Maths on the Back of an Envelope by Rob Eastaway - Popular Maths Non Fiction - Paperback

Condition: BRAND NEW. Format: Paperback. ISBN: 9780008444495. Publisher: HarperCollins. Overview:. Maths on the Back of an Envelope is Rob Eastaway's playful guide to figuring things out without a calculator. Across 208 pages, this paperback shows curious readers how to tackle everyday puzzles - from estimating cats worldwide to lottery odds and counting to a million - using nothing more than a pencil, a scrap of paper, and a little logical thinking. Warm, witty, and endlessly practical, it's a book for anyone who enjoys numbers in the real world.. About the Book:. Rob Eastaway's Maths on the Back of an Envelope demystifies estimation, showing how quick mental checks unlock surprisingly accurate answers without ever reaching for a calculator. The book is built from bite-sized puzzles and practical rules of thumb, encouraging readers to sketch a rough model of a problem before worrying about precision. Along the way you'll meet lively scenarios - counting wildlife, guessing crowd sizes, comparing travel times, and weighing the odds on everyday bets - that show how numbers behave once you stop chasing exact answers. Eastaway's voice throughout is friendly and encouraging, favouring intuition-building over formula memorisation, making the book approachable for readers who might normally shy away from maths. The tone blends anecdote, gentle humour, and clear reasoning. While centred on estimation, the book also explores why some questions resist neat answers, helping readers judge when a quick estimate suffices and when a problem calls for deeper analysis. It's less a collection of party tricks than a genuine mental toolkit for navigating everyday uncertainty - checking plausibility, comparing magnitudes, and building confidence with numbers. It suits curious teenagers and adults alike, teachers seeking an engaging classroom resource, and anyone who enjoys spotting maths in the wild. With practical exercises and a light touch, Eastaway makes estimation feel like a game