The Book of Numbers

by John H. Conway, Richard K. Guy

Description

In The Book of Numbers, two famous mathematicians fascinated by beautiful and intriguing number patterns share their insights and discoveries with each other and with readers. John Conway is the showman, master of mathematical games and flamboyant presentations; Richard Guy is the encyclopedist, always on top of problems waiting to be solved. Together they show us why patterns and properties of numbers have captivated mathematicians and non-mathematicians alike for centuries. The Book of show more Numbers features Conway and Guy's favorite stories about all the kinds of numbers any of us is likely to encounter, and many others besides. "Our aim," the authors write, "is to bring to the inquisitive reader ... an explanation of the many ways the word 'number' is used." They explore patterns that emerge in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, describe these patterns' relevance both inside and outside mathematics, and introduce the strange worlds of complex, transcendental, and surreal numbers. This unique book brings together facts, pictures and stories about numbers in a way that no one but an extraordinarily talented pair of mathematicians and writers could do. show less

Recommendations

Surreal Numbers by Donald E. Knuth

Surreal Numbers

Donald E. Knuth

On Numbers and Games by John Horton Conway

On Numbers and Games

John Horton Conway

Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem by Simon Singh

Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem

Simon Singh

The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers by David Wells

The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers

David Wells

The Music of the Primes by Marcus du Sautoy

The Music of the Primes

Marcus du Sautoy

Fearless Symmetry: Exposing the Hidden Patterns of Numbers by Avner Ash

Fearless Symmetry: Exposing the Hidden Patterns of Numbers

Avner Ash

Proofs from The Book by Martin Aigner

Proofs from The Book

Martin Aigner

Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics by John Derbyshire

Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics

John Derbyshire

The Colossal Book of Mathematics: Classic Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Problems by Martin Gardner

The Colossal Book of Mathematics: Classic Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Problems

Martin Gardner

An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers by G. H. Hardy

An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers

G. H. Hardy

An Imaginary Tale: The Story of √-1 by Paul J. Nahin

An Imaginary Tale: The Story of √-1

Paul J. Nahin

Introduction to Algorithms by Thomas H. Cormen

Introduction to Algorithms

Thomas H. Cormen

Gamma: Exploring Euler's Constant by Julian Havil

Gamma: Exploring Euler's Constant

Julian Havil

e: The Story of a Number by Eli Maor

e: The Story of a Number

Eli Maor

The Kingdom of Infinite Number: A Field Guide by Bryan Bunch

The Kingdom of Infinite Number: A Field Guide

Bryan Bunch

Recreations in the Theory of Numbers: The Queen of Mathematics Entertains by Albert H. Beiler

Recreations in the Theory of Numbers: The Queen of Mathematics Entertains

Albert H. Beiler

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea by Charles Seife

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea

Charles Seife

The Mathematical Experience by Philip J. Davis

The Mathematical Experience

Philip J. Davis

The Irrationals: A Story of the Numbers You Can't Count On by Julian Havil

The Irrationals: A Story of the Numbers You Can't Count On

Julian Havil

What Is Mathematics? An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods by Richard Courant

What Is Mathematics? An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods

Richard Courant

Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos

Alex's Adventures in Numberland

Alex Bellos

Keys to Infinity by Clifford A. Pickover

Keys to Infinity

Clifford A. Pickover

Winning Ways for Your Mathematical Plays, Vol. 1 by Elwyn R. Berlekamp

Winning Ways for Your Mathematical Plays, Vol. 1

Elwyn R. Berlekamp

The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number by Mario Livio

The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number

Mario Livio

Euler: The Master of Us All by William Dunham

Euler: The Master of Us All

William Dunham

The Art of the Infinite: The Pleasures of Mathematics by Robert Kaplan

The Art of the Infinite: The Pleasures of Mathematics

Robert Kaplan

Wonders of Numbers: Adventures in Mathematics, Mind, and Meaning by Clifford A. Pickover

Wonders of Numbers: Adventures in Mathematics, Mind, and Meaning

Clifford A. Pickover

Riemann's Zeta Function by Harold M. Edwards

Riemann's Zeta Function

Harold M. Edwards

Mathematical Recreations and Essays by W. W. Rouse Ball

Mathematical Recreations and Essays

W. W. Rouse Ball

The Mathematics Lover’s Companion: Masterpieces for Everyone by Edward R. Scheinerman

The Mathematics Lover’s Companion: Masterpieces for Everyone

Edward R. Scheinerman

Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity by David Foster Wallace

Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity

David Foster Wallace

The Theory of Algebraic Numbers by Harry Pollard

The Theory of Algebraic Numbers

Harry Pollard

The Higher Arithmetic: An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers by H. Davenport

The Higher Arithmetic: An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers

H. Davenport

Islands of Truth: A Mathematical Mystery Cruise by Ivars Peterson

Islands of Truth: A Mathematical Mystery Cruise

Ivars Peterson

Zero to Lazy Eight: The Romance Numbers by Alexander Humez

Zero to Lazy Eight: The Romance Numbers

Alexander Humez

You Are a Mathematician by David Wells

You Are a Mathematician

David Wells

Numbers: A Very Short Introduction by Peter M. Higgins

Numbers: A Very Short Introduction

Peter M. Higgins

The Princeton Companion to Mathematics by Timothy Gowers

The Princeton Companion to Mathematics

Timothy Gowers

The Knot Book by Colin C. Adams

The Knot Book

Colin C. Adams

From Zero to Infinity: What Makes Numbers Interesting by Constance Reid

From Zero to Infinity: What Makes Numbers Interesting

Constance Reid

Mathematics: The New Golden Age by Keith Devlin

Mathematics: The New Golden Age

Keith Devlin

Concrete Mathematics: A Foundation for Computer Science by Ronald L. Graham

Concrete Mathematics: A Foundation for Computer Science

Ronald L. Graham

The Unexpected Hanging and Other Mathematical Diversions by Martin Gardner

The Unexpected Hanging and Other Mathematical Diversions

Martin Gardner

The Fabulous Fibonacci Numbers by Alfred S. Posamentier

The Fabulous Fibonacci Numbers

Alfred S. Posamentier

How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method by G. Polya

How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method

G. Polya

Dr. Euler's Fabulous Formula: Cures Many Mathematical Ills by Paul J. Nahin

Dr. Euler's Fabulous Formula: Cures Many Mathematical Ills

Paul J. Nahin

The Problems of Mathematics by Ian Stewart

The Problems of Mathematics

Ian Stewart

Nature's Numbers by Ian Stewart

Nature's Numbers

Ian Stewart

The Language of Mathematics: Making the Invisible Visible by Keith Devlin

The Language of Mathematics: Making the Invisible Visible

Keith Devlin

Complete Recommendations

Member Reviews

Featured Recent Thumbs

All Ratings
4
½3
16
½2
8
½1
1
No Rating

4 reviews

fpagan 1,360 reviews

Colorful (literally), deft, and original survey of many different kinds of pure-math numbers. (Say, have you been remembering to meditate on the Euler identity e^(i*pi)+1=0 daily?)

Dec 28, 2006

byorgey 24 reviews

A far-ranging tour through math stemming from the idea of number. Fairly advanced at times, but well-written and worth reading even if you don't understand everything at first. http://www.mathlesstraveled.com/?p=43

Oct 11, 2009

themulhern 2,086 reviews

Lots of interesting "shape" numbers, not just square and triangular.

May 30, 2015

pasztor 1 review

A könyv kiváló néhány tipográfiai hibától eltekintve.

Ratings