What is the author's tone in Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences by John Allen Paulos?

The tone of Innumeracy, Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences is subjective for a large portion of the book. As a mathematician and educator, John Allen Paulos has very strong opinions about innumeracy and the negative consequences it has on an individual and society as a whole. Paulos is well known for using humor in his speeches and writings, which adds an element of interest for the listener and reader. It is the author's humor that makes the material palatable and the anecdotes used throughout the book are relevant to the lives of the average person so that the examples have meaning regardless of education, occupation, social status or gender.

The parts of the book that are objective deal mainly with actual mathematical functions, formulas, and theorems as well as historically documented facts. There are sections in which Paulos describes certain mathematical aspects in great detail in an objective manner. Perhaps the most common of these is the determination of probability and the way in which people misuse it on a regular basis, either through ignorance or in order to serve their particular needs.

Although Paulos admits to writing the book because of a lingering anger and resentment toward mathematical illiteracy, the tone of the book does not reflect an angry or hostile man. Instead, the author's work is informative while managing to come across as caring and humorous.