Sir Cumference and the first round table A math adventure

Fusing geometry with Arthurian legend, this tale describes the origin of the famous Round Table. After rectangular, square, diamond, and octagonal tables fail to please King Arthur and his knights, Sir Cumference, his wife Lady Di of Ameter, and their son Radius stumble upon a fallen tree, whose cross section yields the solution. Acrylic paintings capture the setting; simple, clear diagrams reinforce the math content. From HORN BOOK Fall 1999, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Long ago, in a land known as Camelot, there lived many knights and ladies. Their ruler was a mighty, but gracious, man named King Arthur. During many years of peace and good harvests, the people lived happily.             The trouble began when they saw the army of their neighbors to the north gathering at the border. These people, known as the Circumscribers, looked as if they might be preparing to make war. King Arthur called upon his bravest and most trusted knights to plan what to do.             The knights rode as fast as they could to the King's castle. Sir Cumference lived nearby, so his family came with him. Sir Cumference was married to Lady Di, who came from the town of Ameter.             They had a son named Radius. Radius was very small and quite young, but his keen mind and boundless energy more than made up for what he lacked in height and age. Excerpted from Sir Cumference and the First Round Table by Cindy Neuschwander All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.