Product Description

Just the mention of mathematics is enough to strike fear into the hearts of many, yet without it, the human race couldn't be where it is today. By exploring the subject through its 50 key insights - from the simple (the number one) and the subtle (the invention of zero) to the sophisticated (proving Fermat's last theorem) - this book shows how mathematics has changed the way we look at the world around us.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4020 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

From the Inside Flap
Who invented zero? Why 60 seconds in a minute? How big is infinity? Where do parallel lines meet? And can a butterfly's wings really cause a storm on the far side of the world?
In 50 Mathematical Ideas You Really Need to Know, Professor Tony Crilly explains in 50 clear and concise essays the mathematical concepts - ancient and modern, theoretical and practical, everyday and esoteric - that allow us to understand and shape the world around us.
Beginning with zero itself and concluding with the last great unsolved problem, 50 Ideas:
Introduces the origins of mathematics, from Egyptian fractions to Roman numerals; Explains the near-mystical significance of pi and primes, Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio; Tells you the things they didn't at school - what calculus, statistics and algebra can actually do, and the very real uses of imaginary numbers; Illuminates the Big Ideas of relativity, chaos theory, fractals, genetics and hyperspace; Reveals the unspoken reasoning behind Sudoku and code cracking, lotteries and gambling, money management and compound interest; Explores the latest mind-shattering developments, including the solving of Fermat's last theorem and the million-dollar question of the Riemann hypothesis.
Packed with diagrams, examples and anecdotes, 50 Mathematical Ideas is the perfect overview of this often daunting but always essential subject. For once, mathematics couldn't be simpler.

About the Author
Tony Crilly is Reader in Mathematical Sciences at Middlesex University, having previously taught at the University of Michigan, the City University in Hong Kong, and the Open University. His principal research interest is the history of mathematics, and he has written and edited many works on fractals, chaos and computing. He is the author of the acclaimed biography of the English mathematician Arthur Cayley.

Customer Reviews

A clearly written entry into the world of mathematics
Mathematics is a topic than can easily overwhelm a novice with its esoteric lingo, abstract notations and complex ideas. Tony Crilly manages to explain the most important mathematical concepts in a clear, concise way. Every idea receives a four page explanation, which in most cases is enough to give you a clear understanding of the concept and how it applies to the real world.

The book has a few flaws though. Some concepts could do with a little more material, as sometimes the brevity of the explanation leaves one puzzled and unfulfilled. Also, the writer assumes the reader has a firm grip on the very basics of mathematics, which may not be the case for everyone. And lastly sometimes the way a concept applies to real world situations isn't made sufficiently clear.

Nonetheless this is a great book, recommended for everyone who has an interest in mathematics and wants a clear, no-nonsense, plain language explanation of all those fantastic ideas that you see in TV shows like Numb3rs, but who lack the time and inclination to wrestle their way through inaccessible tomes of mathematical knowledge. This book is very much accessible and a joy to read.

A book for anyone starting mathematical studies
I approached this book with three questions in mind. Being mathematically trained I was curious about whether these really were ideas I didn't know about and needed to. On the other hand I thought about my past students embarking on their training - could they benefit from knowing these 50 ideas? Finally, I wondered if this book might inspire someone to begin to study mathematics, much in the way I was inspired as a novice by trying to read about relativity and finding myself staring into the face of a strange and enticing mystery. The answers were appealingly affirmative, which made me wonder what else it is about this little book that makes it so attractive. Yes, the layout is good with topics mainly restricted to bite-size 4-page spreads. Yes, the hand drawn diagrams give the book a friendly feel and, yes, 50 is a nice round number. But its real appeal lies in the way the author slowly wins the reader's trust and confidence. The author, as tour guide, is friendly and humorous, knows his stuff and communicates it well. In fact, the book is a Pandora's box of delights ranging across an extraordinary wide set of ideas. For instance, ideas 23 to 28 are listed as `Topology', `Dimension', `Fractals', `Chaos', `The parallel postulate' and `Discrete geometry', to list just a few of the enticing mysteries on offer. It is the sort of book I will return to again and again to extract new gems of mathematical insight or historical perspective. But it seems to work also at many levels - I have even had 14-year-old students read and enjoy parts of it. Remarkably, age and experience do not seem to be barriers, though I am always bound to look at it through possibly more practised eyes. Still, I feel completely confident in recommending it, especially to students either setting out on their mathematical studies or thinking about doing so.

Brilliant Book
This well-written book works on many levels - I have thoroughly enjoyed it as it includes many of the interesting concepts (and sometimes proofs) that I covered, but had since forgotten, during my mathematics degree 15 years ago. But this book is not just for maths students, my wife who normally has no interest in this sort of thing has picked it up and found many of the ideas interesting - as too has my 10 year old neice.

So it has something for everyone and is written in a way that is not too dry.