Richard Elwes

What can we learn from fish in a pond? How do social networks connect the world? How can artificial intelligences learn? Why would life be different in a mirror universe? Mathematics is everywhere, whether we are aware of it or not. Exploring the subject through 35 of its often odd and unexpected applications, this book provides an insight into the hidden wiring that governs our world. From the astonishing theorems that control computers to the formulae behind stocks and shares, and from the foundations of the internet to the maths behind medical imaging, Chaotic Fishponds and Mirror Universes explains how mathematics determines every aspect of our lives - right down to the foundations of our bodies.

Can you outrun a bullet? How do you build an electronic brain? Is it possible to create an unbreakable code? Could you slow down time? How do you unleash chaos? If you thought mathematics was all about measuring angles in a triangle or factorizing equations, think again ... How to Build a Brain and 34 Other Really Interesting Uses of Mathematics demystifies the astonishing world of maths in a series of intriguing, entertaining and often extraordinary scenarios - that explain key concepts in plain and simple language. Youll find out how to unknot your DNA, how to count like a supercomputer and how to become famous for solving mathematics most challenging problem. Youll learn essential survival skills such as how to survive in a whirlpool, how to slay a mathematical monster and how to be alive and dead at the same time. And along the way youll discover some plain old cool stuff like how to unleash chaos, how to create an unbreakable code and how to use the mathematics to win at roulette or avoid going to prison. So if you want to get to grips with the great questions of number theory and geometry, the mysteries of the prime numbers or Platos classification of regular polyhedra, or if you are really more interested in learning how to have beautiful children or how to make a million on the stock market, this is the perfect introduction to the fascinating world of modern mathematics.

This is the perfect introduction for those who have a lingering fear of maths. If you think that maths is difficult, confusing, dull or just plain scary, then The Maths Handbook is your ideal companion. Covering all the basics including fractions, equations, primes, squares and square roots, geometry and fractals, Dr Richard Elwes will lead you gently towards a greater understanding of this fascinating subject. Even apparently daunting concepts are explained simply, with the assistance of useful diagrams, and with a refreshing lack of jargon.So whether youre an adult or a student, whether you like Sudoku but hate doing sums, or whether youve always been daunted by numbers at work, school or in everyday life, you wont find a better way of overcoming your nervousness about numbers and learning to enjoy making the most of mathematics.

Fascinating and immensely readable Ian Stewart A charming tour through the realm of the very, very, very numerous, from the ancient world through to the distant future Jordan Ellenberg, author of How Not to Be WrongWhat if, every time you wanted to write down 1,000,000, you had to draw a picture of a god? And what if that number were the biggest you had a symbol for? In ancient Egypt, those were the rules: anything bigger broke maths. Writing down some numbers is still beyond us today: try it with all the zeroes in a googolplex, or an outrageous alien number like FISH 7. Even harnessing every particle in the universe, you wouldnt come close. But that hasnt stopped us from hunting down these mind-bendingly big numbers and studying them. In Huge Numbers, mathematician and Numberphile presenter Richard Elwes shows how counting has shaped human thought. Whether recorded with notches carved on a tally stick, beads on an abacus, or electrical signals carrying binary code, it allows us to test the limits of mathematics over and over, breaking it down and putting it back together again. Come on a fascinating tour that spans continents and millennia, from the Mayan calendar to todays chatbots. Youll see that huge numbers are everywhere, expanding our horizons and powering our modern world.

The ultimate smart reference to the world of mathematics - from quadratic equations and Pythagoras Theorem to chaos theory and quantum computing.Maths 1001 provides clear and concise explanations of the most fascinating and fundamental mathematical concepts. Distilled into 1001 bite-sized mini-essays arranged thematically, this unique reference book moves steadily from the basics through to the most advanced of ideas, making it the ideal guide for novices and mathematics enthusiasts. Whether used as a handy reference, an informal self-study course or simply as a gratifying dip-in, this book offers - in one volume - a world of mathematical knowledge for the general reader. Maths 1001 is an incredibly comprehensive guide, spanning all of the key mathematical fields including Numbers, Geometry, Algebra, Analysis, Discrete Mathematics, Logic and the Philosophy of Maths, Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Probability and Puzzles and Mathematical Games. From zero and infinity to relativity and Godels proof that maths is incomplete, Dr Richard Elwes explains the key concepts of mathematics in the simplest language with a minimum of jargon. Along the way he reveals mathematical secrets such as how to count to 1023 using just 10 fingers and how to make an unbreakable code, as well as answering such questions as: Are imaginary numbers real? How can something be both true and false? Why is it impossible to draw an accurate map of the world? And how do you get your head round the mind-bending Monty Hall problem? Extensive, enlightening and entertaining, this really is the only maths book anyone would ever need to buy.

Las matemáticas están por todas partes. Sustentan todas las leyes fundamentales del universo, desde las simetrías más hermosas y sorprendentes de la naturaleza hasta las ingeniosas tecnologías que g

Contar hasta el infinito, descubrir todos los agujeros del universo, resolver el Código Da Vinci… Estos son los retos que propone el primer libro de la serie Cómo saber… dedicado a las matemáticas. A