Mathematical Magic Show

THIS  IS  the eighth collection of my Mathematical Games col-

umns that have been appearing monthly in  Scientific American

since December  1956.  As in previous volumes, the columns have

been corrected, updated, and enlarged to include bibliographies

and valuable new material provided by loyal readers.

One of those readers, not mathematically inclined but who

likes to read the columns nonetheless, has often asked: "Why

can't you, as a favor to readers like me, give us a glossary of

some of the terms you frequently use but seldom define?"

Okay, dear reader-here  it is. The terms alphabetized below

are so familiar to even the humblest mathematician that most

readers of this book need give them no more than a passing

glance. But if you are one of those adventuresome souls for

whom most mathematics books are incomprehensible, but who

for some strange reason have decided to look into this one,  you

may find it worthwhile to go over this brief, informal glossary

before reading further.