The Secret Life of Codes (Murderous Maths)

by Ian Baker (Illustrator), Kjartan Poskitt (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  2010

  $3.70

  Using a host of hilarious characters, Kjartan Poskitt presents all the tricks, tips and shortcuts to maths they don't teach at school. Readers will learn how to encode and decode their own messages in as many ways as possible. Can you see this very last paragraph is coded? (Read all the fourth words). The book demonstrates other codes you've probably never really been aware of. Stop waiting therefore and go for it.

• Used

  Paperback
  2007

  $3.41

  Will show readers how to encode/decode their own messages in as many ways as possible. Examples of differently coded messages will also fit in well with the diverse range of the usual MM characters. The contents would include: Disguised codes (e.g. see the last para of synopsis); Scrambled codes (where the order of letters is mixed up); Substitution codes (where letters are replaced by other letters or symbols or just 14 21 13 2 5 18 19 ); Some history of how codes have been used in the past, from ancient Roman times to cracking the WW2 German Enigma machine; and, other message systems such as morse code, flags and also activity ideas such as making cut-out stencils that work with code grids. Although the other MM books deliberately avoid exercises or setting questions, this title lends itself to setting messages that need decoding by the reader, possibly leading up to a mega message to decode at the end. Can you see this very last paragraph is coded? (Read all the fourth words). The book demonstrates other codes you've probably never really been aware of. Stop waiting therefore and go for it.