"Inspired by the author’s grandchildren, this book offers up a playful approach to mathematics learning using the block-based coding language pioneered by Scratch. Dr. Michael Mays has done a compelling job of using a creative coding platform to enliven and enrich young people’s engagement with math, by using coding to engage with numbers, puzzles, and patterns."<br /> <b>—Margaret Honey, President & CEO, Scratch Foundation<br /><br /></b>"Michael Mays' <i>Math Hacks for Scratch</i> is a combination of code and calculation that I wish I had as a student. It takes the challenges you find in math books and adds a Scratch programming twist. These 33 projects are more fun than doing math on a boring whiteboard."<b><br />—Al Sweigart, software developer and bestselling author of <i>Automate the Boring Stuff with Python </i></b>

If you're a student looking for project ideas to practice your math and coding skills, or a Scratch enthusiast just looking for something different, this is the book for you! Scratch is mainly used to learn programming and design computer games, but it has plenty of other useful applications - like solving maths problems. This book reveals the block-based coding system's mathematical superpowers, guiding you through over 20 hands-on projects that investigate a variety of interesting numerical puzzles. You'll quickly find that core math concepts, like number representations, divisibility, and cryptography, are fun to code using Scratch. In addition to learning how to hack Scratch to get it to work with numbers in unusual ways, you'll discover efficient algorithms for making time-consuming computations a snap. Along the way, you'll see how the right mathematical or programming trick can simplify a seemingly complex task, as you think through bonus coding challenges that further promote independent experimentation while improving both your math and programming skills.
Read more
Introduction
Chapter 1: What Computers Think About Numbers
Chapter 2: Exploring Divisibility and Primes
Chapter 3: Splitting Numbers With Priem Factorization
Chapter 4: Finding Patterns in Sequences
Chapter 5: From Sequences to Arrays
Chapter 6: Making Codes, and Cracking Them Too
Chapter 7: Experiments in Counting
Chapter 8: Three Helpings of Pi
Chapter 9: What Next?
Appendix: Programming Challenge Hints
Read more

Product details

ISBN
9781718503380
Published
2024-11-12
Publisher
No Starch Press,US
Height
234 mm
Width
177 mm
Age
Y, 03
Language
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Number of pages
240

Author

Biographical note

Michael Mays has a PhD in mathematics from Penn State University. His teaching career at West Virginia University spanned 40 years, including roles as director of the Institute for Math Learning and chair of the Department of Statistics. His innovative approach to math education has earned him recognition as an Eberly Teaching Professor.