The Wonder Book of Geometry
A Mathematical Story
Published on 22. October 2020
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-0-19-884638-3 (ISBN)
Description
How can we be sure that Pythagoras's theorem is really true? Why is the 'angle in a semicircle' always 90 degrees? And how can tangents help determine the speed of a bullet?
David Acheson takes the reader on a highly illustrated tour through the history of geometry, from ancient Greece to the present day. He emphasizes throughout elegant deduction and practical applications, and argues that geometry can offer the quickest route to the whole spirit of mathematics at its best. Along the way, we encounter the quirky and the unexpected, meet the great personalities involved, and uncover some of the loveliest surprises in mathematics.
David Acheson takes the reader on a highly illustrated tour through the history of geometry, from ancient Greece to the present day. He emphasizes throughout elegant deduction and practical applications, and argues that geometry can offer the quickest route to the whole spirit of mathematics at its best. Along the way, we encounter the quirky and the unexpected, meet the great personalities involved, and uncover some of the loveliest surprises in mathematics.
Reviews / Votes
Well written, clear and informative. * Edward Rochead, Mathematics today * This delightful book should be available, at the minimum, in every high school library and in every public library. * F. -J. Papp, Mathematical Reviews Clippings * It would make an ideal addition both to readers' bookshelves and for every school library. * GERRY LEVERSHA, The Mathematical Gazette * Everything was explained clearly and concisely so that the wonders of geometry could definitely be seen. * Jasmine Wootten, LMS Newsletter * Don't Miss: The Wonder Book of Geometry is full of pretty surprises... * New Scientist * Give this to a curious teenager and they will fall in love with geometry. * Alex Bellos * David Acheson has set geometry free from the confines of stuffy textbooks and lets loose its potential to surprise and delight. Theres a rich and ancient history to be found in these pages, and a future for the field that extends beyond neat (yet elegant) equations. * BBC Science Focus, Books of the Year * This is by far the most approachable book on geometry I've ever read, and I wish it had been around in my day... if you need to learn the basics of geometry for whatever reason (there must be several reasons, surely) then this blows every known textbook on the topic out of the water... The Wonder Book of Geometry does what it does wonderfully. Acheson has done a remarkable job. * popularscience.co.uk * Anyone who has read David's earlier books will instantly recognise his almost playful style... I highly recommend it as a marvellous source book on geometry. * Ray Huntley, Mathematics in Schools * There is no better tour guide to the wonders of geometry than the delightful David Acheson. * Matt Parker, author of Humble Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors and Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Product notice
Laminated cover
Illustrations
131 black and white images; 143 line drawings
Dimensions
Height: 205 mm
Width: 142 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
350 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-884638-3 (9780198846383)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2020
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€12.99
Available for download
E-Book
10/2020
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€12.99
Available for download
Person
David Acheson is an Emeritus Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, and the University's first winner of a National Teaching Fellowship, in 2004. He was President of the Mathematical Association from 2010 to 2011, and now lectures widely on mathematics to young people and the general public. In 2013, Acheson was awarded an Honorary D.Sc. by the University of East Anglia for his outstanding work in the popularisation of mathematics. His books include 1089 and All That (OUP, 2002), and The Calculus Story, (OUP, 2017).
Content
1: Introduction 2: Getting Started 3: Euclid's Elements 4: Thales' Theorem 5: Geometry in Action 6: Pythagoras' Theorem 7: 'In Love with Geometry'? 8: 'Imagine my exultation, Watson...' 9: Congruence and Similarity 10: Conversely... 11: Circle Theorems 12: Off at a Tangent 13: From Tangents to Supersonic Flow 14: What is pi, exactly? 15: The Story of the Ellipse 16: Geometry by Coordinates 17: Geometry and Calculus 18: A Royal Road to Geometry? 19: Unexpected Meetings 20: Ceva's Theorem 21: A Kind of Symmetry 22: 'Pyracy' in Woolwich? 23: Fermat's Problem 24: A Soap Solution 25: Geometry in 'The Ladies' Diary' 26: What Euclid Did 27: Euclid on Parallel Lines 28: 'A New Theory of Parallels'? 29: Anti-Euclid? 30: When Geometry Goes Wrong... 31: New Angles on Geometry 32: And Finally...