The Book of Perfectly Perilous Math: 24 Death-Defying Challenges for Young Mathematicians (Irresponsible Science) - Hardcover

Connolly, Sean

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0761163743 ISBN 13: 9780761163749

Publisher: Workman Kids, 2012

Synopsis

Math rocks! At least it does in the gifted hands of Sean Connolly, who blends middle school math with fantasy to create an exciting adventure in problem-solving. These word problems are perilous, do-or-die scenarios of blood-sucking vampires (How many months would it take a single vampire to completely take over a town of 500,000 people?), or a rowboat of 5 shipwrecked sailors with a single barrel of freshwater (How much can they drink, and for how long, before they go mad from thirst???). Each problem requires readers to dig deep into the tools they’re learning in school to figure out how to survive.

Kids will love solving these problems. Sean Connolly knows how to make tough subjects exciting and he brings that same intuitive understanding of what inspires and challenges kids’ curiosity to the 24 problems in The Book of Perfectly Perilous Math. These problems are as fun to read as they are challenging to solve. They test readers on fractions, algebra, geometry, probability, expressions and equations, and more.

Use geometry to fill in for the ship’s navigator and make it safely to the New World. Escape an evil Duke’s executioner by picking the right door—probability will save your neck.

About this title

About the Author

Sean Connolly is the author of the Totally Irresponsible Science series and dozens of other books for both children and adults. A father of three, he is in an ideal position to explain the nuts and bolts of these experiments. He lives in England.


 

Reviews

Gr 5-8-This follow-up to The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science (Workman, 2010) offers 24 engaging and thought-provoking math problems. A brief introduction explains the arrangement of the text and includes some tips and hints for tackling them. Each one is framed as a tough or dire situation that readers must solve using their math skills and knowledge. There are three levels of difficulty: "You Might Make It" (grade 5), "Slim to None" (grade 6), and "You're Dead" (grade 7). The grade-level assignments are based on Common Core Standards in mathematics, which the problems are aligned with. Each entry begins by stating its "challenge." A boxed area called "Euclid's Advice" offers some tips and suggestions for solving the challenge, followed by a blank page for students to work out their solutions. Next, the solution is provided. Explanations are clear and easy to understand. In "Sage in the Tower," readers must figure out how to use shadows and proportions to determine how tall a tower is in order to rescue the king's scholar. Lastly, each challenge concludes with a "Math Lab" that offers an example of how the principles being addressed can be put into action. The layout is clean and attractive with wacky three-color cartoons throughout. A useful addition to libraries wanting to supplement their mathematics collections, in addition to being an entertaining supplement to the curriculum.-Maren Ostergard, King County Library System, Issaquah, WAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Workman Kids
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0761163743
• ISBN 13: 9780761163749
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240