How to Solve It
 Cover of first edition | |
| Author | George Pólya |
|---|---|
| Genre | Mathematics, problem solving |
| Publisher | Princeton University Press |
| Publication date | 1945 |
| Media type | hardcover, paperback |
| Pages | 204 |
| Followed by | Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning (1954) |
How to Solve It is a guide to problem solving by mathematician George Pólya. Originally published by Princeton University Press in 1945, a second edition was released by Doubleday in 1957, and the book has been reissued several times since. In the preface to the first edition, Pólya said he wrote the book primarily for teachers and students of mathematics, and the examples are taken from elementary algebra and geometry. However, How to Solve It was later embraced by other disciplines for its clear explanations of heuristics and problem-solving strategies such as induction, analogy, specialization, and working backwards. The book has been translated into more than 15 languages and sold over a million copies, "making it one of the most widely circulated mathematics books in history."