Making mathematics with needlework : ten papers and ten projects / edited by Sarah-Marie Belcastro, Carolyn Yackel

I’m not a mathematician, but if, like me, you are proficient enough to work out your own designs in knitting, crocheting and other forms of craft, I suspect you may be intuitively working with advanced mathematics.  This novel and practical approach to mathematics contains 10 needlework craft projects (knitting, crochet, embroidery, and quilting) which make interesting reading and fascinating starting points for further exploration.  The editors' intention is that these projects  should be of interest  to mathematicians who don't know anything about crafting and to crafters who don't know anything about mathematics.  If mathematics isn't your thing, you'll find the photographs of these projects beautiful and inspiring.  Here are some examples:

Project list:

Quilted mobius band -- Picking up stitches and Diophantine equaions -- The Sierpinski variations: self-similar crochet -- Ony two knit stitches can create a torus -- Symmetry patterns in cross-stitch -- Socks with Algebraic structure -- Fortunatus's purse -- (K)not cables, braids -- The graph theory of blackwork embroidery -- Stop those (hypperbolic) pants!.

Come to the Edenvale Branch Library to have math fun! Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to participate in a variety fun math games and activities. Playing with money teaches several useful skills, including addition, subtraction, estimation and strategic thinking.

This program will take place at the Edenvale Branch Library on the following dates:

Wednesday, September 14, 2011 - 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

This program will be repeated at these other libraries:

Santa Teresa Branch Library - Thursday, September 22, 2011 - 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

King Library - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - 4:00pm - 5:00pm

The day that you are requested to take an exam for your job is coming but all the books on that career are checked out. What can you do? Don't worry! We have this expanded resourceful database  LearningExpress that covers an on careers exams.

You will find practice career exams for the following categories: Air Traffic Controller, Civil Service, Commercial Driver's License, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Electrical, Emergency Medical Services, Firefighter, Green Careers, Law Enforcement, Military, Nursing and Allied Health, Legal, Plumbing, Real Estate, Teaching. Please make sure to click on the plus (+) sign to open the sub-categories to explore more advanced exams.

The video below will help you navigate to more career resources in addition to the mentioned database.  

Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail by Danica McKellar

Did you know that actress Danica McKellar is also a mathematician and an advocate for math education? Her mission is to make math easy-to-understand, fun and relevant--especially  for girls who don't like math. With problems based on real-life situations (How to make a killing on eBay; Choosing the perfect necklace) Danica gives easy to follow, step by step instructions on how to solve problems with fractions, decimals, percentages, proportions, word problems. Included are entries from Danica's diary, testimonials from women who use math in their careers, shortcuts,  horoscopes and a troubleshooting guide. (Where to turn when you don't know what to do!) McKellar has gone on to write two other math books:  Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-algebra Who's Boss and Hot X: Algebra Exposed. Read more and see samples from Danica's books at her website.