How Numbers Work, New Scientist
How Numbers Work, New Scientist
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How Numbers Work
Discover the strange and beautiful world of mathematics

Author: New Scientist

Narrator: Mark Elstob

Unabridged: 5 hr 10 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/21/2018

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

How Numbers Work is a tour of the mind-blowing but beautiful realm of numbers and the mathematical rules that connect them.

Think of a number between one and ten.
No, hang on, let's make this interesting. Between zero and infinity. Even if you stick to the whole numbers, there are a lot to choose from - an infinite number in fact. Throw in decimal fractions and infinity suddenly gets an awful lot bigger (is that even possible?) And then there are the negative numbers, the imaginary numbers, the irrational numbers like pi which never end. It literally never ends.

The world of numbers is indeed strange and beautiful. Among its inhabitants are some really notable characters - pi, e, the "imaginary" number i and the famous golden ratio to name just a few. Prime numbers occupy a special status. Zero is very odd indeed: is it a number, or isn't it?

How Numbers Work takes a tour of this mind-blowing but beautiful realm of numbers and the mathematical rules that connect them. Not only that, but take a crash course on the biggest unsolved problems that keep mathematicians up at night, find out about the strange and unexpected ways mathematics influences our everyday lives, and discover the incredible connection between numbers and reality itself.

ABOUT THE SERIES
New Scientist Instant Expert books are definitive and accessible entry points to the most important subjects in science; subjects that challenge, attract debate, invite controversy and engage the most enquiring minds. Designed for curious readers who want to know how things work and why, the Instant Expert series explores the topics that really matter and their impact on individuals, society, and the planet, translating the scientific complexities around us into language that's open to everyone, and putting new ideas and discoveries into perspective and context.

(P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

About New Scientist

Since 1956, New Scientist has established a world-beating reputation for exploring and uncovering the latest developments and discoveries in science and technology, placing them in context and exploring what they mean for the future. Each week through a variety of different channels, including print, online, social media and more, New Scientist reaches over 5 million highly engaged readers around the world.Follow New Scientist on Twitter: @newscientist


Reviews

Goodreads review by Hanie on August 24, 2023

Have you ever felt so fulfilled after finishing a book? this book did it for me. It's rather a short book though I really did take my time with this one (since I'm a poly reader). Been updating bits of my annotations which can be found in my activities/reading progress and OMG? It's brief and though......more

Goodreads review by Darcy on May 17, 2019

This is a delightful book that takes the reader on an insightful overview of the world of mathematics. From statistics and probability to Fermat's theorem, the contributors seek to provide a layperson's understanding of common, esoteric and unsolved issues in the realm of numbers. While this book is......more

Goodreads review by Asad on November 14, 2019

It was a nice introduction to mathematical concepts apart from the chapter on Elections and voting I enjoyed reading the book. The number pi, e, phi & even infinity all were covered with a nice introduction. Statistics, probability and there was even some stuff on quantum mechanics. The book was easy......more

Goodreads review by Simon on September 09, 2020

This book is a delight. It’s a sort of mathematics safari. You get a glimpse of an interesting problem here and a cool application of mathematics there. Never staying in one place too long and keeping you wanting to see what’s next. It practically buzzes with enthusiasm and never felt like it was tr......more

Goodreads review by Hasan on September 25, 2019

4/10 This was initially interesting but then got too mathematical for a normal reader......more