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Thinking Better

The Art of the Shortcut in Math and Life

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Thinking Better

Written by: Marcus Du Sautoy
Narrated by: Mark Elstob
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About this listen

One of the world's great mathematicians shows why math is the ultimate timesaver - and how everyone can make their lives easier with a few simple shortcuts.

We are often told that hard work is the key to success. But success isn’t about hard work - it’s about shortcuts. Shortcuts allow us to solve one problem quickly so that we can tackle an even bigger one. They make us capable of doing great things. And according to Marcus du Sautoy, math is the very art of the shortcut.

Thinking Better is a celebration of how math lets us do more with less. Du Sautoy explores how diagramming revolutionized therapy, why calculus is the greatest shortcut ever invented, whether you must really practice for 10,000 hours to become a concert violinist, and why shortcuts give us an advantage over even the most powerful AI. Throughout, we meet artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs who use mathematical shortcuts to change the world.

Delightful, illuminating, and, above all, practical, Thinking Better is for anyone who has wondered why you should waste time climbing the mountain when you could go around it much faster.

©2021 Marcus du Sautoy (P)2021 Basic Books
History & Culture Mathematics Science
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What the critics say

“Du Sautoy masterfully guides readers through complex math.... All the while, he’s encouraging about the importance of problem-solving: ‘Mathematics is a mindset for navigating a complex world and finding the pathway to the other side.’ Math-minded readers will find much to consider.” (Publishers Weekly)

“In Thinking Better, Oxford mathematician Marcus Du Sautoy pulls back the curtain to show how mathematicians think. The result is an engaging, delightful adventure through a variety of situations where mathematical thinking - in particular, the search for clever shortcuts - illuminates deeper mathematical truths. And it turns out these short cuts are incredibly useful for the rest of us, too!” (David Schwartz, author of The Last Man Who Knew Everything)

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Great book!

Only problem was no PDF of book to follow. Otherwise excellent writing & presentation of helpful strategies.

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Thank you, I am Thinking Better now.

A very informative and inspiring book. Well read and well written. The math seemed very intuitive and the ties to real life problems made the this complex topic very easy to understand.

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