Ants, Bikes, and Clocks
Problem Solving for Undergraduates

This book is a readable and enjoyable text designed to strengthen the problem-solving skills of undergraduate students.

William Briggs (Author)

9780898715743, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

Paperback / softback, published 1 January 2004

174 pages
25.3 x 17.5 x 1.1 cm, 0.323 kg

'It is the problems that make this book worth a look. Nearly every mathematical puzzle that I can recall is represented in this book. If you believe (as I do) that problem solving can only be learned by solving problems, then this is the book for you.' Dr Jeffrey A. Graham, MAA Reviews

Mathematics educators agree that problem solving is one of the essential skills their students should possess, yet few mathematics courses or textbooks are devoted entirely to developing this skill. Supported by narrative, examples, and exercises, Ants, Bikes, and Clocks: Problem Solving for Undergraduates is a readable and enjoyable text designed to strengthen the problem-solving skills of undergraduate students. The book, which provides hundreds of mathematical problems, gives special emphasis to problems in context, often called story problems or modeling problems, that require mathematical formulation as a preliminary step. Both analytical and computational approaches, as well as the interplay between them, are included. This engaging book will strengthen students' mathematical skills, introduce them to new mathematical ideas, demonstrate the connectedness of mathematics, and improve both their analytical and computational problem solving. Students are encouraged to use the computer, or any tool at hand, for experimentation or to test their ideas.

1. Introduction
2. A problem solving framework
3. Problem solving strategies
4. How do you do it?
5. Parts of the whole
6. A world of change
7. At any rate
8. Difference equations
9. Insight and computing
10. Take a chance
11. Toward modeling
12. Solutions
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Mathematics [PB]