# Mathematics Can Be Fun by Yakov Perelman

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/mathematics-can-be-fun/

4 people recommended Mathematics Can Be Fun by Yakov Perelman in Hacker News comments and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 12 months, in 3 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

2 of the 4 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “Round the tree, yes, but not round the squirrel”.

**Verdict:** Readers remember it as a beautifully printed, hardbound book that was a favourite in childhood and still holds fond memories for them.

Summary written by Claude from 3 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Beautifully printed and hardbound (1 comment in the sample): "I have fond memories of Y. Perelman's Mathematics can be Fun -- beautifully printed and hardbound" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48785060))
- Favourite book from childhood (1 comment in the sample): "was one of my favourite books when I was a kid" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46474364))
- Awesome, fun introduction to maths (1 comment in the sample): "Mathematics can be fun" is an awesome book" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46463867))

## Other mathematics books people recommend

- [Elements by Euclid by Oliver Byrne](https://hackerapproved.com/p/elements-of-euclid/): 14 recommend, 2 mixed, 9 criticize
- [Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fermat-s-last-theorem/): 11 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize
- [Gödel's Proof by Nagel and Newman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/g-del-s-proof/): 9 recommend, 0 mixed, 1 criticize
- [Mathematica: A Secret World of Intuition and Curiosity by David Bessis](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mathematica-a-secret-world-of-intuition-and-curiosity/): 8 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Mathematics Can Be Fun by Yakov Perelman", https://hackerapproved.com/p/mathematics-can-be-fun/ (4 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 3 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.