The Inquisitive Problem Solver is a collection of mathematical miniatures composed to stimulate and entertain. On a deeper level, these little puzzles, accessible to a general audience, provide a setting rich in mathematical themes. One of the larger purposes of the book is to show how everyday situations can lead an inquisitive problem solver to profound and far-reaching mathematical principles. Discussions accompanying the problems reinforce important techniques in discrete mathematics, and the solutions - which require verbal arguments - show that proofs and careful reasoning are at the core of doing mathematics. In addition, anyone reading this book will learn that asking good questions is just as important to the progress of mathematics as answering questions. The book contains more than a dozen open problems for further research by amateurs or professionals. This treasury of problems will serve as a resource for anyone seeking to improve their problem-solving knowledge and know-how.
Richard K. Guy has taught mathematics at all levels from kindergarten to post-graduate, in Britain, Singapore, India, and Canada. He has been involved in the publications program of The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) for quite some time, serving for twenty-five years as editor of the "Unsolved Problems Section'" of the "American Mathematical Monthly", as well as serving on several MAA editorial boards. The MAA selected him as the Hedrick Lecturer in 1978, and he won the MAA Lester R. Ford Award for Expository Writing in 1989. He is the author of a dozen books, notably among them "Winning Ways", with Elwyn Berlekamp and John Conway; "The Book of Numbers," with John Conway; "Unsolved Problems in Number Theory," and "Unsolved Problems in Geometry," with Hallard Croft and Ken Falconer.
Loren Larson was Professor of Mathematics at St. Olaf College from 1963-1996, and Benedict Distinguished Visiting Professor of Mathematics at Carleton College, 1999-2001. He has been active in the MAA as Governor of the North Central Section, and as Associate Director of the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition. His publications include:" Algebra and Trigonometry Refresher for Calculus Students," "Problem-Solving through Problems," and "The Wohascum County Problem Book,," with George Gilbert and Mark Krusemeyer published by the MAA.
Paul Vaderlind was born in Poland, but has lived in Sweden since 1969. He received his PhD in the field of discrete from Stockholm University and has been teaching there since 1974. His first contact with Problem solving came when he was 10 and got a beautiful puzzle book "The Moscow Puzzles" by Boris Kordemsky (now it is a classic). Problem solving has been his hobby since then. Besides his work at Stockholm University, he has been engaged in mathematical competitions and in the education of gifted youth. He has been the leader of the Swedish team to the International Mathmatical Olympiad.
