1st Edition
The World through the Lens of Mathematics
Following up on their previous book, U.S.A. Through the Lens of Mathematics, the authors offer interesting information about all countries in the world, their history,geography, language, culture, and resources presented in the form of mathematical problems. The problems are combined in sections based on related mathematical concepts, including systems of linear algebraic equations, extremum of afunction,sequencies,logicalproblems,andothers.
This fascinating book exposes students to a novel educational strategy that aims to overcome fear of mathematics, reduce mathematical anxiety, and show the applicability of mathematics to everyday life and events. The book offers interesting information about all countries in the world, their history, geography, language, culture, and resources are presented in the form of mathematical problems.
The problems are combined in sections based on related mathematical concepts, including systems of linear algebraic equations, extremum of a function, sequencies, logical problems, and others. Each problem starts with a brief narrative to introduce its applied content with intriguing facts. The answer key, followed by very detailed solutions accompanying each problem.
This unique book aims to shatter the barrier between students and this mathematics by encouraging students to look at mathematics from a different perspective, build a bridge between their surroundings and mathematics and, at the same time, enriches them with new knowledge of culture, history, customs, and geography.
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 Our Algebraic World
The World in Fractions
1. Divided Countries
2. Reunited Countries
3. Country Capitals
4. New Countries
5. National Anthems
6. National Flags
7. Skyscrapers
8. Shared Islands
9. Feeding Animals
10. Healthy Weight
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Facts in Factors
1. Oldest European Countries
2. The Grand Bazaar
3. The -stan Countries
4. Stonehenge
5. The Mayan Calendar
6. National Parks
7. Treasures of the Sea
8. Voting and Drinking Ages
9. Movies with Numeric Titles
10. Penicillin and Bubble Gum
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Sequential History
1. National Anthems Around the Globe
2. Populations of the Seven Continents
3. The Land Down Under
4. From Clasp Lockers to Zippers
5. Microwaves
6. The Deepest Point
7. Countries with Many Borders
8. The Decline of the Olympic Games
9. Ancient Olympic Games
10. Modern Olympic Games
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Unions of Unions
1. The United Kingdom
2. The United Nations
3. Continental Unions
4. The BRICS Economies
5. Enclaves
6. Semi-enclaves
7. Icelandic Glaciers
8. Iceland Tourism
9. Human Development vs GDP
10. The H-Day
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
The Most Extreme
1. The Smallest Country in Oceania
2. The Longest Border
3. The Deepest River
4. The Largest River
5. The Tallest Mountain
6. The Wettest Capital
7. Basalt Columns
8. The Longest Tunnel
9. The Shortest Land Border
10. The Ring of Fire
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
UNESCO Sites with Logarithms
1. UNESCO World Heritage Sites
2. Countries with the Most Heritage Sites
3. UNESCO Heritage Cities
4. Countries with the Least Heritage Sites
5. Restricted UNESCO Heritage Sites
6. Losing Heritage Status
7. Disjoint UNESCO Heritage Sites
8. Heritage City on a Coral Reef
9. UNESCO Heritage Lakes
10. UNESCO Archipelagos
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Chapter 2 Around the World With Equations
Inventions with Linear Equations
1. Driving on Causeway
2. Linking to the Continent
3. Temperature Scales
4. Nobel Prize
5. Easter Island
6. Astonishing Excavations
7. Rediscoveries of the Past
8. Unsinkable
9. Predictions, Predictions
10. Credit Cards
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Nonlinearities around the Globe
1. The Cradle of Civilization
2. Monarchies and Kingdoms
3. The Largest Kingdom
4. Countries with Similar Names
5. Borders between Countries
6. The Land of Eagles
7. Lucky-Unlucky Numbers around the world
8. Lucky-Unlucky Numbers in Countries
9. Speed Limits
10. From Rejection to Fame
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Linear Systems Everywhere
1. Halloween around the World
2. Shopping Cart on Wheels
3. Camel Caravans
4. The Tallest Mountains
5. Countries with Lakes
6. The Largest Rivers
7. Alphabets
8. Notable Minarets
9. The Honey Country
10. Giving Flowers
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Nonlinear Systems through Time
1. The Newest Capital
2. The Sculpture Lake
3. A National Flag with Stars
4. Time Zones
5. Smallest Continent, Largest Island
6. Countries around the Globe
7. The Narrowest Country
8. The Lowest Points of the Continents
9. Quadripoints
10. A Guinness Book Record Holder
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Chapter 3 Wor(l)d Problems
Profits at Markets
1. The Vernissage Market
2. An Eritrean Market
3. A Fish Market
4. An Indian Market
5. The Tabriz Bazaar
6. A Floating Market
7. A Parfum Market
8. A Historic Market
9. A Train Market
10. A Night Market
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Work on Work
1. Air Conditioning
2. Reclaiming Land
3. The Sagrada Familia
4. A Beer Bath
5. A Modern Medieval Castle
6. After Hurricanes
7. Notable Tunnels
8. Remarkable Tunnels
9. The Blue Lagoon
10. Construction Projects
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Speed and Distances
1. Sailing in the Caribbean
2. Explore Dominica
3. The Middle East
4. A Salesperson’s Problem
5. Three Ancient Cities
6. Sunset in Panama
7. Camino de Santiago
8. The Flattest Countries
9. Cities with Most Airports
10. Balkan Countries
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
From Capital to Capital
1. Island Countries
2. Central European Capitals
3. The Furthest Closest Capitals
4. Multiple Capitals
5. Capitals of Bordering Countries
6. Popular Capitals
7. The Closest Capitals
8. Exceptionality of Capitals
9. Capitals Named after Presidents, Kings and Tribes
10. Multilingual Capitals
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Mathematics in Games
1. Slinkies
2. Hopscotch
3. Rummikub
4. Ball Games
5. Darts
6. Dice Game
7. Card Games
8. Colored balls
9. Domino
10. Tri-omino
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Miscellaneous Mixtures
1. Olympic Games
2. Olympic Medals
3. Saltiest Lakes
4. Acids
5. Acids Everywhere
6. Acids in Medicine
7. Date Palms
8. Mango Trees
9. Grapes and Raisins
10. Nuts Mixture
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
World Religions
1. The Big Five
2. Hinduism
3. Abrahamic Religions
4. Buddhism
5. Holy Books
6. Twice-Holy Temples
7. Minarets
8. Cathedrals
9. Christian Churches
10. Statues of the Buddha
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Chapter 4 Geometry in The World
From Graphs to Scientists
1. The First Female Scholar
2. The Founder of the First Academy
3. A Famous Brotherhood
4. The Designer of Paradoxes
5. The Father of Geometry
6. Inventors of Logarithms
7. Creators of Analytic Geometry
8. Scientists in the Names of Curves
9. Authors of Famous Books
10. Creators of Notations
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Notable Shapes
1. Roundest Countries
2. Squarest Countries
3. Shapes of Pyramids
4. The Pyramid of Giza
5. Tombs inside Pyramids
6. The Grand Canal
7. The Corinth Canal
8. Buildings with Polygons
9. The Largest Pomelo
10. The Heaviest Pomelo
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Geometric Fun with National Flags
1. Colorful National Flags
2. The Unity Flag
3. Rectangles on National Flags
4. Triangles on National Flags
5. National Flags with Triangles
6. National Flags with Trapezoids and Triangles
7. Circles on National Flags
8. National Flags with Circles
9. Five-Pointed Stars on National Flags
10. Six-Pointed Stars on National Flags
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Chapter 5 The World in Puzzles
Savvy Puzzles
1. Guinea Countries
2. Equatorial Guinea
3. The Largest Gas Station
4. Mont-Saint-Michel
5. Coral Reefs
6. Three Genii
7. The Braille System
8. NATO
9. The World’s Fair
10. Yale Lads
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Number Puzzles
1. Math is Twice the Fun
2. Roots are Bliss
3. The Tallest Statue
4. Amazing Numbers
5. Tug of War
6. The Country Mirrors a River
7. The Lone Star State
8. The Sahara Desert
9. Criminals on Banknotes
10. Units of Measurement
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Grid Puzzle
1. Languages Around the Globe
2. Official Languages in Palau
3. Official Languages in Australia
4. Official Languages in the U.S. and Mexico
5. Inventions and Complaints
6. Discovery of Insulin
7. Tectonic Plates
8. Metro in Turkey
9. The Eifel Tower
10. Countries Rich with Lakes
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Logic Puzzles
1. Countries of the Past
2. Capitals of Hawaii
3. U.S. Statehood
4. The Northwest Territory
5. An Insular Area
6. The Tallest Towers
7. Suspension Bridges
8. Countries Rich with Islands
9. Countries of the World
10. The Oldest Border
SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
Biography
Dr. Natali Hritonenko is an award-winning Professor of Mathematics and Associate Dean at Prairie View A&M University. During her prolific career, Dr. Hritonenko has authored 7 books and over 150 papers. Her books are used as textbooks and translated to other languages. Dr. Hritonenko is continuously working on improving mathematical education. Dr. Hritonenko is the founder and director of PVAMU REU Site: Mathematical Modeling in the Sciences supported by NSF and Mellon Canter for Faculty Excellence.
Dr. Yuri Yatsenko holds a Ph.D. from Kiev National University (Ukraine) and Dr. Sci. degree from the USSR Academy of Sciences (Moscow). He was a professor at science, business and technology schools in Ukraine, Poland, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Canada, and USA. Since 2002, he has been a professor at Houston Baptist University. Dr. Yatsenko has published eight books and more than 200 papers in top-ranked scientific journals.
