Gardner, Martin: Entertaining Mathematical Puzzles ©1961 Martin Gardner; Published in 1986 by Dover Publications ISBN: 0486252116 Softcover, perfect-bound, 5.5x8.5", 111 pages

Image courtesy e-Bay seller DonBursell

Comments: Not exactly a magic book, but many mathematical principles are used in magic such as card tricks, mentalism, and in gambling routines. This book is mostly pure math, but the sections on math games and probability puzzles may lend some ideas.

Originally published in 1961 by Thomas Y. Crowell Co, NY, under the title Mathematical Puzzles. Dover edition is unabridged and slightly corrected.

Contents:

vii Introduction

1 Part I Arithmetic Puzzles
3 The Colored Socks
4 Weighty Problem
6 The Silver Bar
10 The Three Cats
12 Mrs. Puffem's Cigarettes

13 Part II Money Puzzles
15 Second-Hand Scooter
17 Low Finance
19 No Change
21 Al's Allowance
24 Pick Your Pay

25 Part III Speed Puzzles
27 The Bicycles and the Fly
29 The Floating Hat
31 Round Trip
33 Airplane Paradox

35 Part IV Plane Geometry Puzzles
37 Corner to Corner
38 The Hindu and the Cat
40 Cutting the Pie
43 Where Does the Square Go?

45 Part V Solid Geometry Puzzles
47 Under the Band
49 The Third Line
51 The Painted Cubes
52 The Spotted Basketball

53 Part VI Game Puzzles
55 The Circle of Pennies
57 Fox and Goose
59 Bridg-It
63 Nim

65 Part VII Probability Puzzles
67 The Three Pennies
69 The Tenth Roll
71 Odds on Kings
73 Boys vs. Girls

75 Part VIII Topology Puzzles
77 The Five Bricks
79 Outside or Inside?
82 The Two Knots
85 Reversing the Sweater

87 Part IX Miscellaneous Puzzles
89 The Five Tetrominoes
92 The Two Tribes
94 No Time for School
96 Time for Toast
98 The Three Neckties

99 Part X Tricky Puzzles

111 Suggestions for Further Reading