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A gently guided, profusely illustrated Grand Tour of the world of mathematics.

This extraordinary work takes the reader on a long and fascinating journey--from the dual invention of numbers and language, through the major realms of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus, to the final destination of differential equations, with excursions into mathematical logic, set theory, topology, fractals, probability, and assorted other mathematical byways. The book is unique among popular books on mathematics in combining an engaging, easy-to-read history of the subject with a comprehensive mathematical survey text. Intended, in the author's words, "for the benefit of those who never studied the subject, those who think they have forgotten what they once learned, or those with a sincere desire for more knowledge," it links mathematics to the humanities, linguistics, the natural sciences, and technology.

Contains more than 1000 original technical illustrations, a multitude of reproductions from mathematical classics and other relevant works, and a generous sprinkling of humorous asides, ranging from limericks and tall stories to cartoons and decorative drawings.

Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Leavened with amusing cartoons, drawings, medieval woodcuts, light verse, graphs and diagrams, this unorthodox text on mathematics is a grab bag of intriguing lore, puzzles, historical excursions, computational tricks, equations, problems, proofs, as well as asides on everything from radiocarbon dating to Braille, compound interest, Maori counting and the origins of number names. Gullberg, a surgeon in Norway, is an amateur mathematics enthusiast who aims to cure math phobia by plunging the reader into mathematical thinking and activity, whether the topic is algebra, geometry, set theory, symbolic logic, topology, fractals, probability theory or differential equations. Informed readers willing to make an intense effort will gain a solid foundation in modern mathematics. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

CHOICE Review

Gullberg's grand tour of the mathematical world is both a concise history and a compendium, beginning with numbers, numerals, numeration systems, and their origins, and ranging through some elementary combinatorics and theory of equations to geometries and various branches of the calculus tree. This is the work of a true amateur: it is apparent that the author is in love with mathematics, and he has taken care to communicate this love and to try to infect others with it. Throughout, there are illustrations, quotations, historical remarks, anecdotes, and even a few jokes (some of them quite corny). The writing style is open and extremely readable. Gullberg's book can be thought of as an up-to-date and much more comprehensive version of Lancelot Hogben's Mathematics for the Millions (originally published in 1937). Every library should have a copy. General readers; undergraduates; two-year technical program students. D. Robbins; Trinity College (CT)

Booklist Review

Those looking for numerical succor in Gullberg's work, ostensibly a reference tool, are apt to be diverted by the author's wealth of historical anecdotes, literary quotations, and cartoons. After the jokes, you can still find what you need to know about sines and cosines.

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Jan Gullberg (1936--1998) was a practicing general surgeon. A native of Sweden, he was well known there for his writings on various scientific and medical topics.

Peter Hilton was a British mathematician, noted for his contributions to homotopy theory and for code-breaking during the Second World War.