Cy Tymony, author of the best-selling Sneaky Uses series, brings his unique, fun hands-on learning approach to all things math.
Many people fear math and numbers, even Barbie, who famously said "Math class is tough" in her controversial 1992 talking doll version. But in Sneaky Math, Cy Tymony takes tough and turns it into triumph. He shows us how math is all around us through intriguing and easy projects, including 20 pass-along tools to complement math education programs.
The book is divided into seven sections:
1. Fundamentals of Numbers and Arithmetic
2. Algebra Primer
3. Geometry Primer
4. Trigonometry Primer
5. Calculus Primer
6. Sneaky Math Challenges, Tricks, and Formulas
7. Resources
Grades 6-9. From the author of The Sneaky Book for Boys and The Sneaky Book for Girls (both 2008) comes this great companion to typical math curricula. The premise is based on the notion that mathematics is best learned through hands-on experiences and problems. Chapters include content from arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, and calculus. Each chapter starts with brief and basic textbook-style explanations and is followed by projects, formula sheets, mnemonic devices, and acronyms. Projects are based on real-world inquiry, such as determining the height of a distant object using its shadow or converting a temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit, and require very few materials. Pages are designed for reproduction, and several projects involve constructing study aids with moving parts. Math lessons in school have a reputation for being rote and forgettable, but the content has a way of sneaking into everyday life, and by capitalizing on these real-world applications, Tymony helps conquer much of the fear and dread associated with traditional math lessons.