How Many Socks Make a Pair?

During the train ride this morning, I saw a bespectacled young chap reading a hardback with gleaming green cover quite a distance away.  At first glance, I was startled by the title How Many Books Make a Pair ?, and wondering what kind of book is that.  After searching in amazon.com, I realized that I had made a funny mistake.  The book is How Many Socks Make A Pair ?.

Apparently, this is an interesting book about the fascinating world of everyday maths for ordinary folks like us.  The writer, Rob Eastaway, explains maths in terms of missing socks, card tricks, birthdays, games involving cutting up envelopes, flipping a coin, sudoku puzzles, etc etc.

As the product description puts it : Do you gaze into your washing basket and wonder how long it'll take to find a pair of socks? Behind this question is a world of maths that can be creative, surprising and sometimes even beautiful. Using playing cards, a newspaper, the back of an envelope, a Sudoku, some pennies and of course a pair of socks, Rob Eastaway shows how maths can demonstrate its secret beauties in even the most mundane of everyday objects.

Sounds good.  I should get a copy.