Magnificent Mistakes in Mathematics

Magnificent Mistakes in Mathematics PDF Author: Alfred S. Posamentier
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1616147482
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 281

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Book Description
Two veteran math educators demonstrate how some "magnificent mistakes" had profound consequences for our understanding of mathematics' key concepts. In the nineteenth century, English mathematician William Shanks spent fifteen years calculating the value of pi, setting a record for the number of decimal places. Later, his calculation was reproduced using large wooden numerals to decorate the cupola of a hall in the Palais de la Découverte in Paris. However, in 1946, with the aid of a mechanical desk calculator that ran for seventy hours, it was discovered that there was a mistake in the 528th decimal place. Today, supercomputers have determined the value of pi to trillions of decimal places. This is just one of the amusing and intriguing stories about mistakes in mathematics in this layperson's guide to mathematical principles. In another example, the authors show that when we "prove" that every triangle is isosceles, we are violating a concept not even known to Euclid - that of "betweenness." And if we disregard the time-honored Pythagorean theorem, this is a misuse of the concept of infinity. Even using correct procedures can sometimes lead to absurd - but enlightening - results. Requiring no more than high-school-level math competency, this playful excursion through the nuances of math will give you a better grasp of this fundamental, all-important science.

Magnificent Mistakes in Mathematics

Magnificent Mistakes in Mathematics PDF Author: Alfred S. Posamentier
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1616147482
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 281

Get Book

Book Description
Two veteran math educators demonstrate how some "magnificent mistakes" had profound consequences for our understanding of mathematics' key concepts. In the nineteenth century, English mathematician William Shanks spent fifteen years calculating the value of pi, setting a record for the number of decimal places. Later, his calculation was reproduced using large wooden numerals to decorate the cupola of a hall in the Palais de la Découverte in Paris. However, in 1946, with the aid of a mechanical desk calculator that ran for seventy hours, it was discovered that there was a mistake in the 528th decimal place. Today, supercomputers have determined the value of pi to trillions of decimal places. This is just one of the amusing and intriguing stories about mistakes in mathematics in this layperson's guide to mathematical principles. In another example, the authors show that when we "prove" that every triangle is isosceles, we are violating a concept not even known to Euclid - that of "betweenness." And if we disregard the time-honored Pythagorean theorem, this is a misuse of the concept of infinity. Even using correct procedures can sometimes lead to absurd - but enlightening - results. Requiring no more than high-school-level math competency, this playful excursion through the nuances of math will give you a better grasp of this fundamental, all-important science.

Magnificent Mistakes and Fantastic Failures

Magnificent Mistakes and Fantastic Failures PDF Author: Josh Langley
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781922265692
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
A book to help kids build resilience.

Smudge and the Book of Mistakes

Smudge and the Book of Mistakes PDF Author: Gloria Whelan
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
ISBN: 1627530991
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 48

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Book Description
The monastery of St. Ambrose is situated on the Irish island of Morcarrick. Here, monks old and young live quiet lives spent in prayer and service. One day the Abbot decides that Brother Bede, their finest illuminator of manuscripts, will illustrate the Christmas story. It will be magnificent, praised throughout the world (as will St. Ambrose). Unfortunately, young Brother Cuthbert has been chosen to assist Brother Bede in this project. Cuthbert is impatient, lacks discipline, and even worse--is known for making mistakes. His nickname is "Smudge." How can someone so ill-suited assist in the creation of the greatest book of all? Award-winning author Gloria Whelan shows that sometimes, when given the right task, someone's greatest weakness can prove to be his greatest strength.

The Most Magnificent Thing

The Most Magnificent Thing PDF Author: Ashley Spires
Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd
ISBN: 1771381744
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 32

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Book Description
A little girl and her canine assistant set out to make the most magnificent thing. But after much hard work, the end result is not what the girl had in mind. Frustrated, she quits. Her assistant suggests a long walk, and as they walk, it slowly becomes clear what the girl needs to do to succeed. A charming story that will give kids the most magnificent thing: perspective!

The Magnificent Mistake

The Magnificent Mistake PDF Author: Ion Valis
Publisher: Pop Philosophy Press
ISBN: 9780993931505
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
They say the only certainties in life are death and taxes. I would add a third: mistakes. We all commit errors - often small ones, sometimes big ones, and all too frequently the same ones. What if you learned it was actually crucially important to learn from our mistakes? What if you discovered that the most successful people and organizations in the world did just that, and it is often one of the secrets to their success? What if someone gave you a simple tool - a six-step checklist captured in the acronym M.A.S.T.E.R. - which you could use to quickly draw the right lessons from both little miscues and massive failures? Finally, what if you were taught 12 key habits that your team or organization could implement to harness the power of failure? Whether you're an entrepreneur, an employee or an executive, this book is for you. All winners in sports, business and life consistently and systematically learn from their mistakes. It's also the fastest, simplest, most powerful and yet least practiced way to improve you or your organization's performance. We know intuitively we should learn from our missteps. However, very few of us actually do, and that itself is a huge error. Discover what Michael Phelps, Warren Buffett, Amazon and Delta Force have in common in "The Magnificent Mistake."

Beautiful Oops!

Beautiful Oops! PDF Author: Barney Saltzberg
Publisher: Workman Publishing
ISBN: 076115728X
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 33

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Book Description
A life lesson that all parents want their children to learn: It’s OK to make a mistake. In fact, hooray for mistakes! A mistake is an adventure in creativity, a portal of discovery. A spill doesn’t ruin a drawing—not when it becomes the shape of a goofy animal. And an accidental tear in your paper? Don’t be upset about it when you can turn it into the roaring mouth of an alligator. An award winning, best-selling, one-of-a-kind interactive book, Beautiful Oops! shows young readers how every mistake is an opportunity to make something beautiful. A singular work of imagination, creativity, and paper engineering, Beautiful Oops! is filled with pop-ups, lift-the-flaps, tears, holes, overlays, bends, smudges, and even an accordion “telescope”—each demonstrating the magical transformation from blunder to wonder.

Regina's Big Mistake

Regina's Big Mistake PDF Author: Marissa Moss
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780395700938
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 38

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Book Description
When told to draw a jungle in art class, Regina experiences feelings of failure and creative insecurity, but manages to create a beautiful picture that's all her own.

The Girl who Never Made Mistakes

The Girl who Never Made Mistakes PDF Author: Mark Pett
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1402255446
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 34

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Book Description
"Beatrice offers a lesson we could all benefit from: learn from your mistakes, let go, laugh, and enjoy the ride." --JENNIFER FOSBERRY, New York Times bestselling author of My Name Is Not Isabella Being perfect is overrated. Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once ) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, the entire town calls her The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes One day, the inevitable happens: Beatrice makes a huge mistake in front of everyone But in the end, readers (and perfectionists) will realize that life is more fun when you enjoy everything--even the mistakes. Additional praise for The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes: "This funny and heartfelt book conveys a powerful message about how putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect can suck the joy out of everything. Beatrice's discovery that you can laugh off even a very public mistake shows the importance of resiliency and helps perfectionist kids keep things in perspective. Most importantly, Beatrice reminds the reader that it's more important to enjoy the things that you do than worry about doing them perfectly." --A Mighty Girl "The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes is a must-read for any young (or old ) perfectionist. Beatrice Bottomwell is perfectly imperfect " --Stephanie Oppenheim, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio "It's fun and instructive without feeling overly didactic and the illustrations are darling." --Parenting "This book will help little perfectionists see that making mistakes is okay, and it can be a lot of fun too " --Kids Book Blog

The Book of Mistakes

The Book of Mistakes PDF Author: Corinna Luyken
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0735227926
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 57

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Book Description
Zoom meets Beautiful Oops! in this memorable picture book debut about the creative process, and the way in which "mistakes" can blossom into inspiration One eye was bigger than the other. That was a mistake. The weird frog-cat-cow thing? It made an excellent bush. And the inky smudges… they look as if they were always meant to be leaves floating gently across the sky. As one artist incorporates accidental splotches, spots, and misshapen things into her art, she transforms her piece in quirky and unexpected ways, taking readers on a journey through her process. Told in minimal, playful text, this story shows readers that even the biggest “mistakes” can be the source of the brightest ideas—and that, at the end of the day, we are all works in progress, too. Fans of Peter Reynolds’s Ish and Patrick McDonnell’s A Perfectly Messed-Up Story will love the funny, poignant, completely unique storytelling of The Book of Mistakes. And, like Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, it makes the perfect graduation gift, encouraging readers to have a positive outlook as they learn to face life’s obstacles.

Sargon the Magnificent

Sargon the Magnificent PDF Author: Ethel Susan Graham Paterson Bristowe
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Assyria
Languages : en
Pages : 204

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Book Description