The Liar Paradox and the Towers of Hanoi
Subtitle: The Ten Greatest Math Puzzles of All Time
Publisher: Wiley
Published: August 27, 2004
Language: eng
Number of pages: 256
ISBN-13: 9780471648161
First sentence: IF WE VISIT THE CITY OF GIZA in Egypt today, we cannot help but be overwhelmed by the massive sculpture known as the Great Sphinx, a creature with the head and the breasts of a woman, the body of a lion, the tail of a serpent, and the wings of a bird.
Description: Ever since the Sphinx asked his legendary riddle of Oedipus, paradoxes, conundrums, and puzzles of all kinds have kept humankind perplexed and amused. Why is this so? What do puzzles reveal about the human mind? Do they have implications for the study of mathematics? The Liar Paradox and the Towers of Hanoi answers these questions, taking you on an interactive tour of the world's most enduringly intriguing brain twisters -- ingenious puzzles that have played a pivotal role in shaping mathematical history. Marcel Danesi introduces you to ten masterpieces, explaining the math behind them and including exercises and answers -- as well as the chance to try your hand at similar puzzles. As you navigate the maze of labyrinths, bridges, maps, and baffling problems, you'll see how certain ideas in mathematics originated in the form of puzzles, from optical illusions to sequences to impossibility theory. From die-hard puzzle mavens to math aficionados, this kaleidoscope of conundrums is sure to enlighten, entertain, and impress.