And finally, at number one...

Um.

Er.

Ah.

Bit of a problem here, actually.

You'd think I would have known all along what I had in mind for the number one all-time bestist ever Scottish mathematics textbook, wouldn't you?

I mean, let's face it, leaving it 'til the end and hoping for inspiration - that would be pretty stupid, wouldn't it?

And, as I've said before, it has been a bit surprising to go for a wander down memory lane and find that so many textbooks let you down one way or another. Yes, even good old Blackie Chambers could get a bit weird on you every now and then.

So, maybe it's a copout, but I'll give you two options to choose from, in the hope that maybe one of them will feel a bit less like a let-down:

Option (a): there is no best ever textbook. How could there be? Isn't there always going to be a need for teacher input specific to the class in hand, which means that any textbook will only be of some use, to some pupils, some of the time? When will we learn that we need to focus more on what we need to teach in a lesson, instead of just turning to the next page of the textbook?
(Yes folks, this is the "educational high-ground" copout!)

Or:

Option (b): whilst not a textbook per se, any worksheet made with Banda fluid was always a huge hit with maths classes. Especially if they were fresh from the machine...

Accepting the award tonight on behalf of the Banda corporation is Malkie McAsbo, whose memories of maths at school are hazy to say the least, though he does remember colouring in some SMP booklets on "Rules and Formulas" in S2, which always baffled him on account of his grasp of plurals. Oan yersel', big man!