Towing icebergs, falling dominoes, and other adventures in applied mathematics

Have you ever daydreamed about digging a hole to the other side of the world? Robert Banks not only entertains such ideas but, better yet, he supplies the mathematical know-how to turn fantasies into problem-solving adventures. In this sequel to the popular Towing Icebergs, Falling Dominoes (Princeton, 1998), Banks presents another collection of puzzles for readers interested in sharpening their thinking and mathematical skills. The problems range from the wondrous to the eminently practical. In one chapter, the author helps us determine the total number of people who have lived on earth; in another, he shows how an understanding of mathematical curves can help a thrifty lover, armed with construction paper and scissors, keep expenses down on Valentine's Day.In twenty-six chapters, Banks chooses topics that are fairly easy to analyze using relatively simple mathematics. The phenomena he describes are ones that we encounter in our daily lives or can visualize without much trouble. For example, how do you get the most pizza slices with the least number of cuts? To go from point A to point B in a downpour of rain, should you walk slowly, jog moderately, or run as fast as possible to get least wet? What is the length of the seam on a baseball? If all the ice in the world melted, what would happen to Florida, the Mississippi River, and Niagara Falls? Why do snowflakes have six sides?Covering a broad range of fields, from geography and environmental studies to map- and flag-making, Banks uses basic algebra and geometry to solve problems. If famous scientists have also pondered these questions, the author shares the historical details with the reader. Designed to entertain and to stimulate thinking, this book can be read for sheer personal enjoyment "Here Robert Banks presents a wide range of musings, both practical and entertaining, that have intrigued him and others: How tall can one grow? Why do we get stuck in traffic? Which football player would have a better chance of breaking away - a small, speedy wide receiver or a huge, slow linebacker? Can California water shortages be alleviated by towing icebergs from Antarctica? What is the fastest the 100-meter dash will ever be run?" "The book's twenty-four concise chapters, each centered on a real-world phenomenon, are presented in an informal and engaging manner. Banks shows how math and simple reasoning together may produce elegant models that explain everything from the federal debt to the proper technique for ski jumping."--BOOK JACKET. Units and dimensions and mach numbers -- Alligator eggs and federal debt -- Controlling growth and perceiving spread -- Little things falling from the sky -- Big things falling from the sky -- Towing and melting enormous icebergs : part I -- Towing and melting enormous icebergs : part II -- A better way to score the Olympics -- How to calculate the economic energy of a nation -- How to start football games, and other probably good ideas -- Gigantic numbers and extreme exponents -- Ups and downs of professional football -- A tower, a bridge, and a beautiful arch -- Jumping ropes and wind turbines -- The crisis of the deficit : Gompertz to the rescue -- How to reduce the population with differential equations -- Shot puts, basketballs, and water fountains -- Balls and strikes and home runs -- Hooks and slices and holes in one -- Happy landings in the snow -- Water waves and falling dominoes -- Something shocking about highway traffic -- How tall will I grow? -- How fast can runners run?