Math word problems (or story problems, depending on where and when you went to school). What topic has caused more hair to be pulled from tender heads, more tears and anguish, and, at the same time, more feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment? When I told friends that I was writing this book, their responses were varied, but none was mild or without a strong opinion one way or the other. Oh, the stories (pardon the pun) I heard. And, lucky you, I’ve taken some of the accounts and incorporated the better stories in this book. Everyone has his favorite word problem, most of them starting with, “If Jim is twice as old as Ted was. . . .”

I was never crazy about math word problems until I got to teach them. It’s all a matter of perspective. I’ve taken years (and years and years) of experience of trying to convey the beauty and structure of math word problems to others and put the best of my efforts in this book. I hope that you enjoy the problems and explanations as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.