American Mathematical Monthly vs Mathematical Intelligencer

[Alex Binca]

Which one would you recommend (I'm open to other suggestions)?

Also does anybody know where I can get a copy of any of them (I live
near San Francisco)?

I'm interested in subscribing to a journal with the following
features:
* Most of it should be accessible to Math majors (say junior or
sophomore students). Even parts of it should be accessible to
high-school students with a strong interest in Math.
* It should *not* be geared towards passing exams, or helping with
homework. It's not a journal designed for students but instead for
people who love Mathematics.
* Though rigorous, it should have a relaxed, lively attitude towards
its subject.
* It should present a large variety of mathematics. It would revisit
classic topics, maybe with new points of view, but also talk about
(accessible) contemporary topics (say the BBP algorithm for
determining binary digits of pi).

Thanks!

-- Alex Binca

[Steve Wildstrom]

Alex Binca wrote:

> Which one would you recommend (I'm open to other suggestions)?
>
> Also does anybody know where I can get a copy of any of them (I live
> near San Francisco)?
>

Both should be available in any half-decent college or math department
library.
The table of contents and articles summaries of the Monthly are
available online at http://www.maa.org/pubs/monthly.html.

Three other MAA publications you might consider are Mathematics Magazine
(somewhat more like the Math Intelligencer, which by the way, is its
full name); the College Math Journal, which focuses more on pedagogical
topics, especially for lower-division undergraduates; and Math Horizons,
whcih is a slick monthly magazine aimed at undergraduates. Another
pssobility is Crux Mathematicorum, the publication of the Canadian Math
Society, which includes a section aimed specifically at high school
students.

> I'm interested in subscribing to a journal with the following
> features:
> * Most of it should be accessible to Math majors (say junior or
> sophomore students). Even parts of it should be accessible to
> high-school students with a strong interest in Math.
> * It should *not* be geared towards passing exams, or helping with
> homework. It's not a journal designed for students but instead for
> people who love Mathematics.
> * Though rigorous, it should have a relaxed, lively attitude towards
> its subject.
> * It should present a large variety of mathematics. It would revisit
> classic topics, maybe with new points of view, but also talk about
> (accessible) contemporary topics (say the BBP algorithm for
> determining binary digits of pi).
>
> Thanks!
>
> -- Alex Binca

--

Steve Wildstrom Technology & You Editor Business
Week
1200 G St. NW Suite 1100 202-383-2203
steve_w...@businessweek.com
Washington DC 20005 Fax: 202-383-2125

[Fred Galvin]

On Wed, 2 Jan 2002, Steve Wildstrom wrote:

> [...]

> Three other MAA publications you might consider are Mathematics Magazine
> (somewhat more like the Math Intelligencer, which by the way, is its
> full name);

Not sure what you're saying there: what is what's full name? Are you
saying that "Math Intelligencer" is the full name of The Mathematical
Intelligencer? I wonder about that, because all my copies have the
words "The Mathematical Intelligencer" on the cover; but mine only go
up to 1994, when I neglected to renew my subscription. So, are you
saying that they changed the name to "Math Intelligencer" sometime in
the last couple of years? Or are you saying that "Math Intelligencer"
was always the full name, and the longer expression on the cover is a
kind of nickname? Or are we talking about two different magazines with
similar names?

[Steve Wildstrom]

I was wrong. On a search, I was able for some reason to find it as the Math
Intelligencer but not the Mathematical Intelligencer. But a check of the
Springer-Verlag journal catalog shows it as The Mathematical Intelligencer.
Sorry for any confusion; it's a good publication by any title, but expensive.

Fred Galvin wrote:

--

[G. A. Edgar]

> * Most of it should be accessible to Math majors (say junior or
> sophomore students). Even parts of it should be accessible to
> high-school students with a strong interest in Math.

Intelligencer is not for this. It is aimed more at Ph.D.s in math.
The Monthly fits the bill. Also the other two
journals published by the MAA: Mathematics Magazine and
College Mathematics Journal.

All universities will have these journals in their libraries, and
you should be able to go there and see them.

I don't know if the MAA offers sample issues, probably not, but
try their web site www.maa.org to see. By the way, some of
the things you want in a journal are right there on the MAA web site,
no subscription required, take a look!

--
G. A. Edgar http://math.ohio-state.edu/~edgar/