PREFACE

 

This book is not typically aimed at a specific secondary school class. Rather than that it is for a discerning student no matter the year of secondary education. This book is also suitable for a Maths teacher whose objective is to avoid monotony in their class and to attract its attention.

         In order to do most of the tasks you need not perfectly master the theory. What is more, the tasks are not supposed to check theoretical knowledge. Some wit, and open mind - the so called "mathematical culture" are useful to do the tasks. The necessary theory, which is not in the syllabus, will be explained by the way. The best is to check the solutions after a successful (or unsuccessful) personal attempts. Certainly, all the problems are solved and explained. Their difficulty is differentiated. The book includes quite simple exercises as well as complicated ones, with the difficulty level of examinations or school contests (The Maths Olympiad). The more complex problems have not been specially distinguished. Rather than that, on purpose, they have been mixed with the easier ones.

         The author has made every effort to introduce complete and quite simple solutions. However, if the Reader finds a different, perhaps a more straightforward way to solve a problem, the author will be extremely grateful for sharing this knowledge with him. Undoubtedly, this solution will be published in the next edition of the book.

 

Mariusz Kawecki