What they are saying about Sneaky Math:
The New York Times - Check out this Pi Detector by the ingenious Cy Tymony, creator of the popular Sneaky science and math discovery series. Why does Cy do what he does? I asked, and he responded with the following:
I love science and technology and the wonderful things you can do with a little ‘sneaky’ information using discarded items and without special tools.
For instance, virtually anyone can: Make an AM radio with a penny, create fire with water, turn a screw in an AM/FM radio and listen to aircraft broadcasts, turn on devices with your ring, convert a pencil into a microphone, convert a calculator into a metal detector, make a James Bond spy jacket and more.
Wait. Music from a penny? It’s true. From Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things. Pretty amazing. (Thank you, Andrews McMeel Publishing.)
American Library Association Book List - From the author of The Sneaky Book for Boys and The Sneaky Book for Girls (both 2008) comes this great companion to typical math curricula. The premise is based on the notion that mathematics is best learned through hands-on experiences and problems. Chapters include content from arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, and calculus. Each chapter starts with brief and basic textbook-style explanations and is followed by projects, formula sheets, mnemonic devices, and acronyms. Projects are based on real-world inquiry, such as determining the height of a distant object using its shadow or converting a temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit, and require very few materials. Pages are designed for reproduction, and several projects involve constructing study aids with moving parts. Math lessons in school have a reputation for being rote and forgettable, but the content has a way of sneaking into everyday life, and by capitalizing on these real-world applications, Tymony helps conquer much of the fear and dread associated with traditional math lessons.--Anderson, Erin
SCHOLASTIC – “Learning that doesn’t seem like education is the best way to teach, or so says Cy Tymony in his “Sneaky Math” book. The latest in Tymony’s Sneaky books, the math text covers everything from counting to calculus, but in a way that examines the world around us. Rather than a blackboard and chalk, he uses things like Frisbees and radio-controlled cars to demonstrate and explore math concepts.”
Portland Book Review - If you know a student learning high school or college level math, they will want to read Sneaky Math, A Graphic Primer with Projects. The very first page starts out with “Positive and Negative Number Rules.” Why isn’t this page in every math textbook? This is a eureka moment for any kid trying to get through Algebra! The next page follows with a cute project to help reinforce the magical page that just created a light bulb over every teenager’s head that read it! Struggling with fractions? No problem. This book has that covered too.
A grade schooler can now understand the theory behind trigonometry with the clever straw project. The tips, tricks, references and index in the back of the book are incredibly helpful too. Author Cy Tymony has created a book that will get more use then a dictionary. This is the eighth book in the Sneaky collection, so if you haven’t read the others, you may want to check those out too. The book claims to tackle the most confusing math concepts to prepare you to excel in math courses. This is not a phrase to take lightly, as the book breaks it down so math is truly easy to use and understand. The binding may break in your household from overuse and your teenager might actually thank you for buying this.
Bless Their Hearts Mom – “This book is your pre-teen/teens best friend. Cy takes math concepts and breaks them down into simple everyday referenced formulas that actually make math easy. Eek did I say that? It's true! If you have a kid that struggles with math, this book might be the key to helping them unlock math principles in their brain, and seeing the light at the end of the math problem tunnel! You can check out some FREE projects from Cy on his website at: http://sneakyuses.com/freeprojects.html/ (hint- there are some sneaky science projects too!)”
Danielle Urban – “Sneaky Math: A graphic Primer with Projects is the best math book that I have ever read! It has everything I need to know for my college math courses. I was amazed at how easy the math was to do. The book demonstrates easy steps on how to solve the most difficult math problems. Before, I use to struggle with math and now I'm not! Now, I can do my math homework with ease. I strongly suggest others everywhere to pick up a copy of this stunning yet brilliant book that teaches you everything you need to know. Overall, I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.”
Heather Brown – “A must for every Math teacher, K-college, as well as every kid! There are so many ways to show math concepts in a fun and understandable manner in Sneaky Math. I will be buying 3 copies: for my 8th grader, my high school junior and for my middle school Library.”
Henry Williams – “One of the greater challenges of parenthood, at least for me, has been helping our kids with their math homework. Sure, we all use math in our everyday lives, and some of us even at work, but explaining how and why math works the way it does (such as how to properly work equations with multiplication and addition) can be harder than one thinks, especially when they are concepts that you just know without the accompanying "why". That's one of many reasons why the book Sneaky Math by Cy Tymony is a great primer for adults. With easy to understand explanations and well-diagrammed examples, Sneaky Math offers a great way to reintroduce yourself to math basics and even more complex arithmetic, as well as including interesting projects you can do with your child to illustrate the principles and language of mathematics. Designed so that the math you encounter builds upon what has come before, Sneaky Math truly fits its subtitle, "a graphic primer with projects" as each section from arithmetic to pre-calculus features several projects such as the "Sneaky Cup Calculator" and "Sneaky Powers and Square Root Quizzer" which can be used to both drill and explain the concepts. As well, there are helpful resources and even more advanced mathematics at the end of the book. In total, Sneaky Math is a great way to revisit the finer points and even expand your understanding of the concepts behind math before you have to sort out an explanation of your young one's geometry theorem. “
