Challenge and Thrill of Pre-College Mathematics is an unusual enrichment text for Mathematics for classes 9, 10, 11 and 12 for use by students and teachers who are not content and dissatisfied with the average level that routine texts dare not transcend in view of their mass clientele. It covers Geometry, Algebra and Trigonometry plus a little of Combinatorics, Number Theory and Probability. It is specifically written to the top half whose ambition is to excel and rise to the peak without finding the journey a forced uphill task. The undercurrent of the book is to motivate the students to enjoy the pleasures of a mathematical pursuit and of problem solving. More than 300 worked out problems (several of them from national and international olympiads) share with the students the strategy, excitement, motivation, modelling, manipulation, abstraction, notation and life-long friendship with a sound mathematical way of thinking. There are two reasons why the book should be in the hands of every school or college student (whether he belongs to Mathematics stream or not): one, if he likes mathematics and, two, if he does not like mathematics-the former, so that the cramped robot-type treatment in the classroom does not make him into the latter; and the latter so that by the time he is halfway through the book, he will invite himself into the former! About the Author Prof. V Krishnamurthy is a former Professor of Mathematics, BITS, Pilani and former Director, K K Birla Academy, New Delhi. He is the author of The Culture, Excitement and Relevance of Mathematics, Combinatorics- Theory and Applications, The Clock of Night Sky and a co-author of Introduction to Linear Algebra. He was involved in training olympiad students and leader of Indian team in 1996. Prof. C R Pranesachar worked in SDGS College, Hindupur, Andhra Pradesh and then shifted to Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. He was a co-author of Problem Primer for the Olympiad and Mathematical Challenges from the Olympiads. He was also a co-author of Geometry for 7th standard for Andhra Pradesh secondary board (1989). He was a Visiting Professor at the Ohio State University during 1982-84. He has been the leader of the Indian IMO teams several times. He has also been training Mathematics Olympiad teams since 1987. Prof. K N Ranganathan is a former Professor of Mathematics, Rama Krishna Mission Vivekananda College, Mylapore, Chennai. He has been involved in training the National teams for the International Mathematical Olympiads since 1990. He was Deputy Leader of Indian team several times. Prof. B J Venkatachala was a faculty at Kuvempu University, Shimoga, Karnataka, and then shifted to Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. He was a co-author of Problem Primer for the Olympiad and Mathematical Challenges from the Olympiads and the author of Functional Equations-A Problem Solving Approach and Inequalities-An Approach Through Problems. He was the leader of Indian team to several IMOs. He has been training the National teams for the International Mathematical Olympiads since 1990. He was also the Chair of Textbook Committee of Karnataka Government for writing textbooks for 8th and 9th standards.
