Geekspeak
Why Life + Mathematics = Happiness
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $0.99
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- $0.99
Publisher Description
The quirky offspring of ‘QI’ and ‘Freakonomics’, ‘Geekspeak’ melds ingenious statistical analysis with edifying trivia to explain away some curious facts of life.
Curiosity is our human birthright, and destiny. As a species we are to prone to think, ruminate, reflect, cogitate, deliberate and philosophise. We do all these things, and why? To explain away the world around us, to find solace in knowledge, to answer all those seeming unanswerables: why are we here? Is there a God? Is there life after death? How many slaves on treadmills does it take to power my kettle?
Yes, forget the Bible, ‘Geekspeak’ is the new oracle for 21st century living. Graham Tattersall, a confirmed and superior geek, has rescued maths from the prison of the classroom, imbued it with fresh new life, and put it to use in novel and unexpected ways. His ingenious, deceptively simple formula melds statistical analysis with personal experience and enlightening trivia to explain away some curious and oft-pondered mysteries of the world: how big is your vocabulary, how heavy is your house, do the dead outnumber the living, how powerful is a fly, how fast is a fart.
With its recipe of sophisticated mathematical techniques, witty anecdotes and startling amount of learning, ‘Geekspeak’ is an essential tool for impressing friends, sounding intelligent and better understanding the fascinating world in which we live. Maths has a new champion, and the Geeks a new King.
Reviews
‘It will give you the means of finding out all sorts of information that you don't actually need to know. Curiously, I found it all quite interesting. Does that mean that I am a geek?’ Church Review
About the author
Dr Graham Tattersall is a freelance engineer working on projects as diverse as computer aided shoe fitting, fault analysis systems for trains, and enhancement of ultrasound images. He enjoys building houses, boats and working on engines, and lives in Suffolk with his (long suffering) wife.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The best kept secret in math is how much one can accomplish through estimation and educated guessing: it's possible to take what one knows in general, apply that to an amazing range of problems in daily life, and obtain surprisingly workable solutions to questions like "What are the best words to use in a personal ad?" or "How many flies would it take to pull a car?" In this friendly primer, UK "freelance engineer" Tattersall guides readers through 26 "problems" meant to demonstrate how anyone can benefit from some armchair arithmetic. Like all problem solvers, Tattersall doesn't leave his brain at the office, but uses "short cut" techniques constantly; in short chapters, he describes his process by tackling a different question with a number of methods, as well as practical applications for the solution (say, an estimation of the human brain's processing speed). Though he gilds the lily of mathematical practicality, Tatterall's welcoming attitude, solid principles and intriguing examples should stick with the logically or mathematically inclined. B&w illus.
