The Ten Things All Future Mathematicians and Scientists Must Know:

by Edward Zaccaro

Mathematicians and scientists have been closely tied to many famous disasters. The Challenger explosion, the failure of the Mars Orbiter, and the Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway collapse all involved thinking errors. This book presents the ten things our future mathematicians and scientists must know to prevent these kinds of tragedies from occurring. Because science and mathematics instruction is often dominated by facts and calculation, children are rarely exposed to these important concepts. Over 50 stories are included that show children the strong connections between mathematics and science and the real world. a)Sister Elizabeth Kenny discovered an effective treatment for polio, but it was ignored by the medical establishment for 30 years. b)Engineers tried to stop the Challenger launch because of concerns that the o-rings might fail in the cold temperatures. They were ignored. c)Dr. Semmelweis discovered why thousands of women who gave birth at hospitals were dying and a simple way to stop the deaths. His colleagues ignored his discovery and thousands of women continued to die. d)How a simple design mistake led to 114 deaths when a walkway collapsed at the Kansas City Regency Hotel. Questions are included at the end of each chapter to test the reader’s understanding of each concept.

Genres: Mathematics, Science, Education

248 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

Reviews

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ten things are “chapters” in the book, but with smaller sections. After each section are some discussion questions. At the end of each chapter are 3-5 pages of math problems, most of which require only elementary arithmetic. The book is easy to read, with large text interspersed with cartoons to tell the story. The “things” are heavy on statistics (3 of the 10) and standard of proof (2 of the 10). I personally think the ethics chapter would be a great discussion starter in an undergrad science or engineering class. This would be a great co-op or enrichment class or discussion group for kids who like math and science. I used a library copy, but would definitely consider buying a copy.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say enough about how much I love this book. My 13-year-old son enjoyed it so much that when he finished, he asked if there were any more. :) My 11-year-old, highly math-averse daughter loves it too. And, there is something highly satisfying about hearing them use Occam's Razor and correlation vs. causation in their arguments with each other. *grin*

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides interesting ideas and applications of how critical thinking is important in math and science. I look forward to using portions of this book in my class next year.

[Jaeger Matthias · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a neat book.