Sacred Geometry


Miranda Lundy - 1998
    In this small volume, Miranda Lundy presents a unique introduction to this most ancient and timeless of universal sciences.Sacred Geometry demonstrates what happens to space in two dimensions - a subject last flowering in the art, science and architecture of the Renaissance and seen in the designs of Stonehenge, mosque decorations and church windows. With exquisite hand-drawn images throughout showing the relationship between shapes, the patterns of coin circles, and the definition of the golden section, it will forever alter the way in which you look at a triangle, hexagon, arch, or spiral.

A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: The Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science


Michael S. Schneider - 1994
    This is a new view of mathematics, not the one we learned at school but a comprehensive guide to the patterns that recur through the universe and underlie human affairs. A Beginner's Guide to Constructing, the Universe shows you: Why cans, pizza, and manhole covers are round.Why one and two weren't considered numbers by the ancient Greeks.Why squares show up so often in goddess art and board games.What property makes the spiral the most widespread shape in nature, from embryos and hair curls to hurricanes and galaxies. How the human body shares the design of a bean plant and the solar system. How a snowflake is like Stonehenge, and a beehive like a calendar. How our ten fingers hold the secrets of both a lobster a cathedral, and much more.

Math Hysteria: Fun and Games with Mathematics


Ian Stewart - 2004
    Ian Stewart presents us with a wealth of magical puzzles, each one spun around an amazing tale, including Counting the Cattle of the Sun, The Great Drain Robbery, and Preposterous Piratical Predicaments. Fully illustrated with explanatory diagrams, each tale is told with engaging wit, sure to amuse everyone with an interest in puzzles and mathematics. Along the way, we also meet many curious characters. Containing twenty specially-commissioned cartoons, this book will delight all who are familiar with Stewart's many other books, such as What Shape is a Snowflake? and Flatterland and anyone interested in mathematical problems. In short, these stories are engaging, challenging, and lots of fun!

Stalking the Riemann Hypothesis: The Quest to Find the Hidden Law of Prime Numbers


Dan Rockmore - 2005
    Now, at a moment when mathematicians are finally moving in on a proof, Dartmouth professor Dan Rockmore tells the riveting history of the hunt for a solution.In 1859 German professor Bernhard Riemann postulated a law capable of describing with an amazing degree of accuracy the occurrence of the prime numbers. Rockmore takes us all the way from Euclid to the mysteries of quantum chaos to show how the Riemann hypothesis lies at the very heart of some of the most cutting-edge research going on today in physics and mathematics.

Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension


Matt Parker - 2014
    This book can be cut, drawn in, folded into shapes and will even take you to the fourth dimension. So join stand-up mathematician Matt Parker on a journey through narcissistic numbers, optimal dating algorithms, at least two different kinds of infinity and more.

A Mathematician's Lament: How School Cheats Us Out of Our Most Fascinating and Imaginative Art Form


Paul Lockhart - 2009
    Witty and accessible, Paul Lockhart’s controversial approach will provoke spirited debate among educators and parents alike and it will alter the way we think about math forever.Paul Lockhart, has taught mathematics at Brown University and UC Santa Cruz. Since 2000, he has dedicated himself to K-12 level students at St. Ann’s School in Brooklyn, New York.

Pure Mathematics 1: Advanced Level Mathematics


Hugh Neill - 2002
    Pure Mathematics 1 corresponds to unit P1. It covers quadratics, functions, coordinate geometry, circular measure, trigonometry, vectors, series, differentiation and integration.

Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life


Garth Sundem - 2006
    Call it the algebra oracle: By plugging in the right variables, GEEK LOGIK answers life’s most persistent questions. It covers Dating and Romance, Career and Finance, and everyday decisions like Should I get a tattoo? Can I still wear tight jeans? Is it time to see a therapist? How many beers should I have at the company picnic? How does it work? Take a simple issue that comes up once or twice a week: Should I call in sick? Fill in the variables honestly, such as D for doctor’s note (enter 1 for “no,†10 for “yes,†and 5 for “yes, but it’s a forgeryâ€), R for importance of job (1-10, with 10 being “personally responsible for Earth’s orbit around Sunâ€), Fj for how much fun you have at work (1-10, with 10 being “personal trainer for underwear modelsâ€), N for how much you need the money (1-10, with 10 being “I owe the mobâ€), then do the math, and voilà—if the product, Hooky, is greater than 1, enjoy your very own Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Includes a pocket calculator so that prospective geeks can immediately solve the equation on the back cover: Should I buy this book?

Tell Me The Odds: A 15 Page Introduction To Bayes Theorem


Scott Hartshorn - 2017
    Essentially, you make an initial guess, and then get more data to improve it. Bayes Theorem, or Bayes Rule, has a ton of real world applications, from estimating your risk of a heart attack to making recommendations on Netflix But It Isn't That Complicated This book is a short introduction to Bayes Theorem. It is only 15 pages long, and is intended to show you how Bayes Theorem works as quickly as possible. The examples are intentionally kept simple to focus solely on Bayes Theorem without requiring that the reader know complicated probability distributions. If you want to learn the basics of Bayes Theorem as quickly as possible, with some easy to duplicate examples, this is a good book for you.

Cabinets of Wonder


Christine Davenne - 2012
    A centuries-old tradition developed in Europe during the Renaissance, cabinets of wonder (also known as curiosity cabinets) are once again in fashion. Shops, restaurants, and private residences echo these cabinets in their interior design, by making use of the eclectic vintage objects commonly featured in such collections. "Cabinets of Wonder "showcases exceptional collections in homes and museums, with more than 180 photographs, while also explaining the history behind the tradition, the best-known collections, and the types of objects typically displayed. Offering both a historical overview and a look into contemporary interior design, this extravagantly illustrated book celebrates the wonderfully odd world of cabinets of wonder.

The Object Stares Back: On the Nature of Seeing


James Elkins - 1996
    Black-and-white photographs.

The Poincaré Conjecture: In Search of the Shape of the Universe


Donal O'Shea - 2007
    He revolutionized the field of topology, which studies properties of geometric configurations that are unchanged by stretching or twisting. The Poincare conjecture lies at the heart of modern geometry and topology, and even pertains to the possible shape of the universe. The conjecture states that there is only one shape possible for a finite universe in which every loop can be contracted to a single point.Poincare's conjecture is one of the seven "millennium problems" that bring a one-million-dollar award for a solution. Grigory Perelman, a Russian mathematician, has offered a proof that is likely to win the Fields Medal, the mathematical equivalent of a Nobel prize, in August 2006. He also will almost certainly share a Clay Institute millennium award.In telling the vibrant story of The Poincare Conjecture, Donal O'Shea makes accessible to general readers for the first time the meaning of the conjecture, and brings alive the field of mathematics and the achievements of generations of mathematicians whose work have led to Perelman's proof of this famous conjecture.

Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity


David Foster Wallace - 2003
    Now he brings his considerable talents to the history of one of math's most enduring puzzles: the seemingly paradoxical nature of infinity.Is infinity a valid mathematical property or a meaningless abstraction? The nineteenth-century mathematical genius Georg Cantor's answer to this question not only surprised him but also shook the very foundations upon which math had been built. Cantor's counterintuitive discovery of a progression of larger and larger infinities created controversy in his time and may have hastened his mental breakdown, but it also helped lead to the development of set theory, analytic philosophy, and even computer technology.Smart, challenging, and thoroughly rewarding, Wallace's tour de force brings immediate and high-profile recognition to the bizarre and fascinating world of higher mathematics.

Islamic Design: A Genius for Geometry


Daud Sutton - 2007
    Harmony is central. There are two key aspects to the visual structure of Islamic design, calligraphy using Arabic script-one of the world's great calligraphic traditions-and abstract ornamentation using a varied but remarkably integrated visual language. This art of pure ornament revolves around two central themes; crystalline geometric patterns, the harmonic and symmetrical subdivision of the plane giving rise to intricately interwoven designs that speak of infinity and the omnipresent center; and idealized plant form, spiraling tendrils, leaves, buds and flowers embodying organic life and rhythm.1. WIDE APPEAL: Anyone interested in science, mathematics, design, architecture, and the natural world.2. AUTHORITATIVE: A compelling blend of scholarship and visual presentation, packs an enormous amount of information into a short space.3. BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE: A bargain at $10.00. Winner of First Prize for Nonfiction at the New York Book Show4. SERIES PURPOSE: All are aimed at bringing ancient wisdom forward into the 21st century.5. INSPIRING: The perfect entrée into a challenging topic; will inspire other reading.

The Universe in Zero Words: The Story of Mathematics as Told Through Equations


Dana Mackenzie - 2012
    Dana Mackenzie starts from the opposite premise: He celebrates equations. No history of art would be complete without pictures. Why, then, should a history of mathematics -- the universal language of science -- keep the masterpieces of the subject hidden behind a veil?"The Universe in Zero Words" tells the history of twenty-four great and beautiful equations that have shaped mathematics, science, and society -- from the elementary (1+1 = 2) to the sophisticated (the Black-Scholes formula for financial derivatives), and from the famous (E = mc^2) to the arcane (Hamilton's quaternion equations). Mackenzie, who has been called a "popular-science ace" by Booklist magazine, lucidly explains what each equation means, who discovered it (and how), and how it has affected our lives.(From the jacket copy.)Note: The Princeton University Press version (black cover) is for sale in the English-speaking world outside Australia. The Newsouth Press version (blue cover) is for sale in Australia. The two versions are identical except for the covers.