Stanford University mathematician and NPR "Math Guy" Dr. Keith Devlin explains how mathematicians can solve problems that leave many people baffled.

Many students encounter difficulty going from high school math to college-level mathematics. Even if they did well at math in school, most are knocked off course for a while by the change in emphasis, from the K-12 focus on mastering procedures to the "mathematical thinking" characteristic of much university mathematics. Though most survive the transition, many do not. This short book is written to help them make that crucial shift.

Mathematical thinking is not the same as "doing math" - unless you are a professional mathematician. For most people, "doing math" means the application of procedures and symbolic manipulations. Mathematical thinking, in contrast, is what the name reflects, a way of thinking about things in the world that humans have developed over three thousand years. It does not have to be about mathematics at all, which means that many people can benefit from learning this powerful way of thinking, not just mathematicians and scientists.

You won't learn much new mathematics from this book. But buy acquiring the ability to think like a mathematician, you will be able to master new mathematics quickly, whenever you need it.