Life of Fred
Mathematics

Who is Fred?

Answer #1
In one of the Life of Fred books, Fred Gauss was born on the western slopes of the Siberian mountains. By the end of the eight books, he is six years old.

In his everyday life he first encounters the need for each new part of mathematics, and then comes the mathematics.

Never again will students have to ask their perennial question: “When are we ever gonna use this stuff?”

Answer #2
Stan became a full-time high school teacher the month he turned 22.

In his first semester of teaching, Stan drew Fred on the blackboard.

It was just a brief appearance: Fred was going fishing.

Then Fred appeared in other examples, and soon became a regular part of the classroom experience. One student in metal shop made a Fred Gauss belt buckle and gave it to Stan.

When Stan switched to college teaching, Fred came along with him. Fred's biography continued to develop.

After eleven years of college teaching, Stan "retired himself" to an A-frame on six acres in the woods outside of Santa Rosa, California—waiting to find out what God wanted him to do next.

Eighteen years later, now living in Reno, he began writing the Life of Fred series. It took him a little over eight years to finish.