Do Math Trick Books Improve Problem-Solving Skills?

[pivoxa15]

It seems that many hardish elementary (senior high school, first year university) maths problems are about using some type of 'trick' or method which is not obvious at first sight and they are not usually taught as only the standard methods are taught.

Are there books out there that concisely list many of these 'tricks'?

 

[chroot]

You mean, like, a calculus textbook? *raises eyebrow*

- Warren

 

[Curious3141]

There's a nice "trick" to doing long division which I've found useful. Go to the tutorials and look for my entry on Ruffini's synthetic division.

Is that the sort of thing you're looking for?

 

[Tide]

It seems that many hardish elementary (senior high school, first year university) maths problems are about using some type of 'trick' or method which is not obvious at first sight and they are not usually taught as only the standard methods are taught.

Are there books out there that concisely list many of these 'tricks'?

The part that you are missing is that those problems are designed to provide you with real problem solving challenges and to encourage logical thinking. While application of rote and repetitive exercises have their place, the rewards of real problem solving exercises are far more valuable.