How Math Can Save Your Life:

by James D. Stein

How to make lots of money, keep yourself safe, and even save the world-all by using a little simple math Forget the dull, boring math you learned in school. This book shows you the powerful things math can do for you, with applications no teacher ever taught you in algebra class. How can you make money off credit card companies? Will driving a hybrid save you money in the long run? How do you know when he or she is ""the one""? From financial decisions to your education, job, health, and love life, you'll learn how the math you already know can help you get a lot more out of life. Filled with practical, indispensable guidance you can put to work every day, this book will safeguard your wallet and enrich every aspect of your life. You can count on it!

Genres: Mathematics, Nonfiction, Science

256 pages, Hardcover

First published February 12, 2010

About the author

Dr. James D. Stein graduated from Yale in 1962 with a BA in mathematics and received his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley in 1967. He is the author of more than 30 research articles on mathematics and the co-author of textbooks on mathematics and strategic management, as well as several books on mathematics and science for the general public. He has served on state and nationwide panels on mathematics education, blogged for Psychology Today and the Huffington Post. It was during the writing of How Math Explains the World that he had the idea that led to his writing The Paranormal Equation.

Reviews

[Alberto Tebaldi · Rating 2 out of 5]

in questo libro diciamo che tanti calcoli solo riflettono cio' che puo' essere risolto dal buonsenso. Inoltre se la realta' fosse un perfetto modello matematico ci si potrebbe affidare ai numeri con lo stesso abbandono dell'autore, ma dubito sia cosi'

[James]

How to make lots of money, keep yourself safe, and even save the world-all by using a little simple mathForget the dull, boring math you learned in school. This book shows you the powerful things math can do for you, with applications no teacher ever taught you in algebra class. How can you make money off credit card companies? Will driving a hybrid save you money in the long run? How do you know when he or she is ""the one""?From financial decisions to your education, job, health, and love life, you'll learn how the math you already know can help you get a lot more out of life. Gives you fun, practical advice for using math to improve virtually every area of daily lifeIncludes straightforward explanations and easy-to-follow examplesWritten by the author of the successful guide, How Math Explains the WorldFilled with practical, indispensable guidance you can put to work every day, this book will safeguard your wallet and enrich every aspect of your life. You can count on it!

[Marco · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author applies mainly basic probability and expected value to different topics, often forgetting about the perceived value (i.e. is it better to get one dollar or to toss a coin and get the triple or nothing? and with a thousand dollars? with a million dollars?)

[Aynur Aslanova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun ways of seeing life through math glasses

[Vansh Nishchal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some very interesting parts, but I found some of the book to be rather repetitive and bland. I definitely enjoyed the bit on game theory at the beginning - it peaked my interest in the subject for sure. It could be renamed "How Arithmetic and Probability Can Save Your Life", as it focuses mostly on basic arithmetic and probability as opposed to the wide map of mathematics.

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

"How Math Can Save Your Life" aims to show how mathematics can play a role in day to day decision making. Aimed at the non-mathematically inclined, it uses only arithmetic, but introduces simple probability theory, statistics, and game theory.

The author, James Stein, a professor of mathematics at California State, Long Beach, has a secondary goal of improving mathematics education in high schools (mostly by de-emphasizing algebra and going back to useful basics).

Each of the 14 chapters explains how math can help achieve some end : improve your grades, win arguments, fix the economy, gamble, etc. And each chapter is illustrated with 3 or 4 examples. He does a good job of keeping the mathematics dead simple, introducing only what is needed to solve the problem at hand, and building on earlier ideas.

For those with any math background beyond high school there is nothing really new here, though some of his examples are interesting. I see this as useful mostly for high school students and math-averse adults. His treatment of game theory as a decision making tool is very useful, as is his treatment of probabilities.

My only serious complaint about this book is the author's right-wing bias. His analysis of the great recession (i.e. the recession we are currently experiencing) is founded on an incorrect analysis - the Rush Limbaugh analysis, to be exact. Specifically he places the root cause on the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977. He offers no explanation why that law caused no problems for nearly 30 years. He goes on to claim that the requirement, beginning in early 90s, that Fannie and Freddie devote a (small) percentage of their lending to affordable housing, played another part in the crisis that took place 16 years later. At no point does he mention the repeal of Glass-Steagal - the law that had kept commercial and investment banks separate. Nor does he mention the outright frauds committed by Goldman and other mega-banks, AIG, or the sleazy mortgage broker industry that made enormous profits from 'liar loans'. In short, he takes the pure right-wing line on this issue (and on others).

Nonetheless, if you can ignore the right-wing bias, and feel the need for better decision making in your day to day life, this may be the right book for you.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps I should have applied math a little more in knowing how hard to study for my college tests or even how often to be on time/verses late! I enjoyed seeing the world through math eyes. I was shocked reading how few students understand basic math premise like percentages. Makes me that much more glad I'm having my kids work on math workbooks this summer. Last year I graded the 3rd graders time tests--if you can't do basic multiplication in your head fast...factions and everything are so much more confusing. Got to know it!!

[Bert Edens · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is pretty ambitious, but I prefer the working title the author references in this book: "How Math Can Get You Laid".

Ultimately, this book could have been renamed "How Probability Can Help You Understand Your World Better", because that was the core of the book. He does address other issues, and uses logic in other places to good effect. But overall, I think the book was just so-so. And I consider myself a math geek.

[CJ Ewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book can make a person feel a little sheepish. My math skills are OK, but like many, I am lazy about applying math to everyday situations. This book shows why we should and shows how easy it can be. Since reading this book, I am amazed at the simple math mistakes made all around me, from store clerks to politicians.

[Maggie V]

An interesting book and although a bit exaggerated about saving lives (yes he does prove it but it's also a common sense thing) it did have many helpful hints. I may have gotten more out of it if I didn't skim, but still got nice tips.

[Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the premise of the book and it had some useful points but it alternated between being overly simplistic to excessively complicated which made it hard to enjoy.

[Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. Primarily about game theory and it's application in everyday life.