Mathematics And Sex

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful View of Applied Mathematics
Review: How can a book with a title like this not attract your attention? Why thig might even be interesting enough to attract the attention of the most jaded high schooler.

In Clio Cresswell's view, mathematics is the study of patterns. And boy are patterns a part of sex. How many of us have married the same woman several times - different skins, same insides? What are the probablilities? How do you express this in an equasion.

The writing style is wonderful. Here's the start of Chapter 7 -- Have you ever found yourself wishing there was another sex? "Maybe you have secretly wished for a sex with a penis that would cry with you at the movies, or a sex with breasts that would find copious beer drining the greatest turn-on since Elvis." It goes on to talk about the mathematics of having three sexes. "Just think how hard it is to pick up already in our set up. Imagine if you had to pick up two people each time. You would hardly ever get laid."

A wonderful view of applied mathematics.

Rating:
Summary: entertaining light hearted view of applied mathematics
Review: Very much for the non-mathematician (there is nothing requiring any mathematical skill, just interest) this well written and entertaining book demonstrates the ability of incredibly simple models to capture extremely interesting behaviour, and comments wryly on such imprtant issues ;-) as how many people one should date before settling on "the right one".