Thursday, August 4, 2011

Math For Grownups by Laura Laing - Book review



Math for Grownups

Re-Learn the Arithmetic You Forgot From School So You Can, Calculate how much that raise will really amount to (after taxes) Figure ... homework Convert calories into cardio time


By: Laura Laing

Published: July 18, 2011
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1440512639
ISBN-13: 978-1440512636
Publisher: Adams Media











"Even people who don't sweat math problems - namely, mathematicians! - sometimes have trouble with the calculations we face in everyday life", writes journalist and former high school mathematics teacher Laura Laing, in her very engaging and user friendly book Math for Grownups: Re-Learn the Arithmetic You Forgot From School So You Can, Calculate how much that raise will really amount to (after taxes) Figure ... homework Convert calories into cardio time. The author provides a practical and useful guide to relearning the basic mathematics necessary to solve the many number based problems that arise in everyone's daily lives.

Laura Laing recognizes that many people have either forgotten, or never really learned, the standard mathematics formulas needed to perform the calculations needed in everyday life. Whether the problem is ensuring that the amount of money in one's pocket will cover the selected store purchases, measuring around the house for repairs or new appliances, figuring out the costs involved with buying a house or automobile, or figuring out a recipe in the kitchen, calculations are needed to find a solution. That necessity means knowing and understanding basic math formulas and concepts. For Laura Laing, the intimidation many people feel when faced with numbers and calculations is unfounded and unnecessary. Instead, the author demonstrates how math is not only helpful in our lives, but is really a lot of fun as well.



Laura Laing (photo left) maintains that math problems are not really challenging at all, but simply basic arithmetic, shapes, measurements, and the language of numbers. The author describes the good news is that very few people in the world are unable to solve simple math problems. Indeed, Laura Laing presents compelling evidence that everyone is able do math very well in almost any setting. For the author, people have an innate curiosity about the world, and that world involves numbers, sizes, shapes, and measurements that anyone can master effectively. To this end, Laura Laing guides the reader through the steps to solving even the most seemingly complex problems with relative ease. The chapters cover the areas in life where people will have the need for some basic math:

* At the store
* At the dealership
* On the market
* At home
* In the kitchen
* In the yard
* In the craft room
* At the bank
* In the gym
* On the road

For me, the power of the book is how Laura Laing takes the mystery, and along with it the misplaced sense of difficulty, out of the basic principles of mathematics. Through a combination of real world examples, interesting and intriguing problems, and a healthy dose of good humor, the author teaches math in the way many people wished it had been taught to them. Laura Laing is enthusiastic about mathematics, and conveys her excitement with numbers and finding solutions to the reader. The author dispenses with the highly theoretical and abstract math that many people remember from their high school days, and grounds the subject in the very real world of everyday life. Along with the fun and well designed problems, Laura Laing also provides a very handy list of formulas and glossary of math terms, for easy reference.

I highly recommend the enjoyable and easy to follow guide book Math for Grownups: Re-Learn the Arithmetic You Forgot From School So You Can, Calculate how much that raise will really amount to (after taxes) Figure ... homework Convert calories into cardio time by Laura laing, to anyone seeking a useful and results oriented refresher course in basic mathematics. Instead of the often discouraging and dry treatment accorded to the fascinating world of mathematics, the author transforms the subject into an enjoyable journey toward a solution to an identifiable problem.

Read the mathematics misconception ending book Math for Grownups: Re-Learn the Arithmetic You Forgot From School So You Can, Calculate how much that raise will really amount to (after taxes) Figure ... homework Convert calories into cardio time by Laura laing, and discover how delightful math can be as an easy to relearn tool for working through even the seemingly most perplexing problems. This book will have you actively seeking out new opportunities to apply your rediscovered mathematical abilities.

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