In this lively volume, mathematician John Allen Paulos employs his singular wit to guide us through an unlikely mathematical jungle—the pages of the daily newspaper. From the Senate and sex to celebrities and cults, Paulos takes stories that may not seem to involve math at all and demonstrates how mathematical naïveté can put readers at a distinct disadvantage. Whether he's using chaos theory to puncture economic and environmental predictions, applying logic to clarify the hazards of spin doctoring and news compression, or employing arithmetic and common sense to give us a novel perspective on greed and relationships, Paulos never fails to entertain and enlighten.
“Rigid distinctions between the deep and the shallow are generally themselves quite superficial.”
Section 5, “Food , Book Reviews, Sports, Obituaries” Introduction (p. 169)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
“In general, any differences between two groups will always be greatly accentuated at the extremes.”
Section 2, “Local, Social, and Business Issues” Chapter 11, “Company Charged with Ethnic Bias in Hiring” (p. 60)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
“You can only predict things after they’ve happened.”
Section 1, “Politics, Economics, and the Nation” Introduction (p. 7; quoting Eugene Ionesco)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
Conclusion (p. 202)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
“Always be smart; seldom be certain.”
Conclusion (p. 201)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
Source: A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995), Chapter 50, “Which Way Mecca?” (p. 198)
Source: A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995), Chapter 42, “New Survey Reveal Changing Attitudes” (p. 180)
Source: A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995), Chapter 40, “Top Designs for the Busy Working Woman” (p. 173)
“Gullible citizens are a demagogue’s dream.”
Section 4, “Science, Medicine, and the Environment” Chapter 38 “More Dismal Math Scores for U.S. Students” (p. 165)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
“Two dangers threaten the world—order and disorder.”
Source: A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995), Chapter 27, “Special Investigator Says Full Story Not Told” (p. 123; quoting Paul Valéry)
Section 3, “Lifestyle, Spin, and Soft News” Chapter 23, “Tsongkerclintkinbro Wins” (p. 106)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
Source: A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995), Chapter 21, “Researchers Look to Local News for Trends” (p. 96)
Section 2, “Local, Social, and Business Issues” Chapter 11, “Company Charged with Ethnic Bias in Hiring” (p. 61)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
Source: A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995), Chapter 9, “Fraud Alleged in Pennsylvania Senate Race” (p. 45)
Section 1, “Politics, Economics, and the Nation” Introduction (pp. 7-8)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
Introduction (p. 3)
A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper (1995)
