"From the dynamics of dinosaurs and how to weigh them to the tension in a soap film, from the limits of storage in a computer to games of chance, the diversities of weather, chaos, water waves, and seventeengons, Mathematics Masterclasses is an exciting collection of unusual topics from both pure and applied mathematics. Drawn from the highly successful masterclasses run under the auspices of the Royal Institution, each chapter contains written versions of a 2 1/2 hour class, designed to stretch the imagination of young and would-be mathematicians and, more especially, to fire the enthusiasm of students from age 13 upwards. This is the first selection of Masterclasses to be published as a book." "It is a valuable resource for teachers and parents who wish to enhance young people's appreciation of mathematics outside conventional syllabuses. Anyone wanting to extend their enjoyment and understanding of mathematics will find the book accessible and challenging. Well illustrated, easy to read, and containing worksheets with interesting problems and solutions, Mathematics Masterclasses shows what fun mathematics can be."--BOOK JACKET.