Paradoxes in Mathematics (Dover Books on Mathematics)

There’s more than one way to define a paradox, and this intriguing book offers examples of every kind. Stanley J. Farlow, a prominent educator and author, presents a captivating mix of mathematical paradoxes: the kind with surprising, nonintuitive outcomes; the variety that rely on mathematical sleight-of-hand to impress the unwary observer; and the baffling type with a solution that passes all understanding.

Students and puzzle enthusiasts will find plenty of thought-provoking enjoyment mixed with a bit of painless mathematical instruction among these twenty-eight conundrums. Some of them involve counting, some deal with infinity, and others draw on principles of geometry and arithmetic. None requires an extensive background in higher mathematics. Challenges include The Curve That Shook the World, a variation on the famous Monty Hall Problem, Space Travel in a Wineglass, Through Cantor’s Looking Glass, and other fun-to-ponder paradoxes.