Financial Literacy Boot Camps & Books by Harvard Mathematician Get Students Hooked on Math: Mom & Dad are Learning Too!

Dr. Iris Mack's critically acclaimed financial literacy book "Mama Says Money Doesn't Grow on Trees!" has been released as an Amazon eBook. Dr. Mack's popular book and eBook are two of the resources used in virtual and onsite math and finance boot camps.

Miami, FL (PRWE March 1, 2011

Phat Math Inc. announces that the popular, financial literacy book for teens and young adults, “Mama Says Money Doesn't Grow on Trees!" has been re-issued in eBook format. Globe Newswire reports that Dr. Iris Mack's mathematics edutainment book is "turning heads across the country in a response similar to the widely promoted 'Hooked on Phonics,' that improved children's reading skills." Her unique approach to math became one of Xlibris/Random House Publisher's top children's picture book royalty earners.

If there is one word that sums up our recent economic woes, it is interest. There’s interest on credit card balances, student loans, car loans, home mortgages, corporate borrowings and most prominently, on state and national debt. But there is surprisingly little interest in this interest. We all pay it. But not many of us really understand how it works.

Dr. Iris Mack has filled the gap – and for young consumers. Her financial literacy book “Mama Says Money Doesn't Grow on Trees!'' is focused on teaching students that math can be fun and key to understanding money and interest. In today’s world of subprime mortgage crises, bankruptcies, massive credit card debt and predatory lending, Dr. Mack's book is more relevant than ever.

In “Mama Says Money Doesn't Grow on Trees!" a group of smart, animated characters explain how money and interest work, as young consumers are introduced to mathematics and financial literacy. Professor Ø, Ms. Madonna Sorenson and Dr. Mackamatix lead students Al G Bro, Frakshun, Nada, Queen% and Material Girl Ma$ through a fun-filled math class all about how money and interest work in their everyday lives.

Dr. Mack has spent several years testing and validating some of her mathematics edutainment strategies in a variety of settings and with students diagnosed with various learning disabilities: in a charter school; a Hillel Jewish academy: a French student in a home-school setting; in her university courses; in one-on-one private tutoring and coaching sessions for students and teachers; and on the math social network http://www.PhatMath.com with thousands of registered students, teachers and parents from around the world.

After working with Dr. Mack and her colleagues at Phat Math Inc., some of these students have demonstrated greater confidence in learning and applying math, have learned to trade stocks and stock options, have improved their test scores, enjoy school more and have demonstrated improved behavior.

Dr. Mack and her colleagues at Phat Math, Inc. offer math and finance boot camps to help students increase their very low math test scores on standardized exams and to learn financial literacy survival skills. Find out more about these virtual and onsite boot camps on http://www.IMackGroup.com.

“I think the work you do showing how math can be beautiful and practical is great, keep it up!” says Javier Tordable, Senior Software Engineer at the Google Corporation.

“Making math fun and relevant is a real public service. Old fashioned, boring textbooks aren't the thing that will capture the imagination and engage our children in the fun and yes, joy, in math and problem solving. Iris Mack has created a group of characters and scenarios that will draw young people into the fold of knowledge,” says Karen Pritzker – Producer of The My Hero Project and Editor of The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity website.

The print and eBook versions of the financial literacy book “Mama Says Money Doesn't Grow on Trees!" are available for sale online at Amazon.com, Walmart.com and other channels. Enjoy a short video trailer for Dr. Mack's book. There’s also an interest calculator on PhatMath.com if students wish to practice what they read.

About the Author
Iris Mack, PhD, EMBA founded Phat Math Inc. in Miami, Florida. She and her colleagues at Phat Math launched their prototype mathematics edutainment social network PhatMath.com. Students in grades K-12 and College have access to free 24/7 online math homework help on PhatMath.com - recently named one of the Top 50 Social Sites for Educators and Academics. Students may also utilize PhatMath.com to e-collaborate with other students all over the world. Phat Math Inc. is currently conducting research for the next version of the social network Phatmath.com. They are also exploring licensing agreements for edutainment games and related merchandise based on their intellectual property and the animated characters in their math edutainment book series.

Dr. Iris Mack earned a Harvard doctorate in Applied Mathematics and a London Business School MBA. She is a former MIT professor. Dr. Mack is also a former Derivatives Financial Engineer and Trader who has worked in financial institutions in the U.S., London and Asia. Oxford-trained mathematician Dr. Paul Wilmott - founder of the Certificate of Quantitative Finance Program in London - has invited Dr. Mack to lecture on Energy Derivatives. He also invited her to join his team of quantitative financial markets bloggers on wilmott.com. This team of bloggers includes financial heavyweights such as the "The Black Swan" author Dr. Nassim Taleb; former Goldman Sachs Financial Engineer Dr. Emanuel Derman; and former derivatives trader Satyajit Das - recently featured in "The Inside Job" movie.

Dr. Mack currently serves on a National Academy of Sciences Research Advisory Board. A few years ago she was selected as a NASA astronaut semi-finalist. Dr. Mack spent the past year in London and various western European countries consulting, lecturing and conducting research for a book about the derivatives markets and for the next book in the math edutainment series. More information about Dr. Mack's professional experiences, her academic credentials, speaking engagements and media exposure may be found on IMackGroup.com.

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