Popular Math

This week, regular RadioLab guest, TED speaker and New York Times blogger Steven Strogatz's new book about math hit bookstore shelves. The Joy of X is, in fact, a fun read that's a "guided tour of math from one to infinity."

What about fun math for younger readers? 

Looking around for options quickly turns up Danica McKellar. If you don't recognize the name, you'll probably recognize her picture (if you were watching TV in the late 1980's) - she played Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years. Turns out, once she was done being a child star she graduated from UCLA with highest honors in Math.

Her math series is pitched at middle school girls in a way that applies not just the style of Seventeen magazine, but also many of the same topics, to the purpose of teaching math. Titles and their listed ages are:

• Math Doesn't Suck (Ages 9 - 12)
• Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's the Boss (Ages 11-13)
• Hot X: Algebra Exposed (Ages 13 and Up)
• Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape

It's a different sort of math book - and it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. But, of course, not everyone has found math appealing either. According to the reviews, this new approach is prompting more girls to master math early and perhaps continue on to more advanced studies. . . which has to be a good thing.