- 300 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
Group Theory in the Bedroom, and Other Mathematical Diversions
About this book
"A refreshing collection of superb mathematical essays . . . from choosing up sides to choosing names, the topics are intriguingly nonstandard . . . First-rate." âJohn Allen Paulos, author of
Innumeracy
A science and technology journalist and essayist whose work has appeared in multiple anthologies, Brian Hayes now presents a selection of his most memorable piecesâincluding the National Magazine Awardâwinning "Clock of Ages"âin this enjoyable volume. In addition, Hayes embellishes the collection with an overall scene-setting preface, reconfigured illustrations, and a refreshingly self-critical "Afterthoughts" section appended to each essay.
"You don't have to be a geek to appreciate Hayes's lively, self-effacing style . . . The first essay explains how clockmakers developed the gears and linkages that enabled fabled medieval clocks to reach remarkable accuracy, as well as predict the day Easter would fall on. Other essays celebrate the notion of random numbers and why they are so hard to achieve. Numerical analysis also plays a role in economic models based on the kinetic theory of gases or simplified markets involving iterations of buying and selling. Hayes goes on to explain how statistics have been applied to compute which quarrelsâfrom interpersonal to world warsâare the deadliest (surprising results here) . . . Challenging but rewarding for anyone intrigued by numbers." â Kirkus Reviews
"As much as any book I can name, Group Theory in the Bedroom conveys to a general audience the playfulness involved in doing mathematics: how questions arise as a form of play, how our first attempts at answering questions usually seem naive in hindsight but are crucial for finding eventual solutions, and how a good solution just feels right." âDavid Austin, Notices of the AMS
A science and technology journalist and essayist whose work has appeared in multiple anthologies, Brian Hayes now presents a selection of his most memorable piecesâincluding the National Magazine Awardâwinning "Clock of Ages"âin this enjoyable volume. In addition, Hayes embellishes the collection with an overall scene-setting preface, reconfigured illustrations, and a refreshingly self-critical "Afterthoughts" section appended to each essay.
"You don't have to be a geek to appreciate Hayes's lively, self-effacing style . . . The first essay explains how clockmakers developed the gears and linkages that enabled fabled medieval clocks to reach remarkable accuracy, as well as predict the day Easter would fall on. Other essays celebrate the notion of random numbers and why they are so hard to achieve. Numerical analysis also plays a role in economic models based on the kinetic theory of gases or simplified markets involving iterations of buying and selling. Hayes goes on to explain how statistics have been applied to compute which quarrelsâfrom interpersonal to world warsâare the deadliest (surprising results here) . . . Challenging but rewarding for anyone intrigued by numbers." â Kirkus Reviews
"As much as any book I can name, Group Theory in the Bedroom conveys to a general audience the playfulness involved in doing mathematics: how questions arise as a form of play, how our first attempts at answering questions usually seem naive in hindsight but are crucial for finding eventual solutions, and how a good solution just feels right." âDavid Austin, Notices of the AMS
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Yes, you can access Group Theory in the Bedroom, and Other Mathematical Diversions by Brian Hayes in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Mathematics & Mathematics Essays. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Halftitle
- Title
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Clock of Ages
- 2 Random Resources
- 3 Follow the Money
- 4 Inventing the Genetic Code
- 5 Statistics of Deadly Quarrels
- 6 Dividing the Continent
- 7 On the Teeth of Wheels
- 8 The Easiest Hard Problem
- 9 Naming Names
- 10 Third Base
- 11 Identity Crisis
- 12 Group Theory in the Bedroom
- Further Reading
- Index