--- product_id: 8345092 title: "The Stanford Mathematics Problem Book: With Hints and Solutions (Dover Books on Mathematics)" price: "£11.33" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/8345092-the-stanford-mathematics-problem-book-with-hints-and-solutions-dover store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Hints + detailed solutions 20 rigorous problem sets Develops logic & insight The Stanford Mathematics Problem Book: With Hints and Solutions (Dover Books on Mathematics) **Price:** £11.33 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🧩 Unlock your inner math genius with Stanford’s legendary problem book! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Stanford Mathematics Problem Book: With Hints and Solutions (Dover Books on Mathematics) - **How much does it cost?** £11.33 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/8345092-the-stanford-mathematics-problem-book-with-hints-and-solutions-dover) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **A timeless classic with proven pedigree:** Trusted by generations, this book remains a top resource for cultivating mathematical insight and originality. - • **Step-by-step hints and solutions included:** Navigate complex problems with guided hints and fully worked-out solutions for deeper understanding. - • **Master Stanford’s iconic math challenges:** Tackle 20 sets of original, aptitude-testing problems from a legendary university exam. - • **Ideal for gifted students & competitive prep:** Perfect for high schoolers, college students, and math enthusiasts aiming to excel in STEM fields. - • **Boost your critical thinking & problem-solving:** Designed to sharpen logic, probability, and mathematical creativity beyond routine drills. ## Overview The Stanford Mathematics Problem Book compiles 20 sets of challenging problems from Stanford University's historic competitive exam, emphasizing original thinking and insight over rote skills. Featuring hints and detailed solutions, it’s a must-have for students and educators seeking to elevate logic, probability, and problem-solving abilities in mathematics. ## Description This volume features a complete set of problems, hints, and solutions based on Stanford University's well-known competitive examination in mathematics. It offers high school and college students an excellent mathematics workbook of rigorous problems that will assist in developing and cultivating their logic and probability skills.These 20 sets of intriguing problems test originality and insight rather than routine competence. They involve theorizing and verifying mathematical facts; examining the results of general statements; discovering that highly plausible conjectures can be incorrect; solving sequences of subproblems to reveal theory construction; and recognizing "red herrings," in which obvious relationships among the data prove irrelevant to solutions. Hints for each problem appear in a separate section, and a final section features solutions that outline the appropriate procedures.Ideal for teachers seeking challenging practice math problems for their gifted students, this book will also help students prepare for mathematics, science, and engineering programs. Mathematics buffs of all ages will also find it a source of captivating challenges. Review: Challenging, top-notch, and original - You would expect a book with this pedigree to be good, and it is. From 1946 to 1965, Stanford University gave high school students a chance to win a scholarship by taking a difficult math test, with just four questions. This book collects those questions, and their answers. The subject matter varies, including algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Most notably, the questions try to measure not achievement, but aptitude. They require a sound foundation of learning, but also original thinking or a flash of insight. The first question in each set is easiest; a sharp high school student would probably have a reasonable shot at answering it. Then the questions get more difficult. I found it to be a fascinating and enjoyable collection, even when that flash of insight eluded me. Months after I bought it, I still open it occasionally and try a new problem. Review: Great book of problems - My 17 year-old son loves this book so much, that when his bookbag was stolen from his locker during gym he asked me to replace this book! He's on a math team, and they work on problems like this all the time. It must be good! ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #79,734 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #19 in Popular & Elementary Pre-Calculus (Books) #66 in Mathematics (Books) #67 in Mathematics Study & Teaching (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 320 Reviews | ## Images ![The Stanford Mathematics Problem Book: With Hints and Solutions (Dover Books on Mathematics) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71PKuDi5iSL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Challenging, top-notch, and original *by S***N on June 2, 2015* You would expect a book with this pedigree to be good, and it is. From 1946 to 1965, Stanford University gave high school students a chance to win a scholarship by taking a difficult math test, with just four questions. This book collects those questions, and their answers. The subject matter varies, including algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Most notably, the questions try to measure not achievement, but aptitude. They require a sound foundation of learning, but also original thinking or a flash of insight. The first question in each set is easiest; a sharp high school student would probably have a reasonable shot at answering it. Then the questions get more difficult. I found it to be a fascinating and enjoyable collection, even when that flash of insight eluded me. Months after I bought it, I still open it occasionally and try a new problem. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book of problems *by B***N on November 27, 2012* My 17 year-old son loves this book so much, that when his bookbag was stolen from his locker during gym he asked me to replace this book! He's on a math team, and they work on problems like this all the time. It must be good! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good Problem Collection, but NO Process for HOW to solve problems *by A***S on August 5, 2016* The difficulty with rating a book like this is deciding what criteria should be used to rate the book. I rated the book as "4 stars" because of my reverence for George Polya. Polya was a great teacher and I have read all of his books. Unfortunately, this book does not teach the art of problem solving. It is simply a collection of interesting and challenging mathematics problems, along with solutions. The problems are very good. The difficulty of the problems depends on your level of experience and knowledge. I have a Ph.D. in mathematics, so I find the problems to be interesting and mildly challenging. A novice, or someone who is struggling to learn mathematics, may find the problems to be impossibly difficult. And when you read the solutions, you might feel stupid, because there is little chance that you would have the genius required to invent the solution. The book omits the human exploratory process of how to actually solve a mathematics problem. Most problem books and research papers omit all the pain, suffering, and hard work that goes between the problem statement and the seemingly miraculous solution. This book is a really great collection of problems, but it will NOT teach you how to create, invent, or solve these kinds of problems. If you want to learn that, I suggest that you read Polya's "How to Solve It, " or Polya's "Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning." To solve mathematics problems, you need knowledge, experience, intuition, passion, hard work, good luck, and a PROCESS that works. This book has none of those things. Read the other two books of Polya's. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Stanford Mathematics Problem Book: With Hints and Solutions (Dover Books on Mathematics) - The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations (Dover Math Games & Puzzles) - My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles (Dover Recreational Math) (Dover Math Games & Puzzles) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/8345092-the-stanford-mathematics-problem-book-with-hints-and-solutions-dover](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/8345092-the-stanford-mathematics-problem-book-with-hints-and-solutions-dover) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-06-24*