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The Joy of Numbers

By: Dr. Arthur Benjamin, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Art Benjamin
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Publisher's summary

Numbers. Like the alphabet, they’re one of the most elementary of concepts learned and memorized at a young age; but outside of figuring out tips and taxes, you probably haven’t given much thought to them since then. To a mathematician, every number has its own unique properties and personality - and when studied, played with, and manipulated, numbers can actually be tons of fun.

Learn to appreciate the wonder and awe of numbers as you count up through the sequence with renowned “mathemagician” Arthur T. Benjamin. You’ll start with the original zero, lucky number seven, and the fabulous Fibonacci numbers and work your way through to irrational numbers, pi, and the awesome number infinity. While on this entertaining, humorous, and insightful journey, you’ll pick up some amazing tips and tricks that will allow you to solve complex math problems in your head, take advantage of the odds, and understand God’s Equation...plus, so much more.

Once you experience the joy of numbers, you’ll find your passion for them is contagious.

©2022 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2022 Audible Originals, LLC.
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About the Creator and Performer

Arthur T. Benjamin is the Smallwood Family Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. He earned a PhD in Mathematical Sciences from Johns Hopkins University in 1989. Professor Benjamin's teaching has been honored repeatedly by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). He is a professional magician, whose techniques are explained in his book Secrets of Mental Math: The Mathemagician’s Guide to Lightning Calculation and Amazing Math Tricks. Professor Benjamin also served for five years as coeditor of Math Horizons magazine. Professor Benjamin has appeared on dozens of television and radio programs and has been featured in many publications, including Scientific American magazine, People magazine, and The New York Times. In 2005, Reader's Digest called him "America's Best Math Whiz."

What listeners say about The Joy of Numbers

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    4 out of 5 stars

Learned alot

This audio book held my attention even as I was running. I need to rewind to try the examples. I wish there was a hard copy of this book.

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1 person found this helpful

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Fascinating!

This audiobook is an excellent listen—both informative and entertaining.

I have always loved numbers and mathematics, but I don't think I could ever be as excited and passionate as the author is about the subject. He has found a way to take a topic that many feel is straight-laced and uninteresting and make it exciting and entertaining. I enjoyed learning as I listened.

This title is a perfect listen for anyone curious about the fantastic properties of numbers and how they work together. It is worth the listen just for the entertainment value alone. I highly recommend this book.

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3 people found this helpful

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Detailed and enthusiastic

I appreciate the way he explains these various properties of numbers, especially how he breaks down complicated concepts. His enthusiasm helps in understanding these concepts.

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1 person found this helpful

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Nerd out

Not a math fan but this lecture was still awesome. Smart fun and mind blowing arithmetic and some magic tricks for the total nerds

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A JOY TO LISTEN TO HOW & WHY NUMBERS WORK

~ I couldn't get enough of listening to this Audible book, & I just keep repeating listening to it, so it gets deeply embedded in my memory.
Although the narrator is a little quick in narrating I was able to focus on what he was saying once I used the cloud reader to slow down the narration speed.
~ I even went to sleep listening to it all night. What a joy ride in my dreams.
~ The ways that mathematical number systems work was so intriguing, & the story-line even includes conjectures, which are mathematical theories yet to be proven & solved.
~ The narrator made it a good point to emphasize that all numbers are interesting, especially once you get to know them.

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1 person found this helpful

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Excited about numbers!

Now I’m excited about numbers! The author’s genuine love of numbers comes through in his narration. It’s contagious and makes me want to tell my friends fun facts about numbers!

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Nerdy math greatness

I am an engineer, not a mathematician, but I enjoyed following along with this well performed and organized series of “lectures.” I found a new favorite number in 1001, and learned things about infinite series that I couldn’t have predicted. Definitely a fun, if nerdy, listen!

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Dr. Benjamin is Great

Dr. Benjamin is very enthusiastic! I particularly liked the previews and summaries of the different kinds of special numbers. Entertaining and informative,

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1 person found this helpful

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Very entertaining

The cource is much better than I thought it would be. The author did a great job.

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Hard to follow on audio only

Definitely plan to have a calculator and paper handy to follow along with his examples and exercises

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2 people found this helpful