The Oxbridge Interview Book

In The Oxbridge Interview Book, Thomas Povey shares 109 of his favourite problems in the mathematical sciences, guiding us through the wonderful, fascinating and quirky questions that have become synonymous with the Oxbridge interview. Whether you are an aspiring scientist or an old-hand, you can now pit yourself against these uncompromisingly challenging problems, developed-in time honoured tradition-to test an interviewee's ability to think. Detailed answers are provided, with a refreshing blend of scientific history, application and personal anecdote. In this delightful and idiosyncratic romp through pre-university maths and physics, the author shows us that behind every single one of these questions lies a new way of thinking about subjects we felt we had understood. He argues that engaging with the unfamiliar is key to forming deeper insights and developing intellectual independence. The Oxbridge Interview Book is a manifesto that science should be playful, and that we should celebrate the curious.