Life by the Numbers

Life by the Numbers

by KeithDevlin (Author)

Synopsis

From uncanny movie dinosaurs to the loopy physics of the triple axel, Keith Devlin's vibrantly illustrated book illuminates the mathematics inherent in every human endeavor. A beautiful book ...the aim is not to teach but to entertain, and it succeeds. The view that mathematics is dull is replaced by an image of how math can be both interesting and useful, if not all-powerful. New Scientist. A colorful and exciting introduction to the ways in which mathematics can help [us] to under-stand phenomena. [Devlin] presents fascinating real-world problems posed by real people and shows how mathematics is used to solve them. Choice. Not in many, many years have I seen a book nearly as instructive and enlightening about the beauty of mathematics. Life by the Numbers is superb. Amir Aczel, author of Fermat's Last Theorem. This wondrous book reveals how, on the brink of the millennium, wizards are using math to bring movie dinosaurs to life, to improve tennis stars' serves, to win sailboat races, and to probe the eeriest corners of the cosmos. A pleasurable read for adult and young alike. Keay Davidson, coauthor of Wrinkles in Time. A fascinating account of many of the ways in which mathematical ideas find application in the world around us. Keith Devlin is to be congratulated for bringing these ideas so accessibly to the public. Sir Roger Penrose, author of The Emperor's New Mind.

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More Information

Format: Illustrated
Pages: 224
Edition: New edition
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 01 Apr 1999

ISBN 10: 0471328227
ISBN 13: 9780471328223

Media Reviews
Acclaim for Life by the Numbers

Not in many, many years have I seen a book as instructive and enlightening about the beauty of mathematics. Life by the Numbers is truly superb. Sheer fun. --Amir Aczel, author of Fermat's Last Theorem

A fascinating account of many of the ways in which mathematical ideas find application in the world around us. Keith Devlin is to be congratulated for bringing these ideas so accessibly to the public. --Sir Roger Penrose, author of The Emperor's New Mind

This wondrous book reveals how, on the brink of the millennium, wizards are using math to bring movie dinosaurs to life, to improve tennis stars' serves, to win sailboat races, and to probe the eeriest corners of the cosmos. A pleasurable read for adult and young alike. --Keay Davidson, coauthor of Wrinkles in Time

Author Bio
KEITH DEVLIN is a mathematician and the dean of the School of Science of St. Mary's College, as well as a senior researcher at Stanford University's Center for the Study of Language and Information. He is the author of Mathematics: The New Golden Age; Mathematics: The Science of Patterns; and Goodbye, Descartes (Wiley).