Mathematics
The New Golden Age
Published on 28. May 1998
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-0-14-025865-3 (ISBN)
Description
In the computerized world of today mathematics has had an impact on almost every aspect of our lives, yet most people believe they cannot hope to understand or enjoy the subject. This comprehensive survey sets out to show just how mistaken they are. Substantially revised and updated, this second edition takes into account recent dramatic developments and includes major new sections on Fermat's Last Theorem, knots and topology, and the mathematics of the physical universe. "Devlin's choice of material is excellent, and he is to be praised for the clarity and accuracy with which he presents it" - Martin Gardner in the New York Review of Books
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 201 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
252 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-14-025865-3 (9780140258653)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/1998
1st Edition
Penguin Books Ltd
€10.99
Available for download
Previous edition
Book
10/1990
Penguin Books Ltd
€35.48
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Keith Devlin is the author of nineteen books dealing with themes in mathematics and computing. Since 1983 he has written regular articles on mathematics and computing for the Guardian.
Content
Prime numbers, factoring, and secret codes; sets, infinityand the undecodable; number systems and the class number problem; beauty from chaos; simple groups; Hilbert's tenth problem; the four-colour problem; hard problems about complex numbers; knots, topology and the universe; Fermat's last theorem; the efficiency of algorithms.