Beyond Infinity
An expedition to the outer limits of the mathematical universe
Published on 9. March 2017
978-1-78283-081-8 (ISBN)
Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2017 ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE
Even small children know there are infinitely many whole numbers - start counting and you'll never reach the end. But there are also infinitely many decimal numbers between zero and one. Are these two types of infinity the same? Are they larger or smaller than each other? Can we even talk about 'larger' and 'smaller' when we talk about infinity? In Beyond Infinity, international maths sensation Eugenia Cheng reveals the inner workings of infinity.
What happens when a new guest arrives at your infinite hotel - but you already have an infinite number of guests? How does infinity give Zeno's tortoise the edge in a paradoxical foot-race with Achilles? And can we really make an infinite number of cookies from a finite amount of cookie dough?
Wielding an armoury of inventive, intuitive metaphor, Cheng draws beginners and enthusiasts alike into the heart of this mysterious, powerful concept to reveal fundamental truths about mathematics, all the way from the infinitely large down to the infinitely small.
Even small children know there are infinitely many whole numbers - start counting and you'll never reach the end. But there are also infinitely many decimal numbers between zero and one. Are these two types of infinity the same? Are they larger or smaller than each other? Can we even talk about 'larger' and 'smaller' when we talk about infinity? In Beyond Infinity, international maths sensation Eugenia Cheng reveals the inner workings of infinity.
What happens when a new guest arrives at your infinite hotel - but you already have an infinite number of guests? How does infinity give Zeno's tortoise the edge in a paradoxical foot-race with Achilles? And can we really make an infinite number of cookies from a finite amount of cookie dough?
Wielding an armoury of inventive, intuitive metaphor, Cheng draws beginners and enthusiasts alike into the heart of this mysterious, powerful concept to reveal fundamental truths about mathematics, all the way from the infinitely large down to the infinitely small.
Reviews / Votes
Clear, clever and friendly -- Alex Bellos A spirited and friendly guide - appealingly down to earth about math that's extremely far out -- Jordan Ellenberg, author of How Not to Be Wrong Witty, charming, and crystal clear. A brilliant book! -- Ian Stewart, author of Calculating the Cosmos An individual journey into numbers from an absolutely fresh perspective * Royal Society Prize judges' citation * Mesmerising ... Cheng's argument about how our minds are stretched in the effort to conceive infinity is ultimate proof that it's the journey, not the destination, which counts * Big Issue * It takes a talented writer to bring the concept of infinity to life, but Cheng's infectious enthusiasm makes maths a delight * BBC Science Focus *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Reflowable
Illustrations
Integrated charts, diagrams and figures throughout
ISBN-13
978-1-78283-081-8 (9781782830818)
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
Book
03/2018
Profile Books Ltd
€15.50
Available immediately
Book
03/2017
Profile Books Ltd
€36.08
Article exhausted; check different version
Person
Eugenia Cheng is Honorary Fellow in Pure Mathematics at the University of Sheffield and Scientist in Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She was educated at the University of Cambridge and did post-doctoral work at the Universities of Cambridge, Chicago and Nice. Since 2007 her YouTube lectures and videos have been viewed over a million times. A concert pianist, she also speaks French, English and Cantonese, and her mission in life is to rid the world of maths phobia. She is the author of How to Bake Pi.
