50 Mathematical Ideas You Really Need to Know
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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
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.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
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.
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
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.
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.
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
this is the 3rd "50 ... You Really Need to Know" book I've read in a row - I've enjoyed the series so far, I bought the Genetics (very good) and the Economics one before this. Of the 3 I'd say this one was the least interesting. Its not bad, but you really really need to be into maths to enjoy it. I studied mathematics at university so some of the chapters were familiar, however if you are an average person who doesn't use calculus, geometry, rings and groups for a living, then you might find it a bit boring. If you are a mathematics student then this probably is of interest to you.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Amazing item!
It was an amazing item, and I loved it! Perfect conditions, although I was surprised to see dirty brown smudges on the pages when the book is closed, but I don't know where that... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Sal
A Book of Gems...
I studied mathematics at university many decades ago, and this book contained quite a few gems that I didn't know (or did I, and have forgotten?). Read more
Published 2 months ago by Clive Davies
50 Mathematical ideas you really need to know
If you are even thinking of buying this book, then you must like numbers - and you do, this book won't disappoint. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Stevie
Oh dear. Let down by formatting - again
The Kindle is an excellent device, but it is let down hugely by the way many books have bad formatting of the text, or where the Optical Character Recognition process itself... Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. R. Ault
Wonderfully concise and yet extensive introduction to many...
I was intrigued to find out what the author considered to be the 50 mathematical ideas that I really needed to know so I tock the plunge and bought the book (Kindle version). Read more
Published 4 months ago by D. Hawkes
50 Ways to Mention Mathematics
This book contains short introductions to 50 topics in mathematics that will make readers more numerically literate. Read more
Published 11 months ago by John M. Ford
The fun of mathematics
50 Mathematical Ideas you really need to know, by Tony Crilly, Quercus Publishing, London, 2007, 210 ff.
The fun of mathematics!! Read more
The fun of mathematics!! Read more
Published 12 months ago by Dr. H. A. Jones
50 Mathematical ideas
This book is absolutely amazing. I'd really advice anyone is loves maths to buy this. This book can help you start a mathematical chat with mathematician.
Published 15 months ago by Zain-ull-Abiddin
A little book full of big ideas.
This is the type of book I would love to have written. The author states that he had difficulty in selecting just 50 topics from the vast subject that is Mathematics. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Lynden Hughes
Better than expected!
Got this as present last year. Thought 'someone has bought me - a graduate in mathematics - this???'
However, once I got into it, I found the material not as simple as I... Read more
However, once I got into it, I found the material not as simple as I... Read more
Published 17 months ago by JamBro
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