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How The World Works: Mathematics - From creating the pyramids to exploring infinity - Anne ROONEY Publisher: Arcturus Publishing Limited - 2017 - ISBN: 978-1-78428-665-1 |
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Back cover: 'In order to understand the universe you must know the language in which it is written. And that language is mathematics.' Galileo (1564-1642) People have always sought order in the apparent chaos of the universe. Mathematics has been our most valuable tool in that search, uncovering the patterns and rules which govern our world and beyond. This book traces humankind's greatest achievments, plotting a journey through the mathematical intellects of the last 4,000 years to where we stand today. |
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Contents
Introduction: The Magic of Numbers
Chapter 1 Starting with numbers
- Where do numbers come from?
- Numbers and bases
- More numbers, big and small
Chapter 2 Numbers put to work
- Putting two and two together
- Special numbers and sequences
- Unspeakable numbers
Chapter 3 The shape of things
- The measure of everything
- Early geometry
- Trigonometry
Chapter 4 In the round
- Curves, circles and conics
- Solid geometry
- Seeing the world
- Other worlds
Chapter 5 The magic formula
- Algebra in the ancient world
- The birth of algebra
- Writing equations
- Algebra comes into its own
- The world is never enough
Chapter 6 Grasping the infinite
- Coming to terms with infinity
- The emergence of calculus
- Calculus and beyond
Chapter 7 Numbers at works and play
- Cheer up, it may never happen
- Samples and statistics
- Statistical mathematics
Chapter 8 The death of numbers
- Set theory
- Getting fuzzy
Chapter 9 Proving it
- Problems and proofs
- Being logical
- What were we talking about?
Glossary
Index