Your selection has been added to the cart.

Advanced Search · My Bookshelf · My Cart

Browse Bookstore MAA Press Books Books on Sale Textbooks Book Series AMS eBook Collections

Ordering on the AMS Bookstore is limited to individuals for personal use only. Libraries and resellers, please contact cust-serv@ams.org for assistance. See our librarian page for additional eBook ordering options.

2008; 380 pp; Softcover
MSC: Primary 00;
Print ISBN: 978-0-8218-4348-2
Product Code: MBK/53
List Price: $41.00
AMS Member Price: $32.80
MAA Member Price: $36.90

Add to Cart (PRINT)

Electronic ISBN: 978-1-4704-2484-8
Product Code: MBK/53.E
List Price: $38.00
AMS Member Price: $30.40
MAA Member Price: $34.20

Supplemental Materials

Five-Minute Mathematics

Share this page

Ehrhard Behrends

Translated by David Kramer

How much math can you cover in five minutes? Quite a bit, if you have a good guide. In this collection of one hundred short essays, Ehrhard Behrends offers a tour through contemporary and everyday mathematics. The topics range from pure mathematics to applications of mathematics to observations about the mathematics that surrounds us in daily life. Here, we read about the parable of grains of rice on a chessboard, the mathematics of the lottery, music and mathematics, intriguing paradoxes, the concept of infinity, the Poincaré conjecture, quantum computers, and plenty more.

Anyone who regularly reads the science section of a newspaper or magazine will find much to enjoy in Five-Minute Mathematics. Behrends makes very few assumptions about his readers, other than general curiosity and some familiarity with high school mathematics.

The vignettes originally appeared in the author's newspaper column. They have been extensively revised and expanded, and provided with attractive illustrations and photographs.

Readership

Undergraduates, graduate students, and research mathematicians interested in general topics in mathematics; the mathematics of everyday life.

Reviews & Endorsements

This book, a breath of fresh air, makes mathematics a delight and fun for almost any reader. ... I highly recommend this book for any teacher looking for a way to get students interested in mathematics—again or for the first time.

-- Joyce Fischer, for NCTM's "Mathematics Teacher"

The book has remarkable breadth. It covers probability theory, number theory, the history of mathematics, finance, computer science, topology, music, famous numbers, and on and on. ... This book is sure to be enjoyed by everyone who loves mathematics. With chapters 3–5 pages long, it is the perfect book to read before bedtime, on the beach, or on the train or bus while commuting to work or school.

-- MAA Reviews

The columns have been carefully revised and extra material has been added when this seemed appropriate. The columns are a delight to read. They range very widely through mathematics. He has certainly raised public awareness with these fine columns, which are clearly and engagingly written, and he does not shy away from difficult topics whenhe can find a way to explain them at an appropriate level.

-- LMS Newsletter

One of the main achievements of this book, in the reviewer's opinion, is the fact that sophisticated mathematical ideas are presented in an accessible manner. The applications of mathematics are given much consideration, but the reader will also gain an appreciation for the beauty and power of the subject and the enjoyment that can be had from engaging with it. This book is aimed at the general reader and would be an excellent resource for mathematics teachers or anyone engaged in communicating mathematics to the general public.

-- Zentralblatt MATH

Access this eBook now!

Five-Minute Mathematics

Base Product Code Keyword List: mbk; MBK; mbk/53; MBK/53; mbk-53; MBK-53

Print Product Code: MBK/53

Online Product Code: MBK/53.E

Title (HTML): Five-Minute Mathematics

Author(s) (Product display): Ehrhard Behrends

Affiliation(s) (HTML): Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Author Misc Blurb: Translated by David Kramer

Abstract:

Publication Month and Year: 2008-05-02

Page Count: 380

Cover Type: Softcover

Print ISBN-13: 978-0-8218-4348-2

Online ISBN 13: 978-1-4704-2484-8

Online ISSN:

Primary MSC: 00

Textbook?: false

Applied Math?: false

MAA Book?: false

Electronic Media?: false

Apparel or Gift: false

SXG Subject: GI

Supplemental Materials (URL at AMS): https://www.ams.org/bookpages/mbk-53

Online Price 1 Label: List

Online Price 1: 38.00

Print Price 1 Label: List

Print Price 1: 41.00

Online Price 2 Label: AMS Member

Online Price 2: 30.40

Print Price 2 Label: AMS Member

Print Price 2: 32.80

Online Price 3 Label: MAA Member

Online Price 3: 34.20

Print Price 3 Label: MAA Member

Print Price 3: 36.90

Dual Price 1 Label: List

Dual Price 1: 48.25

Dual Price 2 Label: AMS Member

Dual Price 2: 38.6

Print Add to Cart URL: /some/url/at/AMS/MBK-53

Electronic Add to Cart URL: /some/url/at/AMS/MBK-53.E

Review Copy: https://www.ams.org/exam-desk-review-request?&eisbn=978-1-4704-2484-8&pisbn=978-0-8218-4348-2&epc=MBK/53.E&ppc=MBK/53&title=Five-Minute%20Mathematics&author=Ehrhard%20Behrends&type=R

Readership:

Undergraduates, graduate students, and research mathematicians interested in general topics in mathematics; the mathematics of everyday life.

Reviews:

-- Joyce Fischer, for NCTM's "Mathematics Teacher"

-- MAA Reviews

-- LMS Newsletter

-- Zentralblatt MATH

Free Attachments

Attachments

Follow Link Download FULL PDF Version

Cover
- Cover
Title
- Title
Copyright
- Copyright
Contents
- Contents
Foreword
- Foreword
Translator's Note
- Translator's Note
Preface to the English Edition
- Preface to the English Edition
Preface to the German Edition
- Preface to the German Edition
Acknowledgments
- Acknowledgments
Introduction
- Introduction
Chapter 1. You Can't Beat the Odds
- Chapter 1. You Can't Beat the Odds
Index
- Index

You may also like

Supplemental Materials

Five-Minute Mathematics

Readership

Reviews & Endorsements

Access this eBook now!

Search

Table of Contents

Five-Minute Mathematics

Free Attachments

Attachments

Cover

Title

Copyright

Contents

Foreword

Translator's Note

Preface to the English Edition

Preface to the German Edition

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1. You Can't Beat the Odds

Index

You may also like

Supplemental Materials

Five-Minute Mathematics

Readership

Reviews & Endorsements

Access this eBook now!

Search

Table of Contents

Five-Minute Mathematics

Free Attachments

Attachments

Cover

Title

Copyright

Contents

Foreword

Translator&apos;s Note

Preface to the English Edition

Preface to the German Edition

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1. You Can&apos;t Beat the Odds

Index

Translator's Note

Chapter 1. You Can't Beat the Odds