MATHEMATICAL FICTION:

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

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Long Division (2010)
Buzz Mauro
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A very short story in which a hypochondriacal boy confuses the long division which he is learning in school with the cell division in the cancer that killed his grandmother. The boy's mother responds by retelling the anecdote about the attempt by the Indiana legislature to set a rational value for π in 1897, causing the boy to think of the horrible consequences that could follow from such anti-mathematical reasoning.

Published in River Styx 81/82, March 2010.

(Note: This is just one work of mathematical fiction from the list. To see the entire list or to see more works of mathematical fiction, return to the Homepage.)

Works Similar to Long Division
According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:
  1. Long Division by Michael Redhill
  2. The Decimal People by Zachary Shiffman
  3. The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice
  4. Hard Times by Charles Dickens
  5. Zero by Buzz Mauro
  6. The Last Theorem by Buzz Mauro
  7. Fractions by Buzz Mauro
  8. The Trachtenberg Speed System by Buzz Mauro
  9. Continuity by Buzz Mauro
  10. Twenty-seven Uses for Imaginary Numbers by Buzz Mauro
Ratings for Long Division:
RatingsHave you seen/read this work of mathematical fiction? Then click here to enter your own votes on its mathematical content and literary quality or send me comments to post on this Webpage.
Mathematical Content:
3/5 (1 votes)
..
Literary Quality:
4/5 (1 votes)
..

Categories:
Genre
MotifMath Education,
Topic
MediumShort Stories,

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Where are the new works of mathematical fiction?: As you can see from this chronological listing, this database includes many works of mathematical fiction for each year from 1990 to 2025. Strangely, only two are listed for 2026, so far. Either less mathematical fiction is being published than in previous years or I'm just having more trouble finding it. If you know of any works of fiction that should be added to this list, especially recently published ones, please let me know. (Keep in mind that I do not include self-published works or children's fiction that just covers elementary mathematical concepts.) Thanks!

(Maintained by Alex Kasman, College of Charleston)