Mathletics: 100 Amazing Things You Didn't Know about the World of Sports

By John D. Barrow

Book Overview

How can sprinter Usain Bolt break his world record without expending any additional effort? What dates of birth give rise to the best professional athletes? Is it better to have the inside or outside lane during a race?

Drawing on vivid, real-life examples, mathematician John D. Barrow entertainingly explores the eye-opening, often counterintuitive, insights into the world of sports that math and physics can give us. For example, we learn that left-handed boxers have a statistical advantage over their right-handed opponents. Through clear, detailed, and fascinating mathematical explanations, Barrow reveals the best techniques and strategies for an incredible range of sports, from soccer and running to cycling, archery, gymnastics, and rowing.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393345505
• ISBN13: 9780393345506
• Release Date: June 2013
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.6" x 8.2"