Challenging Mathematical Problems with Elementary Solutions (2-Volume Softcover Set)

Condition VERY GOOD: Both books are in very good condition, showing only a few signs of use and wear. The bindings are tight and the pages are clean.

Product Details

From the back cover: "Translated from a well-known Russian work entitledNon-Elementary Problems in an Elementary Exposition , the chief aim of the book is to acquaint the reader with a variety of new mathematical facts, ideas and methods. And while the majority of the problems represent questions in higher ("non-elementary") mathematics, most can be solved with elementary mathematics. In fact, for the most part, no knowledge of mathematics beyond a good high school course is required. ...

"Ideal as a textbook, for self-study, or as a working resource for mathematics club, this wide-ranging compilation offers 174 carefully chosen problems that will test the mathematical acuity and problem-solving skills of almost any student, teacher or mathematician."

Note from the publisher: "This Dover edition, first published in 1987, is an unabridged and unaltered republication of the edition published by Holden-Day, Inc., San Francisco, in 1967. It was published then as part of the Survey of Recent East European Mathematical Literature, a project conducted by Alfred L. Putnam and Izaak Wirszup, Dept. of Mathematics, The University of Chicago, under a grant from The National Science Foundation. It is reprinted by special arrangement with Holden-Day, Inc., 4432 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, California 94609.

"Originally published as Neelementarnye Zadachi v Elementarnom Izlozhenii by the Government Printing House for Technical-Theoretical Literature, Moscow, 1954."

Volume 1: Combinatorial Analysis and Probability Theory

From the back cover: "Volume One contains 100 problems, with detailed solutions, dealing with probability theory and combinatorial analysis. Topics include the representation of integers as sums and products, combinatorial problems on the chessboard, geometric problems on combinatorial analysis, problems on the binomial coefficients, problems on computing probabilities, experiments with infinitely many possible outcomes, and experiments with a continuum of possible outcomes."

BRIEF CONTENTS/PROBLEM SETS

1. Introductory problems
2. The representation of integers as sums and products
3. Combinatorial problems on the chessboard
4. Geometric problems on combinatorial analysis
5. Problems on the binomial coefficients
6. Problems on computing probabilities
7. Experiments with infinitely many possible outcomes
8. Experiments with a continuum of possible outcomes

Volume 2: Problems from Various Branches of Mathematics

From the back cover: "Volume Two contains 74 problems from various branches of mathematics, dealing with such topics as points and lines, lattices of points in the plane, topology, convex polygons, distribution of objects, nondecimal counting, theory of primes and more. In both volumes the statements of the problems are given first, followed by a section giving complete solutions. Answers and hints are given at the end of the book."

BRIEF CONTENTS/PROBLEM SETS

1. Points and Lines
2. Lattices of Points in the Plane
3. Topology
4. A Property of the Reciprocals of Integers
5. Convex Polygons
6. Some Properties of Sequences of Integers
7. Distribution of Objects
8. Nondecimal Counting
9. Polynomials with Minimum Deviation from Zero (Tchebychev Polynomials)
10. Four Formulas for π
11. The Calculation of Areas of Regions Bounded by Curves
12. Some Remarkable Limits
13. The Theory of Primes