Most of us picture mathematicians laboring before a chalkboard, scribbling
numbers and obscure symbols as they mutter unintelligibly. This
lighthearted (but realistic) sneak-peak into the everyday world of mathematicians
turns that stereotype on its head.Most people have little idea what
mathematicians do or how they think.
It's often difficult to see how their
seemingly arcane and esoteric work
applies to our own everyday lives. But
mathematics also holds a special allure
for many people. We are drawn to its
inherent beauty and fascinated by its
complexity—but often intimidated by
its presumed difficulty.
The Secret Life of Numbers opens our
eyes to the joys of mathematics, introducing
us to the charming, often
whimsical side, of the discipline.
Divided into several parts, the book
looks at interesting and largely unknown historical tidbits, introduces the largerthan-
life practitioners of mathematics through the ages, profiles some of the
most significant unsolved conjectures, and describes problems and puzzles that
have already been solved. Rounding out the table of contents is a host of mathematical
miscellany—all of which add up to 50 fun, sometimes cheeky, shorttakes
on the field.
Chock full of stories, anecdotes, and entertaining vignettes, The Secret Life of
Numbers shows us how mathematics really does affect almost every aspect of
life—from the law to geography, elections to botany—and we come to appreciate
the delight and gratification that mathematics holds for all of us.
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