Human Flesh Begins to Fail -- Baseball Again, and Mortal Flesh, Too -- Ball Madness -- Who Pays for the Coffee? -- Chess Champ versus the Gunslinger -- A Different Slice of Probabilistic Pl -- When Negativity Is a No-No -- Power of Randomness -- Random Radio -- An Inconceivable Difficulty -- Unsinkable Tub Is Sinking! How to Find Her, Fast -- A Walk in the Garden -- Two Flies Stuck on a Piece of Flypaper--How Far Apart? -- Blind Spider and the Fly -- Reliably Unreliable -- When Theory Fails, There Is Always the Computer -- Random Number Generators -- "Some Things Just Have to be Done By Hand!" -- Matlab Programs.
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- Probabilities > Problems, exercises, etc.
- Genre:
- Problems and exercises.
Available copies
- 3 of 3 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Onslow County Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 3 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Main Library | 519.2 NAH (Text) | 36015000661765 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
