Maths Books
A strange thing to have a page on, I know, but there are some good
general maths books out there and these
are some of my favourites for just dipping into, especially over the
summer months. See also Real Books
Fermat's Last
Theorem : Simon Singh An obvious introduction, but this one
traces a lot of mathematical history in a very short time : and gives a
good overview into solving what was one of the most notorious problems
in Mathematics.
Does
God Play Dice?: the New Mathematics of Chaos : Ian Stewart This
text explains how mathematics attempts to cope with chaotic behaviour in
many different circumstances, for example, from gas dynamics to the stock
exchange, through quantum mechanics and much else besides.
The
Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers : David Wells. A
dictionary of numbers (arranged in order of magnitude) which will expose
the fascinating facts about certain numbers and number sequences - very
large primes, amicable numbers, golden squares, fibonacci sequences. Various
recurring non-integer constants and imaginary numbers are covered.
The Penguin
Book of Curious and Interesting Mathematics : David Wells A collection
of strange mathematical facts and stories. This anthology covers a whole
range of ages, maths and mathematicians, and includes probability paradoxes,
jumbled Shakespearean sonnets, record-breaking monkeys and typewriters,
and theories of big game hunting. Also featured are stories of people who
looked for logical loopholes in the American Constitution, calmed their
nerves with algebra or used sextants to measure the buttocks of Hottentot
women.
The Man Who
Loved Only Numbers : Paul Hoffman A mathematical genius of the first
order, Paul Erdos was totally obsessed with his subject. For six decades
Erdos had no job, no hobbies, no wife and no home. He travelled the world,
arriving at the doorstep of esteemed mathematicians declaring "My brain
is open". This is a biography of Paul Erdos, the most prolific and eccentric
mathematician of our times, forsook all creature comforts - including a
home - to pursue his lifelong study of numvers. He was a man who possessed
unimaginable powers of thought, yet was unable to manage some of the simplest
daily tasks.
For more than six decades Erdos lived out of
two tattered suitcases, criss-crossing four continents at a frenzied pace,
chasing mathematical problems. Erdos saw mathematics as a search for lasting
beauty and ultimate truth. It was a search he never abandoned,even as his
life was torn revolution in his native Hungary, the rise of Nazism and
the Cold War. This is an intimate look at the world of mathematics and
an unforgettable portrait of Erdos, a charming and impish philosopher-scientist
whose accomplishements continue to enrich and inform our world.
No Pictures Now!!!
Mathematics : The New Golden Age : Keith Devlin In the computerized
world of today no one can avoid the impact of mathematics on almost every
aspect of our lives, yet most people believe they cannot hope to understand
or enjoy the subject. This lively and comprehensive survey sets out to
show just how mistaken they are. Dr Devlin's television appearances and
popular "Guardian" column have revealed his gift for making difficult topics
accessible, and in this book he offers a glimpse of the extraordinary vistas
and bizarre universes opened up by contemporary mathematicians: the theory
of knots and secret codes, Hilbert's tenth problem and the four-colour
theorem, business-planning techniques and strange number systems.
From Here to Infinity : Ian Stewart A retitled and revised
edition of Ian Stewart's The Problem of Mathematics , this is the perfect
guide to today's mathematics. Read about the latest discoveries, including
Andrew Wile's amazing proof of Fermat's Last Theorem, the newest advances
in knot theory, the Four Colour Theorem, Chaos Theory, and fake four-dimensial
spaces. See how simple concepts from probability theory shed light on the
National Lottery and tell you how to maximize your winnings. Discover how
infinitesimals become respectable, why there are different kinds of infinity,
and how to square the circle with the mathematical equivalent of a pair
of scissors. (I'd like to boast that mine is signed!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Alan Turing:
the Enigma : Andrew Hodges Alan Turing was a brilliant Cambridge
mathematician who has been described as the father of the modern computer.
He masterminded the cracking of the German Enigma code and was caught up
in the secrecy and bureaucracy of World War II and afterwards - continually
frustrated in his desire to build a machine which could think, as those
with power over him feared both his homosexuality and indiscretion. This
is an account of his life, which ended by his own hand.