Mathematics: All That Matters

Mathematics: All That Matters PDF

Author: Mike Askew

Publisher: John Murray

Published: 2015-02-26

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1473601754

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Mathematics often gets a bad press. Describing someone as 'calculating' or 'rational' is hardly as flattering as being labelled 'artistic' or 'creative' and mathematicians in movies or novels are often portrayed as social misfits who rarely get the guy or girl. No wonder some folks say 'oh I don't care for mathematics, I was never any good at it' with a wistful sense of pride. Yet professional mathematicians talk of the subject differently. They look for elegant solutions to problems, revel in playing around with mathematical ideas and talk of the creative nature of mathematics. As the Russian mathematician Sophia Kovalevskaya said "It is impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet in soul." So why is there such a gap between the views of everyday folks and professional mathematicians? Part of the problem lies in how most of us were taught mathematics in school. The mathematics served up there is presented as a series of de-contextualised, abstract ideas, wrested from the human struggles and interactions that gave birth to the ideas. Through looking at some of the history of mathematics, psychological studies into how we come to know mathematics and key ideas in mathematics itself, the intent of this book is, if not to make the reader fall in love with mathematics, then at least to come to understand its nature a little better, and perhaps care a little more for it. In short, this book explores the human side of maths.

1089 and All that

1089 and All that PDF

Author: D. J. Acheson

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 9780198516231

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This excellent book, written by the established author David Acheson, makes mathematics accessible to everyone. Providing an entertaining and witty overview of the subject, the text includes several fascinating puzzles, and is accompanied by numerous illustrations and sketches by world famouscartoonists. This unusual book is one of the most readable explanations of mathematics available.

Poker Math that Matters

Poker Math that Matters PDF

Author: Owen Gaines

Publisher:

Published: 2010-09-01

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 9780615397450

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Learning the math behind good poker has never been simpler. Owen's methods and shortcuts will have you applying the math at the poker table overnight.

Maths 1001

Maths 1001 PDF

Author: Dr Richard Elwes

Publisher: Greenfinch

Published: 2017-07-06

Total Pages: 577

ISBN-13: 1786486954

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The ultimate smart reference to the world of mathematics - from quadratic equations and Pythagoras' Theorem to chaos theory and quantum computing. Maths 1001 provides clear and concise explanations of the most fascinating and fundamental mathematical concepts. Distilled into 1001 bite-sized mini-essays arranged thematically, this unique reference book moves steadily from the basics through to the most advanced of ideas, making it the ideal guide for novices and mathematics enthusiasts. Whether used as a handy reference, an informal self-study course or simply as a gratifying dip-in, this book offers - in one volume - a world of mathematical knowledge for the general reader. Maths 1001 is an incredibly comprehensive guide, spanning all of the key mathematical fields including Numbers, Geometry, Algebra, Analysis, Discrete Mathematics, Logic and the Philosophy of Maths, Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Probability and Puzzles and Mathematical Games. From zero and infinity to relativity and Godel's proof that maths is incomplete, Dr Richard Elwes explains the key concepts of mathematics in the simplest language with a minimum of jargon. Along the way he reveals mathematical secrets such as how to count to 1023 using just 10 fingers and how to make an unbreakable code, as well as answering such questions as: Are imaginary numbers real? How can something be both true and false? Why is it impossible to draw an accurate map of the world? And how do you get your head round the mind-bending Monty Hall problem? Extensive, enlightening and entertaining, this really is the only maths book anyone would ever need to buy.

Mathematics for Human Flourishing

Mathematics for Human Flourishing PDF

Author: Francis Su

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2020-01-07

Total Pages: 287

ISBN-13: 0300237138

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"The ancient Greeks argued that the best life was filled with beauty, truth, justice, play and love. The mathematician Francis Su knows just where to find them."--Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine" This is perhaps the most important mathematics book of our time. Francis Su shows mathematics is an experience of the mind and, most important, of the heart."--James Tanton, Global Math Project For mathematician Francis Su, a society without mathematical affection is like a city without concerts, parks, or museums. To miss out on mathematics is to live without experiencing some of humanity's most beautiful ideas. In this profound book, written for a wide audience but especially for those disenchanted by their past experiences, an award-winning mathematician and educator weaves parables, puzzles, and personal reflections to show how mathematics meets basic human desires--such as for play, beauty, freedom, justice, and love--and cultivates virtues essential for human flourishing. These desires and virtues, and the stories told here, reveal how mathematics is intimately tied to being human. Some lessons emerge from those who have struggled, including philosopher Simone Weil, whose own mathematical contributions were overshadowed by her brother's, and Christopher Jackson, who discovered mathematics as an inmate in a federal prison. Christopher's letters to the author appear throughout the book and show how this intellectual pursuit can--and must--be open to all.

Motivation Matters and Interest Counts

Motivation Matters and Interest Counts PDF

Author: James A. Middleton

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 9780873536585

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Why do smart people disengage from mathematical pursuits…and how can we reverse the trend? This book is designed to be the go-to source for information on mathematical motivation. It presents the full body of research on motivation in a useful, interesting and provocative matter.

Mathematics without Apologies

Mathematics without Apologies PDF

Author: Michael Harris

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2017-05-30

Total Pages: 468

ISBN-13: 0691175837

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An insightful reflection on the mathematical soul What do pure mathematicians do, and why do they do it? Looking beyond the conventional answers—for the sake of truth, beauty, and practical applications—this book offers an eclectic panorama of the lives and values and hopes and fears of mathematicians in the twenty-first century, assembling material from a startlingly diverse assortment of scholarly, journalistic, and pop culture sources. Drawing on his personal experiences and obsessions as well as the thoughts and opinions of mathematicians from Archimedes and Omar Khayyám to such contemporary giants as Alexander Grothendieck and Robert Langlands, Michael Harris reveals the charisma and romance of mathematics as well as its darker side. In this portrait of mathematics as a community united around a set of common intellectual, ethical, and existential challenges, he touches on a wide variety of questions, such as: Are mathematicians to blame for the 2008 financial crisis? How can we talk about the ideas we were born too soon to understand? And how should you react if you are asked to explain number theory at a dinner party? Disarmingly candid, relentlessly intelligent, and richly entertaining, Mathematics without Apologies takes readers on an unapologetic guided tour of the mathematical life, from the philosophy and sociology of mathematics to its reflections in film and popular music, with detours through the mathematical and mystical traditions of Russia, India, medieval Islam, the Bronx, and beyond.

Illustrating Mathematics

Illustrating Mathematics PDF

Author: Diana Davis

Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.

Published: 2020-10-16

Total Pages: 171

ISBN-13: 1470461226

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This book is for anyone who wishes to illustrate their mathematical ideas, which in our experience means everyone. It is organized by material, rather than by subject area, and purposefully emphasizes the process of creating things, including discussions of failures that occurred along the way. As a result, the reader can learn from the experiences of those who came before, and will be inspired to create their own illustrations. Topics illustrated within include prime numbers, fractals, the Klein bottle, Borromean rings, tilings, space-filling curves, knot theory, billiards, complex dynamics, algebraic surfaces, groups and prime ideals, the Riemann zeta function, quadratic fields, hyperbolic space, and hyperbolic 3-manifolds. Everyone who opens this book should find a type of mathematics with which they identify. Each contributor explains the mathematics behind their illustration at an accessible level, so that all readers can appreciate the beauty of both the object itself and the mathematics behind it.

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