Mental Mathematics

In Once Upon an Algorithm, Martin Erwig explains computation as something that takes place beyond electronic computers, and computer science as the study of systematic problem solving. Erwig points out that many daily activities involve problem solving. Getting up in the morning, for example: You get up, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast. This simple daily routine solves a recurring problem through a series of well-defined steps. In computer science, such a routine is called an algorithm.

Interest in psychology extends well beyond the walls of academia. Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and William James are just a few examples of the many people in psychology whose works remain, popular sellers, demonstrating an ongoing vast interest in this field. From students looking for a...