Let's start with two questions.

First, how do you feel about math? And second, how do you feel about games? If you loathe the former but love the latter, you're not alone and that may go back to your school days.

Eight out of ten kids in grade seven through ten say they are fearful of math.

That's from a recent survey done by the tutoring service Q Math.

Our love of playing games on the other hand is so central to our existence

that Dutch cultural theorists Johann Heisinga suggested we be called

Homo Ludens referencing the Latin word for play. But math, it turns out, is central to many of the

games we play. It crafts the rules and helps us win. And one of you listening from Arkansas

sent us this message saying how important that connection is to you.

I love Mahjong, Rumi cubes, spades, poker, it all relates to math for strategy.

That's how I'm hardwired. It's how I roll. We had a

mathematics masterminds club in junior high with a fantastic math teacher. She

ignited the flame. Thanks for that message. And that leads us to the new book, Around the World in 80

Games. A mathematician unlocks the secrets of the greatest games. The book is a

mathematical, historical, and global tour guided by author Marcus de Sotoy.

He's also a professor of mathematics at Oxford.

He joins us after the break from London, England.

He tells us about the connection between our favorite games and math, and we'll hear from you about

some of your beloved games. I'm Jen White. You're listening to the 1A podcast, where we get to the heart of the story.

We'll be back in just a moment. the Kotah Kottby podcast. Join the today shows Hoda Kottby for real, raw conversations with

guests like Rain Wilson and Aaron Andrews. Hear inspiring stories of resilience. Search

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