Wonders of Numbers: Adventures in Mathematics, Mind, and Meaning
Wonders of Numbers will enchant even the most left-brained of readers. Hosted by the quirky Dr. Googol--who resides on a remote island and occasionally collaborates with Clifford Pickover--Wonders of Numbers focuses on creativity and the delight of discovery. Here is a potpourri of common and unusual number theory problems of varying difficulty--each presented in brief chapters that convey to readers the essence of the problem rather than its extraneous history. Peppered throughout with illustrations that clarify the problems, Wonders of Numbers also includes fascinating "math gossip." How would we use numbers to communicate with aliens? Check out Chapter 30.
This is not a math book, but rather a journey through time and cultures that focuses on the place of numbers in various human systems. As such, it is entertaining, enlightening, and may even be somewhat unsettling to those who have always dismissed mysticism and numerology as bogus. Shimmel has translated and added to Franz Carl Endres's book of the same name, broadening the scope of the German original. Her introduction, which stands by itself, is a clear, concise, and interesting survey of the history of numbers and their importance to many societies.
Peter Higgins distills centuries of work into one delightful narrative that celebrates the mystery of numbers and explains how different kinds of numbers arose and why they are useful. Full of historical snippets and interesting examples, the book ranges from simple number puzzles and magic tricks, to showing how ideas about numbers relate to real-world problems, such as: How are our bank account details kept secure when shopping over the internet? What are the chances of winning at Russian roulette; or of being dealt a flush in a poker hand?
ASIN: B003Q7Y8FW 2004 Edition - This six-page chart covers: Introduction to American Sign Language The manual alphabet Numbers Greetings and phrases Question words Days and time of day Family members and ...
You Are a Mathematician: A Wise and Witty Introduction to the Joy of Numbers
If you have ever wondered what makes mathematics so fascinating to a mathematician, this may be the book for you. Wells, a British teacher and author of several books of problems and popular mathematics, leads you through topics in geometry, theory of numbers, games, and scientific modeling. In each chapter, the author works upward from simple, specific examples to greater levels of generalization, demonstrating clearly the way new results are actually discovered by mathematicians. He expects only a background in high school algebra and a willingness to put in some effort.
