Click the cover to order your copy!
Illustrated by Philip Reeve
This book was
originally
published in 2005
by Scholastic Ltd
with a different cover
THE LAST MISTAKE!
However hard we check there are always some copies that escape with a few errors. If you're lucky you might have one of the rare and valuable early prints of the book that claim on page 98 that 42÷8 = 6! On page 131, there is an extra "x5" under one of the square root signs, and page 124 features Reeve's 8 sided septagon. Sadly these have been removed for the later printings, but one lovely mistake remains on pages 49-50. Can you spot it?
To find the answer, drag your mouse between the # signs below!
# You can't break the sound barrier in a vacuum ! #

THE PERFECT SAUSAGE
                                and other
              FUNDAMENTAL FORMULAS

A useful reference book containing about 180 maths formulas for anyone aged 10 upwards
Suitable to help with exam revision from key stage 3 up to GCSE (and beyond)

"THIS BANGER'S A SMASH..."
See the Times Educational Supplement Review

This book contains just about every maths formula you'll ever need ... and loads more that you'll probably NEVER need!

As well as all the obvious formulas for area, volume, speed, acceleration and peculiar numbers, you'll get formulas for:

All formulas come with explanations, you'll find loads of different maths topics explained and there's even an INDEX so that you can quickly find any formula you want.

You'll also find out why the Pure Mathematicians get arrested, who sent Pongo McWhiffy a valentine card, what happens when 47 different alien races try to invade earth at once and of course the secret to the perfect sausage!

Don't forget to click the EXTRA links for more details that we didn't have room for in the book!

CONTENTS:

How This Book Came To Be Written

Poskitt the author had a terrible nightmare that he'd missed some vital formulas out, so to make sure we included everything worth including, lots of MM readers and visitors to this site sent in their formula suggestions. Thanks to everybody whose name gets mentioned here!

All The Shape and Lump Formulas You'll Probably Ever Need

The top twelve formulas are shown here, with a full explanation of how to use them if you're not sure. These formulas and many more are also available free on our Murderous Maths Wallpaper.

Numbers, Pizza Slices, and Alien Interpreters

Triangle numbers, pentagonal numbers, centered hexagon numbers and so on... they might seem strange but they have a funny way of turning up in odd places, especially if you're helping Blade and the Gangsters chop up a pizza or if you're worried about an alien invasion.

Three different aliens need three interpreters - but how many interpreters do six aliens need?

EXTRA: The SURPRISING regions formula

On The Move

Here's where the Pure Mathematicians end up in jail after trying a few high-speed experiments. After that you'll be testing acceleration by rolling down hills in a dustbin, pigeons will be testing gravity with a bit of target practise by the Eiffel Tower and Urgum the Axeman learns the wrong way to fire a cannonball.

Can You Feel The Force?

Isaac Newton explained gravity - and here's how to use it! But will it cause the terribly lovely Veronica Gumfloss to be attracted to Pongo McWhiffy? Pongo uses his shoe as a pendulum to find out.

MONEY!

The Great Fogsworth Jumble Sale is under way, but who will make the most money? And when somebody leaves you £1,000,000 make sure your bank looks after it properly for you!

EXTRA: 2043 - The Year We All Turn Into Elvis!

The Day Of The Week Algorithm

This is probably the most requested topic from the MM readers who contacted us - how can you work out the day of any date in history? INT and MOD functions are explained, and the mystery of Pongo's valentine is solved.

Perms Coms and The Unknown Formula

If you've read Do You Feel Lucky? you'll know about probability. Here are all the formulas you need whether you're throwing dice, arranging the gangsters in an identity parade or choosing a revolting mixture of paints for the Pure Mathematicians bathroom. (Be very grateful that this book is NOT printed in colour.)

EXTRA: Here's where the UNKNOWN FORMULA comes from

EXTRA: Find out how the UNKNOWN FORMULA fits on Pascal's Triangle

All The Shape And Lump Formulas You'll Probably NEVER Need!

This chapter is split into

EXTRA: How did Winch and Kimpton find the Longest Polygon Diagonal formula?

The Card House and Other Odd Formulas

When Brett Shuffler knocks down Riverboat Lil's card house, two strangers step in with amazing formulas to make Brett wish he'd stayed at home! This chapter contains lots of wild and weird formulas suggested by our readers ranging from tempertaure conversions to lightning distance. Meanwhile the Evil Gollarks try to find a joke funny enough to destroy the earth!

The Important End Bit

It was a tough choice for our editor Lulu Moody. Should she put an index in the book, or let Poskitt finish with a nice photo of himself?


Go THIS way Go THAT way

LINKS:

The Murderous Maths Bookshop

The Murderous Maths Books

Murderous Maths Main Index Page

The Full Formulas Index of the book includes:
acceleration/deceleration
annulus
arc length
AREAS common formulas
cap of a sphere
card house
centred hexagonal number
cheese chopping in 3d
chord length
circle
circumference
clock face protractor
combinations
cone
conversions imperial/metric
cos formula
crescent areas
crescent cutting formula
cyclic quadrilateral
cylinder
cube/cuboid
day of week algorithm
density
diagonal
dining table (posh) area of
discount
distance see speed acceleration
dodecahedron
domino arrangements
doughnuts
e = 2·718281828459...
Einstein Albert force formula
energy equation
ellipse / ellipsoid
Euler's formula for solids
exchange rate
Fibonacci formula
fried egg white bit area
g gravity acceleration
Gravity
height (maximum from cannon)
hemisphere surface area
ice cream volume
icosahedron
impossible additions
int function: integer division
interest
interpreters
jokes (bad) how many people hear
Kepler speed of planets formula
lightning distance
lumberjack circle area
metric/imperial conversions
mod function: modulus
money
muzzle velocity
loss negative profit
Newton Isaac: force
noughts and crosses
parallelogram
pendulums
pentagonal number
percentages
perimeter
permutations
pi = 3·14159265...
pizza cutting formula
polygons
profit
profit margins
pyramid volume
quadratic formula
quadrilateral area
range (fired from cannon)
rectangle
regular solids
rhombus
sausage (perfect)
sector area
segment area
semiperimeter
sin formula
snail trial around cuboid
speed
spread factor
sphere
square
square pyramid number formula
stamps
stopping distance and time
temperature conversions
tetrahedral numbers
tetrahedron
time see speed acceleration pendulums
dropping time
trapeziums
triangle shape formulas
triangle numbers
trigonometry
(how to get sin cos tan values)
torus
unit fractions


The Times Educational Supplement 4/11/2005

In the back pages of The Perfect Sausage you'll see a cartoon strip featuring Kjartan Poskitt and the MM editor Lisa Edwards (also known on this website as Lulu Moody). Just so you know, here's what they really look like together!

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