
Innumeracy. Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences
In good used condition with small crease on front cover corner.
Why do even well-educated people often understand so little about maths - or take a perverse pride in not being a 'numbers person'? This book answers questions such as: why is following the stock market exactly like flipping a coin; how big is a trillion; and, how fast does human hair grow in mph.
'Taught me more about the handling of numbers in real life than a thousand hours of maths teaching' Simon Jenkins, The TimesWhy do even well-educated people often understand so little about maths - or take a perverse pride in not being a 'numbers person'?In his now-classic book Innumeracy, John Allen Paulos answers questions such as- Why is following the stock market exactly like flipping a coin? How big is a trillion? How fast does human hair grow in mph? Can you calculate the chances that a party includes two people who have the same birthday? Paulos shows us that by arming yourself with some simple maths, you don't have to let numbers get the better of you.