The Mathematics Calendar 2010

If you're like me and think that mathematics is great fun, then the idea of having a calendar with a new problem for each day probably sounds pretty intriguing. Indeed, this could be a great product if done well. But the calendar has several shortcomings.

For one, many (most?) of the problems test knowledge rather than intelligence. For example, one problem shows a subtraction problem with one number written in Mayan numerals and the other written in Chinese. Now, if you recognize Mayan and Chinese numbers, this problem requires no thought whatsoever. If you don't, no amount of puzzling will avail you. Another asks, "If 100 quadrillion is written in scientific notation, you get 10^?" This is the same sort of thing. Mathematics should be about reasoning, not trivia. Particularly when each problem has the date as its solution, meaning that questions like the last are more statements of fact than questions.

My other problem with it is that it isn't presented...Read more

I'm on my second year, and I got the one for kids as well. These calendars are great for keeping your math skills up. For each day of the year, you are presented with a problem -- and the answer to that problem is the day of the month! Very diverse problem types, some tricky, some straightforward. Coverage of algebra, geometry, some trigonometry, number/set theory, the occasional calculus problem, and famous formulas (e.g., one problem from January 2011 required knowledge of Euler's identity: e^(i*pi)= -1). Basically what you would expect in an advanced high school setting. Also, the top half covers a mathematical topic of interest, with extensive references to web sites and printed works. If you want to boost your nerd cred, then nothing beats hanging this in your cube space and showing your work for each and every day of the month, preferably in near-illegible pencil scrawl.

Good value for the price; 365 creative math problems from arithmetic, algebra 1 and 2, geometry, trig., and precalculus. Plus some brainbuster problems and a crossword puzzle. Each month has a write-up on some topic such as "the parabola's staying power." Attractive graphics throughout. I enjoyed solving several of the problems last night.