Number Story (Paperback)

Peter Michael Higgins

ISBN 10: 1447168518 / ISBN 13: 9781447168515

Verlag: Springer London Ltd, London, 2016

Beschreibung

Paperback. Numbers have fascinated people for centuries. They are familiar to everyone, forming a central pillar of our understanding of the world, yet the number system was not presented to us gift-wrapped but, rather, was developed over millennia. 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?As our understanding of numbers continues to evolve, this book invites us to rediscover the mystery and beauty of numbers and reminds us that the story of numbers is a tale with a long way to run. or of being dealt a flush in a poker hand?As our understanding of numbers continues to evolve, this book invites us to rediscover the mystery and beauty of numbers and reminds us that the story of numbers is a tale with a long way to run. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 9781447168515

Bibliografische Details

• Titel: Number Story (Paperback)
• Verlag: Springer London Ltd, London
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2016
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN-10: 1447168518
• ISBN-13: 9781447168515
• Einband: Paperback
• Zustand: new

Über diesen Titel

Inhaltsangabe

This is an entertaining introduction to the development of numbers and their applications. The book is written in the same user-friendly style that characterises the author’s previous books. It blends easy material with more challenging ideas about infinity and complex numbers and is full of interesting examples ranging from recreational puzzles to very real world scenarios. There are historical notes, which give the mathematics context, and short digressions, while a final chapter, For Connoisseurs, provides the mathematical detail for those who would like to know more about the questions and techniques highlighted. The book will appeal to anyone who is curious about the mathematics behind real-life questions. It will inspire and motivate those thinking of studying mathematics at university, and will provide invaluable material for teachers and lecturers.

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Peter Higgins is a Professor of Mathematics at Essex University and inventor of Circular Sudoku. His previous books on mathematics include Mathematics for the Curious, Mathematics for the Imagination, and Nets, Puzzles and Postmen: An Exploration of Mathematical Connections.