Guesstimation 2.0: Solving Today's Problems on the Back of a Napkin by Lawrence Weinstein Summary
Overview of Guesstimation 2.0: Solving Today's Problems on the Back of a Napkin
Master the lost art of estimation with "Guesstimation" - where napkin math solves real-world puzzles. Neil deGrasse Tyson praises how it "gleams with insight," while top employers now use these skills to test job candidates. Ready to calculate anything?
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Key takeaways
The Art of Back-of-Napkin Problem Solving
Have you ever wondered how many piano tuners work in Chicago? Or how many golf balls would fit in a school bus? These seemingly impossible questions become solvable puzzles with the right mental toolkit. Guesstimation isn't about precision-it's about finding answers that are "good enough" to guide decisions. The revolutionary insight here is simple but powerful: dare to be imprecise! Most real-world problems don't require exact answers; they need reasonable approximations that tell us whether something is too big, too small, or just right. When Google interviewers ask candidates these quirky estimation questions, they're testing a fundamental skill that separates analytical thinkers from the crowd-the ability to break complexity into manageable pieces. The beauty lies in accessibility. You don't need advanced mathematics or specialized knowledge-just a willingness to make reasonable assumptions and embrace imprecision. Being within a factor of ten (10x) of the actual answer is often perfectly sufficient. Think about everyday decisions: Is it worth driving across town to save $5 on groceries? Will installing solar panels pay off? Rather than getting lost in complex calculations, estimation helps determine if options fall into the "worth it" category through simple division and conquest.
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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