The Essential Arithmetricks

Murderous Maths #3

by Kjartan Poskitt

Find out how to count your way out of a death-trap, why multiplication can stop a hairy green spot epidemic, and meet the barmy pure mathematicians who spent years proving 5 + 0 = 5. Meanwhile, Chainsaw Charlie, Halfsmile and their gang discover that even the simplest maths can be murderous.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mathematics, Science, Childrens, Humor, Education

Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Kjartan Poskitt is an author and TV presenter who is best known for writing the Murderous Maths children's series of books. Poskitt was educated at Collingwood College, Durham. In addition to his popular science and maths books, which include books on Isaac Newton (Dead Famous: Isaac Newton and his Apple), puzzles, practical jokes and secred codes, Poskitt has written a book of magical tricks, a GCSE Maths support book and four Rosie and Jim annuals. In 2007, Poskit published the first in a new series of children's novels called Urgum the Axeman.

He also wrote the theme tune for the children's art program SMart, as well as the title theme and music for the first two series of Brum. He is also the creator of a logic puzzle, Kjarposko.

He has been a presenter for a number of (mostly BBC) educational children's TV shows.

Reviews

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

230 - 2019

[Gareth Madeley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read the first two books (for myself), it felt like this was a step back in difficulty, focussing on the basic operations (add, subtract, multiply and divide) where the other books had been interesting mathematical facts in general.

If you're planning on reading this with children, I would say this maybe should be the first you read.

[An · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book and the many things that it taught me. I also like how it added humour to maths in this book. 🙂

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, borderline crude, and so very, very British. Excellent overview of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Various approaches in thinking and understanding. Great graphics that illustrate and entertain.

Will be greatly enjoyed by boys, those who already love math, and those who enjoy "pictures" amongst the words. But everyone else will be pleasantly entertained, and even learn a thing or two, if not digest the whole book.

Played the games "frazzle or fish food," and "assassins," and the kids loved them.

These books are hard to find in the US. They can be found used, if you're diligent. But check out Ray at HorribleBooks.com in southern California if you want a particular title.

[Edacheeky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always loved the "Horrible histories" books and all the branches from that including "Murderous maths" THEY ARE SO AWESOME! they are what real teaching is my friend. I LEARNT LONG DIVISION, LOOOOOONG MULTIPLICATION and plenty of other number-related things from this very book. (i actually forgot a lot of it because i read it so long ago but it was actually really helpful and humourous and oh it was just the best! It was the funnest way to learn maths.

[Rainier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book report on AAM


This book cham-bupples your heart,zas-boppes' your brain,goop-manskintingbooples your mind. Read it? It is full of stuff Like 7X29.

A paddle brakes the heart here. The best explanatory is this book is about math. Not much i know. Hail bad.

[Mao Mao · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has one game and three puzzles. It is one of the books from Murderous Maths, my favorite science-fiction series about math, but this book is very easy. It tells me adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing that I had learned long ago. That's why I gave this book 4 stars.

[Wendee Radmall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a bit crude in its silliness. For some children who enjoy comics, though, this may be a good tool for developing basic math concepts.

[Lizfallon96 Fallon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a fun way to approach math. I love the British humor.