Is Maths Real? (how Simple Questions Lead Us To Mathematics’ Deepest Truths)

By (author) Cheng Eugenia
Short description/annotation:
One of the world''s most creative mathematicians offers new ways to look at maths - focusing on questions, not answers
Description:
WINNER OF THE LA TIMES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023 BOOK PRIZE A New Scientist Best Book of 2023 Why is -(-1) = 1? Why do odd and even numbers alternate? What''s the point of algebra? Is maths even real? From imaginary numbers to the perplexing order of operations we all had drilled into us, Eugenia Cheng - mathematician, writer and woman on a mission to rid the world of maths phobia - brings us maths as we''ve never seen it before, revealing how profound insights can emerge from seemingly unlikely sources. Written with intelligence and passion, Is Maths Real? is a celebration of the true, curious spirit of the discipline.
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A generous tour of mathematics for anyone whose instincts tend less towards "Just tell me the answer" and more towards "Wait, but why?"
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Intriguing ... Celebrates the dizziness and disorientation engendered by childlike questions that hint at the deep mysteries beneath
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Passionate, eye-opening and accessible ... a love letter to the curious spirit of the discipline
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A brilliant rebuttal to those who see math as only about right answers, rather than about creative discovery. [Cheng] masterfully uncovers what''s simply profound in the profoundly simple
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Discover what it feels like to be a real mathematician ... This is a human pursuit, depicted here from the inside
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An entertaining foray into the more philosophical realms of mathematics ... for the budding mathematician in the house, to say nothing of lovers of puzzles and enigmas
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Praise for x + y: ''A way of seeing this exhausting debate from a completely new angle ... bold and optimistic
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A fascinating, disarmingly accessible read and a wonderful example of what academics should in general do much more of
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Compelling ... x+y provides useful new tools for change, for those - like me - involved in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. For those who are not yet involved, she sets out reasons to become so. And I''m a new fan of pure mathematics. Dr Cheng, can we be friends?
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This book changed my life in the most beautiful way. Eugenia Cheng doesn''t just explain why the way our society conceptualizes gender is all wrong - she proposes a new way of thinking about - and beyond - gender. Through accessible graphs and brilliant metaphor, Cheng pushes her readers instead to think about a person''s behavior ... Stunning
Biographical note:
Eugenia Cheng is Scientist in Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Honorary Visiting Fellow of Pure Mathematics at City, University of London. A Cambridge graduate, she previously taught at the Universities of Cambridge, Chicago and Nice. She is also a concert pianist, fluent in French, and the author of several Profile bestsellers, including How to Bake Pi and x + y. In 2024, Is Maths Real? won the LA Times Science & Technology Book Prize.
Promotional headline:
One of the world''s most creative mathematicians offers new ways to look at maths - focusing on questions, not answers