false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172576409m/192221.jpg 192221 6 <p>A perennial bestseller by eminent mathematician G. Polya, <i>How to Solve It</i> will show anyone in any field how to think straight.</p><p>In lucid and appealing prose, Polya reveals how the mathematical method of demonstrating a proof or finding an unknown can be of help in attacking any problem that can be "reasoned" out--from building a bridge to winning a game of anagrams. Generations of readers have relished Polya's deft--indeed, brilliant--instructions on stripping away irrelevancies and going straight to the heart of the problem.</p><p>In this best-selling classic, George Pólya revealed how the mathematical method of demonstrating a proof or finding an unknown can be of help in attacking any problem that can be "reasoned" out--from building a bridge to winning a game of anagrams. Generations of readers have relished Pólya's deft instructions on stripping away irrelevancies and going straight to the heart of a problem. <i>How to Solve It</i> popularized heuristics, the art and science of discovery and invention. It has been in print continuously since 1945 and has been translated into twenty-three different languages.</p><p> Pólya was one of the most influential mathematicians of the twentieth century. He made important contributions to a great variety of mathematical research: from complex analysis to mathematical physics, number theory, probability, geometry, astronomy, and combinatorics. He was also an extraordinary teacher--he taught until he was ninety--and maintained a strong interest in pedagogical matters throughout his long career. In addition to <i>How to Solve It</i>, he published a two-volume work on the topic of problem solving, <i>Mathematics of Plausible Reasoning</i>, also with Princeton.</p><p> Pólya is one of the most frequently quoted mathematicians, and the following statements from <i>How to Solve It</i> make clear why: "My method to overcome a difficulty is to go around it." "Geometry is the science of correct reasoning on incorrect figures." "In order to solve this differential equation you look at it till a solution occurs to you."</p> 185862 1971 How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method (Princeton Science Library) total:88|5:31|4:33|3:17|2:6|1:1| 88 351 205 16 5 0 false false Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Oct 26 14:39:05 -0700 2008 Sun Oct 26 15:04:59 -0700 2008 1 How to Solve It is not as much about methods of solving mathematical problems as it is about various approaches to solving problems in general. The method he uses to teach problem solving is to apply the approaches to problems of ge...more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Oct 14 12:37:35 -0700 2008 Tue Oct 14 13:05:40 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Thu Aug 09 18:27:55 -0700 2007 Thu Aug 09 18:32:46 -0700 2007
Th...more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jan 08 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 09 11:06:50 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 09 11:47:53 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Jan 16 18:41:53 -0800 2008 Thu Jan 17 20:10:39 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Jun 16 10:13:05 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 16 10:17:13 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 28 15:53:25 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 28 15:54:33 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Sun Apr 26 18:28:29 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 26 18:28:29 -0700 2009 2 0 false false Thu Jul 12 18:53:11 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 05 18:35:52 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sun May 13 05:17:19 -0700 2007 Thu Jun 28 08:56:44 -0700 2007 0 0 false false Mon Jun 30 07:15:48 -0700 2008 Mon Jun 30 07:15:48 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Fri Nov 02 07:27:51 -0700 2007 Fri Nov 02 07:29:49 -0700 2007 4 0 false false Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2005 Mon Sep 17 13:53:18 -0700 2007 Mon Sep 17 13:59:08 -0700 2007 4 0 false false Mon Feb 11 12:58:51 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 11 12:59:18 -0800 2008 YES!
it is entertaining and well written.]]> 0 0 false false Mon Aug 11 13:59:46 -0700 2008 Mon Aug 11 14:00:12 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Tue Mar 25 17:24:40 -0700 2008 Tue Mar 25 17:25:03 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Tue Nov 24 21:02:58 -0800 2009 Tue Nov 24 21:02:58 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Mon Nov 23 20:23:04 -0800 2009 Mon Nov 23 20:23:04 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Sun Nov 22 11:09:18 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 22 11:09:18 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Thu Nov 19 01:38:41 -0800 2009 Thu Nov 19 01:38:41 -0800 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=192221