ja_hopkins's review
5.0
This is a great introduction to the complexities of numbers, and whilst some of it is extremely complex, it is still a great way to learn a bit more about the importance of mathematics in the real world.
We start out with some the of the obvious concepts, the (arguably to some) most important being the concept of zero (0). It seems obvious to us today, but zero had to be ‘discovered’ or ‘invented’ and it took much longer for this to happen than you might expect. The book moves on to infinity, then to a series of special numbers including pi, e and imaginary numbers. It examples the different types of numbers – integers, negative numbers, rational and irrational numbers and complex numbers, then discusses probability.
We are also introduced to unsolved problems in maths, how maths affects our every day lives, and what it all means (although the later is not answered).
Overall I enjoyed the book. It can get extremely complicated, and it takes a second read on a few sections to get to grips with some of the more complex areas, but if you are interested in mathematics, numbers or science in general, it is worth a read.
We start out with some the of the obvious concepts, the (arguably to some) most important being the concept of zero (0). It seems obvious to us today, but zero had to be ‘discovered’ or ‘invented’ and it took much longer for this to happen than you might expect. The book moves on to infinity, then to a series of special numbers including pi, e and imaginary numbers. It examples the different types of numbers – integers, negative numbers, rational and irrational numbers and complex numbers, then discusses probability.
We are also introduced to unsolved problems in maths, how maths affects our every day lives, and what it all means (although the later is not answered).
Overall I enjoyed the book. It can get extremely complicated, and it takes a second read on a few sections to get to grips with some of the more complex areas, but if you are interested in mathematics, numbers or science in general, it is worth a read.
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