Nonplussed! (eBook)

Mathematical Proof of Implausible Ideas

Julian Havil (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2010
216 Seiten
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-1-4008-3738-0 (ISBN)

Infos

Math-the application of reasonable logic to reasonable assumptions-usually produces reasonable results. But sometimes math generates astonishing paradoxes-conclusions that seem completely unreasonable or just plain impossible but that are nevertheless demonstrably true. Did you know that a losing sports team can become a winning one by adding worse players than its opponents? Or that the thirteenth of the month is more likely to be a Friday than any other day? Or that cones can roll unaided uphill? In Nonplussed!-a delightfully eclectic collection of paradoxes from many different areas of math-popular-math writer Julian Havil reveals the math that shows the truth of these and many other unbelievable ideas.Nonplussed! pays special attention to problems from probability and statistics, areas where intuition can easily be wrong. These problems include the vagaries of tennis scoring, what can be deduced from tossing a needle, and disadvantageous games that form winning combinations. Other chapters address everything from the historically important Torricelli's Trumpet to the mind-warping implications of objects that live on high dimensions. Readers learn about the colorful history and people associated with many of these problems in addition to their mathematical proofs.Nonplussed! will appeal to anyone with a calculus background who enjoys popular math books or puzzles.

Autor

Julian Havil is a former Master at Winchester College, England, where he taught mathematics for more than thirty years. He is the author of Gamma: Exploring Euler's Constant and Impossible?: Surprising Solutions to Counterintuitive Conundrums (both Princeton).

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 2.8.2010
• Zusatzinfo: 18 halftones. 143 line illus.
• Verlagsort: Princeton
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Natur / Technik
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Allgemeines / Lexika
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Algebra
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Angewandte Mathematik
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Mathematische Spiele und Unterhaltung
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: Adoption of the Gregorian calendar • algorithm • Almost surely • American Mathematical Monthly • Apollo 13 • arc length • birthday problem • Calculation • Cavalieri's principle • Circles of Apollonius • Cissoid • combination • complex number • Computation • Computer • Cone • coordinate system • Curse of Dimensionality • Cylinder (geometry) • derangement • diagram • Diagram (category theory) • DIAMETER • Digamma function • Dimension • Divisor • Easter • Elementary algebra • enthusiasm • Epistle • Equation • equilateral triangle • error • Error Function • estimation • Factorization • Fibonacci Number • Flatland • FRACTRAN • Gabriel's Horn • gamma function • Geometric probability • Geometry • Gregorian calendar • Highway • Hyperbola • Hyperboloid • Hypercube • hypersphere • hypersurface • infinity • Integer • Integration by parts • Intersection (set theory) • Julian calendar • leap year • Lewis Carroll • logarithm • Logarithmic spiral • Magic Square • martin gardner • mathematician • Mathematics • maundy thursday • MD5 • month • Natural number • Nontransitive dice • Notation • Number Theory • Paul Halmos • Persi Diaconis • polynomial • Pope Gregory XIII • Power of two • prime factor • Prime number • Probability • probability and statistics • Pursuit curve • quarry • rectangle • Recurrence relation • Requirement • result • scientific notation • Series expansion • Shrove Tuesday • Solid of revolution • Summation • Surface Area • theory • treatise • Triskaidekaphobia • two-dimensional space • Unique identifier • Universally unique identifier • wine glass • Works and Days • year
• ISBN-10: 1-4008-3738-3 / 1400837383
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4008-3738-0 / 9781400837380