Mathematics Marvels

How do you apply game theory to select who should be on your Christmas shopping list? What equations should you use to decorate the Christmas tree? Will calculations show Santa is getting steadily thinner—shimmying up and down chimneys for a whole night—or fatter—as he munches on cookies and milk in billions of houses across the world?

This book is about iterative processes, i.e., processes that are done repetitively (“reiterated”); such processes often result in sequences which are rich in patterns, making them ideal for investigation. It is written for the student who loves to tinker around with numbers and equations, and with mathematical ideas in general; tinker around just as a child, does when he or she wanders into a wooded region and begins to explore the many marvels and mysteries that are to be found in undisturbed places.