Written for high school and college mathematics teachers and their students, as well as a general audience, this book discusses concepts such as positive integers, rational numbers, real numbers, complex numbers, polynomials, algebra, two- and three-dimensional geometry and topology.

The true story that inspired the 2020 film. The autobiography of mathematician Stanislaw Ulam, one of the great scientific minds of the twentieth century, tells a story rich with amazingly prophetic speculations and peppered with lively anecdotes. As a member of the Los Alamos National Laboratory from 1944 on, Ulam helped to precipitate some of the most dramatic changes of the postwar world. He was among the first to use and advocate computers for scientific research, originated ideas for the nuclear propulsion of space vehicles, and made fundamental contributions to many of today's most challenging mathematical projects. With his wide-ranging interests, Ulam never emphasized the importance of his contributions to the research that resulted in the hydrogen bomb. Now Daniel Hirsch and William Mathews reveal the true story of Ulam's pivotal role in the making of the "Super," in their historical introduction to this behind-the-scenes look at the minds and ideas that ushered in the nuclear age. An epilogue by Françoise Ulam and Jan Mycielski sheds new light on Ulam's character and mathematical originality.

Who were the five strangest mathematicians in history? What are the ten most interesting numbers? Jam-packed with thought-provoking mathematical mysteries, puzzles, and games, Wonders of Numbers will enchant even the most left-brained of readers. Hosted by the quirky Dr. Googol--who resides on a remote island and occasionally collaborates with Clifford Pickover--Wonders of Numbers focuses on creativity and the delight of discovery. Here is a potpourri of common and unusual number theory problems of varying difficulty--each presented in brief chapters that convey to readers the essence of the problem rather than its extraneous history. Peppered throughout with illustrations that clarify the problems, Wonders of Numbers also includes fascinating "math gossip." How would we use numbers to communicate with aliens? Check out Chapter 30. Did you know that there is a Numerical Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? You'll find it in Chapter 45. From the beautiful formula of India's most famous mathematician to the Leviathan number so big it makes a trillion look small, Dr. Googol's witty and straightforward approach to numbers will entice students, educators, and scientists alike to pick up a pencil and work a problem.

The world of maths can seem mind-boggling, irrelevant and, let's face it, boring. This groundbreaking book reclaims maths from the geeks. Mathematical ideas underpin just about everything in our lives: from the surprising geometry of the 50p piece to how probability can help you win in any casino. In search of weird and wonderful mathematical phenomena, Alex Bellos travels across the globe and meets the world's fastest mental calculators in Germany and a startlingly numerate chimpanzee in Japan. Packed with fascinating, eye-opening anecdotes, Alex's Adventures in Numberland is an exhilarating cocktail of history, reportage and mathematical proofs that will leave you awestruck.

This monograph uses the concept and category of “event” in the study of mathematics as it emerges from an interaction between levels of cognition, from the bodily experiences to symbolism. It is subdivided into three parts.The first moves from a general characterization of the classical approach to mathematical cognition and mind toward laying the foundations for a view on the mathematical mind that differs from going approaches in placing primacy on events.The second articulates some common phenomena–mathematical thought, mathematical sign, mathematical form, mathematical reason and its development, and affect in mathematics–in new ways that are based on the previously developed ontology of events. The final part has more encompassing phenomena as its content, most prominently the thinking body of mathematics, the experience in and of mathematics, and the relationship between experience and mind. The volume is well-suited for anyone with a broad interest in educational theory and/or social development, or with a broad background in psychology.

Learn math by getting creative with code! Use the Python programming language to transform learning high school-level math topics like algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus! Math Adventures with Python will show you how to harness the power of programming to keep math relevant and fun. With the aid of the Python programming language, you'll learn how to visualize solutions to a range of math problems as you use code to explore key mathematical concepts like algebra, trigonometry, matrices, and cellular automata. Once you've learned the programming basics like loops and variables, you'll write your own programs to solve equations quickly, make cool things like an interactive rainbow grid, and automate tedious tasks like factoring numbers and finding square roots. You'll learn how to write functions to draw and manipulate shapes, create oscillating sine waves, and solve equations graphically. You'll also learn how to: - Draw and transform 2D and 3D graphics with matrices - Make colorful designs like the Mandelbrot and Julia sets with complex numbers - Use recursion to create fractals like the Koch snowflake and the Sierpinski triangle - Generate virtual sheep that graze on grass and multiply autonomously - Crack secret codes using genetic algorithms As you work through the book's numerous examples and increasingly challenging exercises, you'll code your own solutions, create beautiful visualizations, and see just how much more fun math can be!

Though elementary in nature, this book deals with fundamental issues in mathematics OCo number, algebra, geometry (both Euclidean and non-Euclidean) and topology. These subjects, on an advanced level, are the same ones with which much of current mathematical research is concerned and were themselves research topics of earlier periods. The material is very suitable both for advanced high school students and for college students interested in elementary mathematics from a higher standpoint. It will also be very useful to high school teachers seeking an overview of their subject matter. Contents: What is a Number?: The Positive Integers; The Integers; The Rational Numbers; The Real Numbers; The Integers Revisited; The Complex Numbers; Polynomials and Other Analogues of the Integers; The Algebra on a Dial; Groups, Finite Fields and Linear Algebra: Introduction to Groups and Their Actions; Applications to Finite Fields and the Theory of Numbers; Linear Algebra; Two- and Three-Dimensional Geometry and Topology: The Euclidean Case; Elliptic and Hyperbolic Geometry; Some Two- and Three-Dimensional Topology. Readership: High school and college teachers and students; college pre-calculus teachers and students; general readers with an interest in mathematics but a limited background."

Imagine algebra class meets The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy... Meet JJ, an unusual character with a unique vantage position from which he can measure and monitor humanity’s progress. Armed with a device that compels all around it to tell the truth, JJ offers a satirical evaluation of our attitudes to numeracy and logic, touching upon several aspects of life on Earth along the way, from the criminal justice system and people’s use of language to highway driving and modern art. A collection of mathematically-flavored stories and jokes, interlaced with puzzles, paradoxes and problems, fuse together in an entertaining, free-flowing narrative that will engage and amuse anyone with an interest in the issues confronting society today. JJ demonstrates how a lack of elementary mathematical knowledge can taint our work and general thinking and reflects upon the importance of what is arguably our most valuable weapon against ignorance: a sound mathematical education.

The complete story of the universe and absolutely everything in it (minus the boring parts). Despite our clever linguistic abilities, humans are spectacularly ill-equipped to comprehend what’s happening in the universe. Our senses and intuition routinely mislead us. The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) tells the story of how we came to suppress our monkey minds and perceive the true nature of reality. Written with wit and humor, this brief book tells the story of science—tales of fumbles and missteps, errors and egos, hard work, accidents, and some really bad decisions—all of which have created the sum total of human knowledge. Geneticist Adam Rutherford and mathematician Hannah Fry guide readers through time and space, through our bodies and brains, showing how emotions shape our view of reality, how our minds tell us lies, and why a mostly bald and curious ape decided to begin poking at the fabric of the universe. Rutherford and Fry shine as science sleuths, wrestling with some truly head-scratching questions: Where did time come from? Do we have free will? Does my dog love me? Hilarious sidebars present memorable scientific oddities: for example, hypnotized snails, human-sized ants, and the average time it takes most animals to evacuate their bladders. (A surprisingly consistent twenty-one seconds, if you must know.) Both rigorous and playful, The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) is a celebration of the weirdness of the cosmos, the strangeness of humans, and the joys and follies of scientific discovery.