Portal through Mathematics: Journey to Advanced Thinking

Book excerpt: Portal through Mathematics is a collection of puzzles and problems mostly on topics relating to secondary mathematics. The problems and topics are fresh and interesting and frequently surprising. One example: the puzzle that asks how much length must be added to a belt around the Earth's equator to raise it one foot has probably achieved old chestnut status. Ivanov, after explaining the surprising answer to this question, goes a step further and asks, if you grabbed that too long belt at some point and raised it as high as possible, how high would that be? The answer to that is more surprising than the classic puzzle's answer. The book is organized into 29 themes, each a topic from algebra, geometry or calculus and each launched from an opening puzzle or problem. There are excursions into number theory, solid geometry, physics and combinatorics. Always there is an emphasis on surprise and delight. And every theme begins at a level approachable with minimal background requirements. With well over 250 puzzles and problems, there is something here sure to appeal to everyone. Portal through Mathematics will be useful for prospective secondary teachers of mathematics and may be used (as a supplementary resource) in university courses in algebra, geometry, calculus, and discrete mathematics. It can also be used for professional development for teachers looking for inspiration. However, the intended audience is much broader. Every fan of mathematics will find enjoyment in it.