Hey, math people! The University of Cambridge prepared a unique list of math books you should read in 2022.
This list of interesting math books you should read is mainly intended for sixth-formers planning to take a degree in mathematics. However, everyone who likes mathematics should look at some very suitable items for less experienced readers, and even the most hardened mathematician will probably find something new here.
What are the most useful math books you should read?
The range of mathematics books now available is enormous. This list contains a few suggestions that you should find helpful. They are divided into three groups: historical and general which aim to give a broad idea of the scope and development of the subject; recreational, from problem books which aim to keep your brain working, to technical books, which give you insight into a specific area of mathematics and include mathematical discussion; and textbooks which cover a topic in advanced mathematics of the kind that you will encounter in your first year at university.
Dr. Körner explores a range of fascinating subjects in this interesting and readable book that continue to fascinate working mathematicians. The subjects span from the cholera outbreak in Victorian Soho to the creation of anchors and the Battle of the Atlantic. The author avoids condescending while explaining issues and using relatively easy terminology and concepts. Find inspiration here if you’re a mathematician looking to describe to others how you spend your working days. Everyone with interest in the applications of mathematics will enjoy this book.
“The discovery of the Higgs boson, which holds the key to understanding why mass exists, has just been disclosed by scientists and is on par with the splitting of the atom in terms of historical significance. Awarded author and Caltech physicist Sean Carroll take readers behind the scenes of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN to meet the researchers and explain this historical event in his book The Particle at the End of the Universe.
The Higgs boson is the particle that more than 6,000 scientists have been searching for using the Large Hadron Collider, which is housed in a tunnel 17 miles in circumference and as deep as 575 feet beneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva. It is the largest and highest-energy particle accelerator in the world. It took ten years to construct, has cost over $9 billion, and involved the participation of engineers from more than a hundred different nations.
What makes the Higgs boson so unique? Until we discovered it, we weren’t sure if anything at the subatomic scale had any mass. Despite the fact that we have now virtually solved the overall puzzle, there are still a number of unanticipated events and opportunities. A window is emerging into the fascinating and occasionally terrifying world of dark matter. The electron was only found a little over a century ago and given where it led us—from nuclear energy to quantum computing—the discoveries that will come from the finding of the Higgs boson will be paradigm-shifting.
The significance of the Higgs boson and the Large Hadron Collider project are both explained in The Particle at the End of the Universe. Sean Carroll investigates all the scheming, negotiating, and occasional skullduggery that goes into undertakings this size. The greatest scientific discovery of our time is the subject of this captivating tale, which features people who are currently in line to receive numerous honors, including the Nobel Prize.”
Discover the timeless wisdom of George Polya’s How to Solve It, a must-read for anyone interested in mathematics education. Despite its slightly clumsy writing due to Polya being a mathematician and not a native English speaker, this book offers invaluable insights into problem-solving that transcends the realm of mathematics and can be applied to any field.
Polya’s four-step approach to problem-solving is simple yet profound: understanding the problem, devising a plan, executing the plan, and reflecting on the solution. These steps are universally applicable and can be utilized for both basic and complex problems, making them essential for learning and growth. While different writers have made their own revisions to these steps, the core principles remain unchanged.
One of the highlights of this book is its enduring relevance. Not only can the general framework of Polya’s heuristic be applied to various situations, but the “A Short Dictionary of Heuristic” section offers a plethora of valuable insights. Each entry provides a concise essay on different aspects of problem-solving, shedding light on its nature and history. For instance, the distinction between “Problems to Solve” and “Problems to Prove” is particularly eye-opening and encourages deeper understanding.
With its enduring wisdom and practical resources, How to Solve It is a book that deserves a place on every educator’s shelf. It is a true classic in the field of educational literature that can be revisited time and time again for guidance and inspiration.
This intriguing and engaging dictionary, which was first published in 1986, is presented in order of magnitude and reveals the fascinating facts about particular numbers and number sequences, such as very large primes, amicable numbers, and golden squares, to name just a few.
Prepare to be captivated by this thought-provoking book that delves into the world of applied mathematics. In this introspective piece, the author shares their personal journey in the field of numerical analysis, shedding light on the disconnect they feel with present-day mathematicians and mathematics itself.
While reflecting on their career and highlighting biographical details, the author presents a serious and personal contemplation on mathematics, akin to G.H. Hardy’s renowned work. However, A Mathematician’s Apology takes a different path, exploring fascinating new directions.
The author defines numerical analysis as the study of algorithms for continuous mathematics, slightly skirting the boundaries of computer science, which focuses on discrete mathematics. With significant contributions in various areas of numerical analysis, including approximation theory and probability analysis, the author showcases their expertise.
Surprisingly, the author reveals that their work has not been influenced by pure mathematicians, nor have their results impacted the winners of the prestigious Fields Medal. This divide between the theory and proof enthusiasts and the algorithms and computations experts strikes the author as unusual, considering the historical examples of Gauss, Newton, and Euler integrating numerical analysis into their theoretical work.
While acknowledging the productivity of mathematicians on both ends of the spectrum, the author expresses a desire to bridge the gap between them. They find it astonishing that a considerable portion of the mathematical community focuses solely on abstraction and technique, detached from real-world phenomena.
If you yearn for a fresh perspective on applied mathematics and the dynamics of the mathematical community, A Mathematician’s Apology is an absolute must-read.
Fermat’s Last Theorem
xn + yn = zn, where n represents 3, 4, 5, …no solution
“I have discovered a truly marvelous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain.”
With these words, the seventeenth-century French mathematician Pierre de Fermat threw down the gauntlet to future generations. What came to be known as Fermat’s Last Theorem looked simple, proving it, however, became the Holy Grail of mathematics, baffling its finest minds for more than 350 years. In Fermat’s Enigma–based on the author’s award-winning documentary film, which aired on PBS’s “Nova”–Simon Singh tells the astonishingly entertaining story of the pursuit of that grail and the lives that were devoted to sacrificed for and saved by it. Here is a mesmerizing tale of heartbreak and mastery that will forever change your feelings about mathematics.
This superb biography of Paul Erdos, who was born in Hungary, is based on a National Magazine Award-winning piece. It is both a vivid portrayal of an eccentric genius and a layman’s guide to some of this century’s most stunning mathematical discoveries.
British mathematician Alan Turing (1912–1954) made history. He enabled Allied-American control of the Atlantic during World War II by cracking the German U-boat Enigma cipher. However, Turing’s vision extended much beyond the frantic war effort. He developed the idea of the universal machine, the cornerstone of the computer revolution, as early as the 1930s. He was a pioneer in the development of electronic computers in 1945. However, Turing’s actual objective was the scientific comprehension of the mind, which he expressed in his prediction for the twenty-first century as well as in the drama and wit of the well-known “Turing test” for artificial intelligence.
Mathematics is a subject that can often seem intimidating and confusing to those who don’t deeply engage with it. But what exactly is math, and how does it work? In How to Bake Pi, Eugenia Cheng, a math professor, takes readers on a journey to explore the beauty of abstract mathematics. She uses recipes for dishes such as crispy duck and cornbread to illustrate the logic of math, offering an accessible introduction to the subject.
This book goes beyond formulas and symbols from high school math classes, inviting readers to explore cutting-edge mathematical research in a way that is engaging and easy to understand. Cheng’s writing is lively and her explanations are clear, making How to Bake Pi the perfect guide for anyone looking for a new way to appreciate mathematics.
“Infinity, as it relates to mathematics and art, is examined in the book To Infinity and Beyond. Eli Maor investigates the function of infinity and its cultural effects on the humanities and sciences. From the “horror Infiniti” of the Greeks to the works of M. C. Escher; from the ornamental designs of the Muslims to the sage Giordano Bruno, whose belief in an infinite universe led to his death at the hands of the Inquisition, he invokes the profound intellectual influence the infinite has exercised on the human mind. The book mostly discusses the mathematician’s obsession with infinity, which is a combination of intrigue and perplexity.
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