Can one _prove_ that 1 + 1 = 2? How long is the coastline of Britain?
Which US president proved Pythagoras' theorem on right-angled
triangles? Who originated the quadratic equation we learned at school?
In how many ways can you tile your bathroom? Is there a formula for
prime numbers? How often are two winning lottery numbers consecutive?
Who was the witch of Agnesi? What is 'the most important theorem in
mathematics'? Who scratched mathematical equations on a Dublin bridge?
What is a 'space-filling curve'? Must all infinities be the same size?
These and many other questions are answered in this book which
presents eighteen 'Stories' featuring famous mathematical equations
and their historical development. The equations arise from geometry,
arithmetic, algebra, calculus, combinatorics, number theory, and
mathematical logic, and range over 4,000 years from early counting and
circle measurement via Renaissance algebra to fractal geometry, and
from the geometry of the ancient Greeks via the development of
calculus to Boolean algebra and computing. The Stories are well
illustrated with historical artefacts and explanatory diagrams.
Presented in a straightforward, intelligible, and entertaining manner,
_Sum Stories_ is written for general readers of all ages with an
interest in mathematics and its historical development.
Read more
Equations and Their Origins
Product details
ISBN
9780191667725
Published
2025
Edition
1. edition
Publisher
Oxford University Press Academic UK
Language
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Author