x-book ®

Maths on the Back of an Envelope

Get in the xigxag app
This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book.
Pre-order Buy Now £{{ price }}
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

‘Another terrific book by Rob Eastaway’ SIMON SINGH

‘A delightfully accessible guide to how to play with numbers’ HANNAH FRY

How many cats are there in the world?

What's the chance of winning the lottery twice?

And just how long does it take to count to a million?

Learn how to tackle tricky maths problems with nothing but the back of an envelope, a pencil and some good old-fashioned brain power.

Join Rob Eastaway as he takes an entertaining look at how to figure without a calculator. Packed with amusing anecdotes, quizzes, and handy calculation tips for every situation, Maths on the Back of an Envelope is an invaluable introduction to the art of estimation, and a welcome reminder that sometimes our own brain is the best tool we have to deal with numbers.

Critics Review

  • ‘A delightfully accessible guide to how to play with numbers’ – Dr Hannah Fry, author of Hello World and The Mathematics of Love

    ‘Put aside those calculators and computers, and find a pen and piece of paper! In a collection of riveting tips and examples, Eastaway shows us amazing short-cuts to get rough answers to important questions. I still find it remarkable that 16% of 25 is exactly the same as 25% of 16!’ – Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, author of The Art of Statistics

    ‘Another terrific book by Rob Eastaway’ – Simon Singh

    ‘Packed with fun examples and fresh ideas. I thought I was on top of this subject, but I learned a lot’ – Tim Harford

    ‘A joyful primer about the lost art of calculating without a calculator’ – Guardian

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.