How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method (Princeton Science Library)

At last, one of my friends at Toronto order the book for me, she got after 15 days and send it to me after 30 days through one of her relative.

I felt I must read it. After having and reading, I found that the book is really a very basic book to open your mind for facing problems. Which helps to understand, think, analyze and solve problems. I'm a programmer in C. I love to think about problem.


Thinking outside of the box   April 17, 2001
James E. Vancik (Indianapolis, IN USA)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Critical thinking and problem solving are not stressed in any kind of modern education. Students tend to take a cookbook approach to problem solving and wonder how is it that some people can think circles around them. Polya introduces the reader, in a simple yet rigorous manner with heuristics and examples, to how genius does problem solving. Its fascinating what truly learned people are able to articulate for the rest of us. Learn how to think outside of the box.


?   September 18, 2000
David E. Molnar (MN)
16 out of 19 found this review helpful

Yes, this is a classic. Yes, I refer back to it frequently and always find something new which informs my teaching. But it is not the first book that I would recommend to a student (even the highly-selective students at a certain Norwegian liberal arts college in the upper Midwest) - the language can be quite difficult to hack through.

My favorite thing about this book is the historical perspective. Many of the ideas Polya puts forth are similar to those in the NCTM Standards, for example, and as you know there is far from unanimous support for what some perceive as the latest incarnation of "new math". Reading this book, one sees it's not new math at all. Pappus, one learns, introduced "analysis and synthesis" (what I might call "working backwards") as a follow-up to Euclid's Elements. That was a while ago...

Fascinating, makes me want to know more history so that I can weave it into my classes, but this book is not for everybody.


An essential classic in the field of problem solving   August 11, 2000
James Jones (Clive, IA United States)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

Pardon the cliche, but: no home should be without this book. Polya's examples are mathematical, but the principles of heuristics and problem solving are universally applicable, whether you are a programmer, a mechanic, a TV repairman, or anyone trying to solve a problem. This is to problem solving what Strunk and White are to writing. BUY IT. I've lost track of my copy, and once I finish this review, I'll be replacing it.


LONG LIVE POLYA!   July 14, 2000
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

i must say that this is one of the most interesting books i've ever read. it is a must for teachers of mathematics and the sciences. polya exposes with an unmatched wit and cunning the art of breaking it down and analyzing parts of parts in order to arrive at a reliable and justifiable solution.

polya is the quintessential teacher and this teacher finds his writings both compelling as well as inspiring. this is NOT the last book by this great mathematician that i plan to read.

a word of advice for teachers: read it and REREAD it until you get the point. the teaching of mathematics is not a mere monkey-see-monkey-do regurgitation process. rather, it is the art of conveying to the student the problem-solving process. once the student has mastered this talent, the sky's the limit. and speaking of limits, the sky may just be a gross underexaggeration.

LOVE IT! got to say again, "BUY THE BOOK!" and this goes doubly for TEACHERS!