Easy as Pi: The Countless Ways We Use Numbers Every Day Hardcover – April 15, 2010

An interesting account of the use of numbers in our time and in earlier times. It really didn't tell me anything new. but was nevertheless interesting and I think important for those persons who are unversed in the subtleties of mathematics.

The presentation of the material leaves something to be desired in this book. It jumps around too much with a disjointed feel poorly written. Nope...don't trouble yourself.

This is a very entertaining book, and it is sure to generate a lot of conversations.

OK

Very prompt service. Bought it as a gift for my dad. He's 83, a little forgetful but still enjoys remembering and reminiscing school days so I thought he might enjoy relearning a few things.

And it has a lot of mistakes in it for that matter.I am a professor of statistics and I have to take issue with a number of the authors explanations but, more importantly, it just isn't a very good read. It is just one story and another about some mistake or problem or "quirk" in math and statistics. Some of these examples are getting pretty long in the tooth and have been kicked around for years. It is always interesting to me that someone like this, an Australian living in Britain, takes time in a book to criticize social values and experiences in the US. I think you might want to have a look at Britain's own social problems not to mention Australia. I really don't buy books about math or statistics or hear what some foreign author thinks about another country. If you want to do that then start a blog and have at it but I don't want to pay for a book to hear your random and informed thoughts about other countries issues. Just write a good book about contemporary statistical "quirks" and I'll pay for it. I'm sorry I paid for this thing.

Are you numerophobic? Remember high school Algebra..."When am I ever gonna use this stuff?" Ha! Weren't you surprised the first time you had to paint a room and had to use an algebraic equation to figure out how much paint to buy? Or maybe you were figuring how much floorcovering you needed when you realized, "Oh...axb=x (square feet)."Numbers are persistently with us. Having a cup of coffee? Do you need 1/16th of a cup of grounds to brew it? Nearly everything we do involves numbers (How many times does your heart beat per minute? How far is it from the couch to the refrigerator?); there are even those who believe everything in existence can be reduced to a numeric value.When we are not formulating and figuring, numbers (and language influenced by numbers) are still part of our culture, communications, and unspoken thoughts. "Easy as Pi: The Countless Ways We Use Numbers Every Day," written by Jamie Buchan, is a guide to how invasive numbers are. Published by Readers Digest Books, "Easy as Pi" reveals the meanings and origins of phrases employing numbers (7th Heaven, the whole nine yards, three sheets to the wind), examines numbers in fiction (Fahrenheit 451, Catch 22, Se7en, 12 Monkeys) and culture ("The 10 Percent Myth," "555," "Numbers Games"), and discusses the role of numbers in Mythology, Religion, Science, and Mathematics.Fans of crime shows may already know that a "10-10" is a fight in progress and a "10-57" is a hit and run, but for those of us who aren't fluent in 10-code "Easy as Pi" divulges some of the "more interesting" codes. Chapters on numerology and astrology (as well as a segment on "666") are included, as are explanations of the binary code, statistics, infinity, and--everyone's favorite--"The Infinite Monkey Theorem.""Easy as Pi" is an amusing, enlightening look at how dependent we are on numbers to express ideas, meet our needs, and live our lives. It's a great book for collectors of trivia, and an excellent gift for the mathematically-disinclined, those suffering from math anxiety, and the arithmophobic.

Buchanan's engaging and somewhat playful writing style made this book a pleasure to read. It was also informative, and I didn't find inaccuracies (an amazing thing, these days).You do not have to be a nerd to enjoy this book. It's not a "math book." The math angle is really a vehicle or theme for presenting various interesting facts. Some of these facts are trivia, and some are more substantive. The author could have presented a different set of facts, under a different theme. But he chose math and thus we have this book.In keeping with the math motif, the book has a logical structure to it. The book runs 174 pages (in small format). It consists of five chapters, each beginning with "Numbers in..."1. Language. Do you know the origin of "Three sheets to the wind" or "10-4 good buddy?"2. Fiction. Why 007, 39 steps, and Room 101? This chapter explains these and more.\3. Culture. This chapter addresses such things as 555 area codes, 419 scams, and the Golden Number. It's pretty fun reading.4. Mythology and Religion. Why, for example, is 666 considered extremely evil in one culture, and extremely good in another?5. Math and Science. This chapter has many practical applications. The part about misleading statistics will be a real game-changer for most readers. I think 4 out of 5 people don't understand statistical misrepresentation, and this section will help 80% of them.This book is good entertainment and good reading. I laughed aloud in some places, and learned useful facts in some places. I also had fun learning some useless facts that were interesting all the same.