Why do even well-educated people often understand so little about maths - or take a perverse pride in not being a 'numbers person'? This book answers questions such as: why is following the stock market exactly like flipping a coin; how big is a trillion; and, how fast does human hair grow in mph.
John Allen Paulos is professor of mathematics at Temple University in Philadelphia. He is author of several books, including the bestseller Innumeracy which was a New York Times bestseller for 18 weeks and A Mathematician Plays the Market. In 2003, Paulos won the American Association for the Advancement of Science award for promoting public understanding of science.