This book is based on the view that cognitive skills are best acquired by solving challenging, non-standard probability problems.
Many puzzles and problems presented here are either new within a problem solving context (although as topics in fundamental research they are long known) or are variations of classical problems which follow directly from elementary concepts. A small number of particularly instructive problems is taken from previous sources which in this case are generally given. This book will be a handy resource for professors looking for problems to assign, for undergraduate math students, and for a more general audience of amateur scientists.
From the reviews:
"Wolfgang Schwarz’s collection of 40 problems, hints for approaching them, and their solutions is a genuinely valuable resource for the experienced (and not-so-experienced) probability teacher. ... There are ... problems, all potentially useful to anyone teaching probability and mathematical statistics. The difficulty level ranges nicely from elementary to sophisticated, so most readers will find something challenging here." (Mark Bollman, MathDL, January, 2008)
"In this work, Schwarz ... provides a collection of problems involving probability theory and mathematical statistics. ... This book may be of interest to advanced students studying probability theory. ... Summing Up: Recommended. Libraries serving upper-division undergraduates and graduate students." (B. Borchers, Choice, Vol. 46 (6), February, 2009)
"It contains an eclectic selection of problems from a reasonably wide range of topics in probability and statistics ... . In brief, this is an enjoyable book that is to be recommended to anyone looking for a very concise collection of good and interesting problems and puzzles in these subjects." (David Stirzaker, Siam Review, Vol. 51 (1), 2009)