Master Sun’s Problem: A Mathematical Epic 2,000 Years in the Making

Master Sun's problem—first posed by Sun Pin, a Chinese military strategist supposedly descended from Sun Tzu, author of the legendary Art of War—is an ancient strategy problem, whose elegant simplicity hides an extremely difficult mathematical puzzle. The problem had been largely ignored for two millennia until a college friend of Dana MacKenzie revived it and, in doing so, reignited MacKenzie's passion for mathematics."The Professor Sun Problem" is Mackenzie's engaging account of how he solved this puzzling problem, which surprised him. MacKenzie, a former mathematics professor turned science writer, describes every unexpected turn in the issue, and offers numerous tips, explanations, and examples for math enthusiasts of all ages who want to try discovering something new for themselves.Along the way, he traces the history of the problem, debunks some myths about mathematics and mathematicians, and reveals how the solution received vital help from the general public—readers of The New York Times.