Math Cats (#1,364) by Daniel M. Look, PhD caught my eye on the library shelf by the title alone. When I pulled it off the shelf to look at it, the adorable cat sketches sealed the deal. It's not a very big book, but it puts across some more complicated math principles in a straightforward way, using everyday words illustrated by amusing cat examples. How can you not love cats posing to illustrate the different types of angles? If you've ever watched a cat grooming itself, you can probably visualize the right-angle picture in your head!
Plus, Professor Look has thrown in interesting factoids in his explanations. Being rather math-averse myself, if I had had the benefit of having my mind engaged this way during my math classes growing up, I definitely would have paid more attention and benefited greatly. Who knew Pythagoras' own Theorem played a role in the thinker's death? That's what would have stuck in my mind!
I felt upon finishing Math Cats the same way I felt when I finished Stephen Hawking's A Short History of Time; that I had just read something deep and enriching. I promptly passed it along to my husband and my library book club, where a number of reserves were placed on this book during the meeting!
I envy both Dr. Look's students and his hosts of cats with delightful names. He has succeeded in opening minds to new ideas. What could be better for an educator?
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