Những bài toán đố Matxcơva: 359 trò tiêu khiển toán học

by Boris A. Kordemsky

Những Bài Toán Đố Matxcova - 359 Trò Tiêu Khiển Toán Học

Những bài toán đố Matxcơva là tác phẩm nổi tiếng nhất của Boris Kordemsky, được xuất bản lần đầu năm 1954 (chứ không phải năm 1956 như một số tài liệu khác đã nêu), với số lượng bản in là 150.000 bản, nhanh chóng được bán hết; lần xuất bản lần thứ hai năm 1955, và lần thứ ba năm 1956, cuốn sách cũng bán được với số lượng tương tự. Cho tới nay, tác phẩm đã được tái bản lần thứ mười, lần tái bản mới nhất là năm 2000, và được dịch sang nhiều thứ tiếng như Đức, Pháp, Ba Lan, Anh, Trung Quốc, Nhật Bản, Hàn Quốc và tất cả các thứ tiếng của các nước thuộc vùng Baltic.

"Toán đố là công cụ tốt để khiến học sinh yêu thích toán hơn, nghĩ về toán mọi lúc mọi nơi, và cũng là cách để bố mẹ, anh chị em có thể cùng nhau học toán." - Trần Nam Dũng, Tiến sĩ Toán, Khoa Toán - Đại học Khoa học Tự nhiên TP Hồ Chí Minh

"Khởi đầu từ "ông tổ" của các trò chơi Sam Loyd (Mỹ), tới ‘nhà sáng chế’ Henry Dudeney (Anh), qua ‘người khổng lô’ Andrey Kolmogorov và "thầy giáo làng" Boris Kordemsky (Nga), rồi "nhà ảo thuật" Martin Gardner (Mỹ), nhánh toán học giải trí (recreational mathematics) đã dần dần trở nên giàu có và trù phú hơn bao giờ hết. Những bài toán đố Matxcơva mà các bạn đang cầm trên tay bản dịch tiếng Việt sau 50 năm bản gốc ra đời, là một khu rừng già kỳ bí và hấp dẫn, chứa đựng vô vàn những ý tưởng ‘toán học giải trí’ đẹp đẽ và thư giãn đến bất ngờ." - Nguyễn Quốc Khánh, cựu học sinh chuyên toán A0 Tổng hợp, Khóa 37. Thành viên Ban Tổ chức giải cờ vua thường niên "Vườn ươm Tài năng".

Genres: Mathematics, Puzzles, Nonfiction, Science, Reference, Games, Russia

479 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Boris A. Kordemsky (Борис Анастасьевич Кордемский) was a Russian mathematician.

Reviews

[Aneece · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am half way through this book, and cannot find it. I suspect my toddler.

Update: toddler guilt established.

This book is soooo good. It was a pleasure to forget my solutions to some of the trickier problems, because it meant I got to solve them all over again.

My tastes are particular because I don’t really care for puzzles in general, but really enjoy mathematics. These are puzzles for future math majors. Many require an “ah-ha” insight in order to solve. Really, really fun.

[Aloke · Rating 4 out of 5]

More problems in this vein: http://jnsilva.ludicum.org/HMR13_14/A... (HT: Philip Greenspun's blog)

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

not that complicated just give the nerd the basket

i swear i am still an english kid

[William Schram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in the Soviet Union back in the 70s, this is a good collection of puzzles and mathematical curiosities that are sure to delight anyone interested in math. Contains a wonderful variety of all different levels of puzzles. Not all of them require pure calculation, some require imagination.

[James]

This is, quite simply, the best and most popular puzzle book ever published in the Soviet Union. Since its first appearance in 1956 there have been eight editions as well as translations from the original Russian into Ukrainian, Estonian, Lettish, and Lithuanian. Almost a million copies of the Russian version alone have been sold.Part of the reason for the book's success is its marvelously varied assortment of brainteasers ranging from simple "catch" riddles to difficult problems (none, however, requiring advanced mathematics). Many of the puzzles will be new to Western readers, while some familiar problems have been clothed in new forms. Often the puzzles are presented in the form of charming stories that provide non-Russian readers with valuable insights into contemporary Russian life and customs. In addition, Martin Gardner, former editor of the Mathematical Games Department, Scientific American, has clarified and simplified the book to make it as easy as possible for an English-reading public to understand and enjoy. He has been careful, moreover, to retain nearly all the freshness, warmth, and humor of the original.Lavishly illustrated with over 400 clear diagrams and amusing sketches, this inexpensive edition of the first English translation will offer weeks or even months of stimulating entertainment. It belongs in the library of every puzzlist or lover of recreational mathematics.

[James]

This is, quite simply, the best and most popular puzzle book ever published in the Soviet Union. Since its first appearance in 1956 there have been eight editions as well as translations from the original Russian into Ukrainian, Estonian, Lettish, and Lithuanian. Almost a million copies of the Russian version alone have been sold. Part of the reason for the book's success is its marvelously varied assortment of brainteasers ranging from simple "catch" riddles to difficult problems (none, however, requiring advanced mathematics). Many of the puzzles will be new to Western readers, while some familiar problems have been clothed in new forms. Often the puzzles are presented in the form of charming stories that provide non-Russian readers with valuable insights into contemporary Russian life and customs. In addition, Martin Gardner, former editor of the Mathematical Games Department, Scientific American, has clarified and simplified the book to make it as easy as possible for an English-reading public to understand and enjoy. He has been careful, moreover, to retain nearly all the freshness, warmth, and humor of the original. Lavishly illustrated with over 400 clear diagrams and amusing sketches, this inexpensive edition of the first English translation will offer weeks or even months of stimulating entertainment. It belongs in the library of every puzzlist or lover of recreational mathematics.

[Behrooz Parhami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kordemsky has been praised for making math fun for his high-school students. This book was edited, and contains an introduction, by Martin Gardner of the Scientific American "Mathematical Games Department" fame.

The book's 359 problems are presented in 14 chapters taking up 184 pages: Amusing Problems; Difficult Problems; Geometry with Matches; Measure Seven Times Before You Cut; Skill Will Find Its Applications Everywhere; Dominoes and Dice; Properties of Nine; With Algebra and Without It; Mathematics with Almost No Calculations; Mathematical Games and Tricks; Divisibility; Cross Sums and Magic Squares; Numbers Curious and Serious; Numbers Ancient but Eternally Young. The puzzle statements are followed by 118 pages of answers.

Here is an example puzzle from the "Amusing Problems" chapter: Combine plus signs and five 2s to get 28; combine plus signs and eight 8s to get 1000. Here's another example from the same chapter: What is the sum of all digits if you write the numbers 1 through 1,000,000,000; you are asked for the sum of the digits, not of the numbers, which would be 10^9(10^9 + 1)/2.

I own quite a few books on mathematical and logical puzzles. This book is a wonderful addition to my collection.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a puzzle fan, I bought this expecting math-related riddles. I shouldn't have, nor should you unless you're that guy who's faster at math than a calculator, because while there are some good mathy riddles, the problems are primarily the kind of math that requires visual calculation [using coins, dominoes, etc.] vs. doing it in your head; even the "Mathematics with Almost No Calculations" chapter I found I needed to work it out on paper. This is fine, but it feels a lot less recreational if I need to use a notepad, especially if I don't have one handy.

Furthermore, this is a translation, so there are a few puzzles that are confusing/don't work out as smoothly in English, though I was disappointed to find some glaring typos—e.g., "7/12 = 1/3 - 1/4" [maybe if you ADD them!].

On the whole, it's an interesting thought exercise and forces me out of my comfort zone in trying to solve the puzzles, but I found it most useful as a sleep aid.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

puzzles were great, format was bad. for people unfamiliar with logic and math puzzles the best analogy i can come up with is being given all the clues for a crossword puzzle only without the ability to fill them in anywhere unless you brought along a bunch of materials to both answer the questions and set up the puzzle itself. which would be fine in terms of puzzle-solving, but not when it comes to toting around materials just to do so.

the book - which i received as a gift - is in the form of a paperback novel, whereas it needed to be in the form of a workbook to be of better use. with, you know, at least some empty space to scribble or draw in at the very least.

[Hans Ostrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most amusing and often too difficult for me--or too elaborate, at least. I like the quick little puzzles. It's charmingly old school--it suggests using matches, coins, checkers, or cut paper to set up some of the stuff--and same goes for the illustrations. Aerobics for the brain cells. I like the lateral thinking items best.

[Veronika · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed. Didn’t even finish all the puzzles because honestly got bored. I wish the problems were more diverse and better worded. More often than not, instead of thinking about the puzzle, I spent my time trying to understand the meaning of how it’s worded.

[aella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a really fun way to understand easy math concepts that you might have forgotten.
The first chapter or "Amusing Problems" was not what I was looking for and I found myself skipping through a lot of these problems, but the rest of the book is wonderful.

[Tình Tipa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good and exited.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great way to spend an afternoon or evening. Love doing these puzzles!

[Mandy Thảo Nguyễn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thỉnh thoảng lấy ra tự đố cho đầu óc đỡ mụ mị .....vì yêu hahaa

[Gregory Tabachnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing collection of riddles. Fun to solve and explore

[Beth G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book of math puzzles to use with students (or tackle on your own!). Nice mix of topics and difficulty levels.

[Đức Nguyễn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have a lot of time, this book is for you. But I'm not, though.

[molly v · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun

[Thomas Bell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of them are just joke puzzles, and the mathematical ones are far too easy.

And there are so many of them that throw in a lot of communist propaganda.

[Ayush · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting puzzles that have some value in how they are narrated, but ultimately trumped by other better designed explorations.

[Tung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hay nhưng vài câu bị lỗi dịch nên khó hiểu và giải thích sơ sài.

[Maurizio Codogno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nuova traduzione da parte di Vallardi di questa opera classica della matematica ricreativa. Boris Kordemsky, insieme a Yakov Perelman, è stato il più grande divulgatore matematico sovietico; la sua opera monumentale è del 1954, ma divenne nota in Occidente solo nel 1972, quando ne vene fatta una traduzione in inglese - supervisionata dall'onnipresente Martin Gardner - da cui è tratta anche questa traduzione.
Angelo Mojetta ha fatto un ottimo lavoro: ho confrontato la sua traduzione con quella originale Sansoni e per fortuna si vede la differenza: trentacinque anni dalla prima edizione sono tanti, e la lingua italiana è cambiata abbastanza, anche lasciando perdere gli anglicismi spesso inutili. da meritare un rifacimento generale del testo. Quelle che sono rimaste sono le illustrazioni originali, insieme naturalmente alle ambientazioni dei problemi:spesso il gioco in sé è un classico, ma già solo vederlo con gli occhi di chi viveva nell'Unione Sovietica e quindi trova naturale prendere un certo tipo di esempi. Buon divertimento!

[Maurizio Codogno · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Moscow Puzzles è il nome americano del libro che in italiano è noto come "Giochi matematici russi" e nell'originale russo era "Математическая смекалка", più o meno "esperto di matematica" secondo Google Translate. Boris Kordemsky, secondo la prefazione di Martin Gardner, era un insegnante delle scuole superiori sovietiche e un amante della matematica ricreativa; questa sua raccolta del 1955 deve sicuramente molto alle opere in lingua inglese di Henry Dudeney e Sam Loyd - ma del resto i giochi matematici hanno una loro vita propria, mica puoi rinchiuderli in un recinto! - ma la parte sicuramente più interessante è l'ambientazione. I problemi sono molto sovietici, con incipit come "Komsomol youths have built a small hydro-electric powerhouse" (che poi devono semplicemente decorare con bandierine... quindi sarebbe potuta essere qualunque cosa). Insomma, il libro è importante anche da un punto di vista storico, non solo matematico.

[Andrea Cheung · Rating 5 out of 5]

I carry this book wherever I go. It is a treasure trove of logic and math puzzles for students and adults alike. You can work at them for hours or just exercise your brain for a few minutes while waiting in line or killing time. I have given some of the puzzles to students from 3rd grade to high school math for extra classroom activities. A must have companion for math teachers, students, and enthusiasts.

[Mark Tranter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favourite of mine from my childhood!

[Ointafo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a boy, this book really got me interested in mathematics that went beyond what was taught in school.

[FranklinTV · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seemed like a good buy at the time (hey - it was edited by Martin Gardner). Another collection of puzzles in a slim volume. One day, I might even move past the first puzzle.

[Joseph Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful assortment of classic math puzzles and jokes.