Illustrated by Philip Reeve
	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 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:

• the area of a crescent moon
• the lengths of snail trails round boxes
• how many ways you can tear up a sheet of stamps
• how long it takes for cannonballs to drop from great heights
• exactly how much MONEY the bank should give you.

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.

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 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

• Polygonalish Formulas - these include odd areas, awkward diagonals, inscribed and circumscribed circles, explanations of SIN COS and TAN, and also some semiperimeter cows. But just when you think it was getting easy - Professor Fiendish comes and chops your door into a septagon. There's also a special guest star appearance by three MM readers who helped with a special trapezium area formula!
• Bizarre Boxes - as well as formulas for pyramids and regular solids, you'll find the fastest way for a snail to chase a woodworm round a block!
• PI Formulas - as well as circles, ellipses and ellispoids and some head-splitting crescent formulas, there are formulas for doughnuts, ice creams, Pongo's fried eggs, and AT LAST you get to see the tragic tale of The Perfect Sausage. Meanwhile the great Reeve does a superb cartoon strip showing Archimedes's favourite discovery!

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?

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

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