Introduction

A
s math teachers, wo often hear these complamts:"I just can't do math" or "Math was never my thing."Sometimes it's students who are fr ustrated in d ass;other limes 11's parents who con't help their kids ">vith  math homev;ork. In the loner case, parents may unintentionally pass on their own fear of mOlh to their children.
Although we certainly understand that math comes more eaSily to some than io others, '.'to beheve anyone can "get it"and should get i~. It's very important that all kids learn math because it wi!! be an essentiol  skill in the twenty-first century.The puzzles in this book WIll help kids develop skills in arith-metic, geometry. number sense, logical Hunking. and problem solving. "\'ihich form the foundation of mathematlcal understandmg.
Math is more than just a collection of math foc ts (mdvocabulary (although those are important). Math should also be a way oi thinking about and solving real problems. You cun be an absolll1c whi7. at the  multlphcatlon tables, but you should be multiplying and when you should be dividing.Horo IS 0 silllple everyday-life problem: There are forty·five fifth-graders going on a class trip to the Museum of Math Puzzles.  Fbrent volunteers vlith minivans oro dri\~ng; each van can carry six students. The teachers plan to have enough cookies on the trip for each student 10 get four. How lIlnny cookies do the parents need to prepare and  hm'/many VOIlS should they take? If your answer is eight vans lInd 180 cqDkics, yoU! field trip will be a success.

Math puzzles are both fun and rewarding we mc confident thai any child will enjDY doillg the puzzles in Ihis book,and knowing tha t you·ve solved a challenging puzzle is defimtely rewarding. Beyond simple  enioyment and satisfactlon,puzzles also pro·Jide ·,·jonderful opportunities for learning.Challenging puzzles offer children a chance to practice;k i!ls they already know and abo 10 strc:ch their lIlin&; and exlcnd their  knowledge by disCDYering new ideas.