About the Book
The reader is introduced to the process of shearing sheep, the art of bartering, the importance of wheat as a staple, the description and use of a yardstick, and the village Elder’s definition of a lunar month and lunar year. Historical topics include roles played by France and Mexico in land acquisitions that opened the southwestern US to settlers, the role of the US Mint in standardizing currency, the history of the US flag, and the patriotic song resulting from the 1812 war with Britain.
By using the adventures of Eli to introduce math applied to practical problems, the author hopes to kindle the interest of young readers in the power and the beauty of mathematics.
The book is written for elementary and middle school students. A short glossary is included at the end of the story. For more advanced readers, three problem sets on distances, areas, and geometry are derived from information given in Chapter 2.
The book could be assigned by teachers as outside reading to provide material for classroom discussion or for written or oral book reports.