David Acheson's extraordinary little book makes mathematics accessible to everyone. From very simple beginnings he takes us on a thrilling journey to some deep mathematical ideas. On the way, via Kepler and Newton, he explains what calculus really means, gives a brief history of pi, and even takes us to chaos theory and imaginary numbers. Every short chapter is carefully crafted to ensure that no one will get lost on the journey. Packed with puzzles and illustrated by world famous cartoonists, this is one of the most readable and imaginative books on mathematics ever written.
1089 and All That: A Journey into Mathematics
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.45
Trade in 1089 and All That: A Journey into Mathematics for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.45, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Learn more
|
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
Thought provoking. (THES )
Popular maths is not easy to do, but David Acheson has really achieved it with this pocket-sized gem of a book. (Brian Clegg, Popular Science )
Popular maths is not easy to do, but David Acheson has really achieved it with this pocket-sized gem of a book. (Brian Clegg, Popular Science )
About the Author
Professor David Acheson is Emeritus Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford. As well as 1089 and All That, his other previously published titles include Elementary Fluid Dynamics (O.U.P., 1990) and From Calculus to Chaos: An Introduction to Dynamics (O.U.P., 1997).
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 58 people found the following review helpful
By M. Marikar
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover
I had never thought that the words 'Maths book' and 'page-turner' could possibly go together, but David Acheson's small book "1089 and All That" proved me totally wrong.
You don't need any more than an AS-Level knowledge of Maths (even GCSE Higher would do) to be able to understand this book, as Acheson starts from the basics. Concepts are explained rapidly and succintly, without all the boring mumbo-jumbo that made you hate Maths lessons at school.
The most amazing thing about this book is the way Acheson explains the concepts, showing us where all these formulas and mathematical functions came from, and, most amazing of all, where they can be found in nature.
Whether you liked or disliked Maths at school, this book will change your perception of Maths completely. I found myself either thinking or exclaiming aloud "Wow!" every few pages! This book will probably make you despise your old Maths teachers even more, as you'll find that the 'boring' equations and functions you were taught in school have another side (or can be explained in another way) which most teachers never mention - and which is much more interesting and relevant to real life.
What this book proves is that Maths is a science of discovery - it's not about weirdo geniuses making up complex equations to confuse everyone else. You'll learn that things like pi and e can be found in real life - and thereby realise that they were discovered, not invented. You'll also find that the "Indian Rope Trick" is actually possible, in the right conditions (I won't go further, as that'll spoil the book).
At the time of buying this book, I was undecided about what subject to do at university. Due to the way I had been taught Maths, I came to regard it as a 'boring but necessary' subject. This book left me in wonder - it changed my perception of Maths completely. By the time I had finished reading it I had decided that I was going to do Maths at university.
But don't let that scare you off! Whether you intend to study Maths or not, this book is a fascinating read. Buy it now - it's worth every penny and I guarantee you'll love it.
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
David Acheson has written a beautiful introduction to mathematics, showing why the subject is facinating and fun. The 'icing on the cake' of this book is its delightful & quirky illustrations which range from cartoons to pictures of a model train set (perhaps the author's own?).
I'm convinced anyone interested in maths can read this book with enjoyment and profit - from teenagers to those who were scared off the subject first time round. Mathematics is a facinating & enjoyable subject full of depth & surprises- but unfortunately it is also a subject which many people are needlessly frightened of. If you are one of those people, or if you are the sort of person who just likes a good read- then buy this book - I promise you that you won't be disappointed.
As a post script, if you are a student studying maths at university; you'll still enjoy this book (I did and I'm a mathematics lecturer!) but a book which you'll enjoy far more & will be helpful in your studies is Acheson's 'From Calculus to Chaos' also published by OUP & also a 'five star' read.
I'm convinced anyone interested in maths can read this book with enjoyment and profit - from teenagers to those who were scared off the subject first time round. Mathematics is a facinating & enjoyable subject full of depth & surprises- but unfortunately it is also a subject which many people are needlessly frightened of. If you are one of those people, or if you are the sort of person who just likes a good read- then buy this book - I promise you that you won't be disappointed.
As a post script, if you are a student studying maths at university; you'll still enjoy this book (I did and I'm a mathematics lecturer!) but a book which you'll enjoy far more & will be helpful in your studies is Acheson's 'From Calculus to Chaos' also published by OUP & also a 'five star' read.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There are many many populist books concerning maths and science these days. This book is to be picked out from them and recommended for several reasons. It is 'handy', but not trivialising. It is very readable and very sound in its knowledge and communication of history culture ideas and mathematics. It starts with a little 'trick', these always go down well. Although I have read many of the current 'demystifying' tomes on mathematics I gained from this one in its ability to stand back from the processes eg calculus and describe their function in terms mathematical and not so. Some readers may find its references to '1066 and all that' and 'Molesworth' a little too upper middle class 1960's but as a working class woman (ok, groan) as opposed to a public school white man I found them fond. SO -as a mathematician (nearly) I was taken by it, and a defensively non-mathematical friend was also hooked.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 4 reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Full of interesting ideas, but ...
This book touches (briefly) on many interesting mathematical ideas. It is entertaining but also frustrating. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Derek
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating little book
The book is provides a great introduction to the world of mathematics. It is perfect for someone who wants to broaden their knowledge outside the 'basics' of mathematics. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. Turner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect....
Ideal for secondary school sudents, its a gem and if I could afford it I would buy one for every student I ever teach. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Biro
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointed
Had great hopes for this revealing the mysteries of maths that have dogged me from school days, especially after reading the reviews at the front of the book. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Den Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars
brilliant!!
My son is studying maths at uni and absolutely loved this book - definitely recommend to anyone with similar interests.
Published 4 months ago by Karen Murray
3.0 out of 5 stars
Left me only a little bit wiser
I should have noticed that all of the professional accolades for this supposedly simple books came from people who would have studied maths. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Michael Beaman
4.0 out of 5 stars
May be because I'm an engineer
I enjoyed the but not as much as my son who read history. The content is clear and accessible to anyone who took Maths at O Level or A2 not sure about GCSE. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Rude Engineer
5.0 out of 5 stars
1089 and all that - IS ALL THAT!
I love reading books about Mathematics, but I often get bogged down by complex proofs and terminology. This book is suitable for people of all levels. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Amortentia
2.0 out of 5 stars
Its a collection of leaflets
Imagine you collect every leaflet about Christianity you've received through your letter box, and after 4 years of collection you put it together. Read more
Published 15 months ago by kingfisher
5.0 out of 5 stars
It helped my Grandson!
Understanding the language of Mathematics, in the 21st Century is very important. This book really helped my Grandson. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Euphemia
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Science & Nature > History & Philosophy > History of Mathematics
- Books > Science & Nature > Mathematics > Education > Teaching Aids
- Books > Science & Nature > Mathematics > History of Mathematics
- Books > Science & Nature > Mathematics > Popular Maths
- Books > Science & Nature > Physics
- Books > Science & Nature > Popular Science > Maths
- Books > Science & Nature > Popular Science > Physics
- Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
