What Is Mathematics? An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods
Original price was: $39.99.$19.97Current price is: $19.97.
Description
For more than two thousand years a familiarity with mathematics has been regarded as an indispensable part of the intellectual equipment of every cultured person. Today, unfortunately, the traditional place of mathematics in education is in grave danger. The teaching and learning of mathematics has degenerated into the realm of rote memorization, the outcome of which leads to satisfactory formal ability but does not lead to real understanding or to greater intellectual independence. This new edition of Richard Courant’s and Herbert Robbins’s classic work seeks to address this problem. Its goal is to put the meaning back into mathematics.
Written for beginners and scholars, for students and teachers, for philosophers and engineers, What is Mathematics?, Second Edition is a sparkling collection of mathematical gems that offers an entertaining and accessible portrait of the mathematical world. Covering everything from natural numbers and the number system to geometrical constructions and projective geometry, from topology and calculus to matters of principle and the Continuum Hypothesis, this fascinating survey allows readers to delve into mathematics as an organic whole rather than an empty drill in problem solving. With chapters largely independent of one another and sections that lead upward from basic to more advanced discussions, readers can easily pick and choose areas of particular interest without impairing their understanding of subsequent parts.
Brought up to date with a new chapter by Ian Stewart, What is Mathematics?, Second Edition offers new insights into recent mathematical developments and describes proofs of the Four-Color Theorem and Fermat’s Last Theorem, problems that were still open when Courant and Robbins wrote this masterpiece, but ones that have since been solved.
Formal mathematics is like spelling and grammar–a matter of the correct application of local rules. Meaningful mathematics is like journalism–it tells an interesting story. But unlike some journalism, the story has to be true. The best mathematics is like literature–it brings a story to life before your eyes and involves you in it, intellectually and emotionally. What is Mathematics is like a fine piece of literature–it opens a window onto the world of mathematics for anyone interested to view.
9 reviews for What Is Mathematics? An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods
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William B. Zimmerly (verified owner) –
After reading this:
“It doesn’t matter what mathematical things are: it’s what they do that counts. Thus mathematics hovers uneasily between the real and the not real; its meaning does not reside in formal abstractions, but neither is it tangible. This may cause problems with philosophers who like tidy categories, but it is the great strength of mathematics — what I have elsewhere called its ‘unreal reality.’ Mathematics links the abstract world of mental concepts to the real world of physical things without being located completely in either.” – Ian Stewart, What is Mathematics?
…I was hooked and after reading it several times, I still can’t put it down! Great job to all who contributed to creating this masterpiece.
robert boughton (verified owner) –
For anyone interested in the fundamental principles of mathematics, this is the book with which to start. Be warned, you cannot skim this text. grab some paper and a pen and engage slowly. I am not a mathemaniac, just interested in a facet of human endeavour central to our success as a species. During high school and university studies I gained high marks in maths without really understanding the subject. This book is rectifying that situation.
AB77 (verified owner) –
Great book for a High School student who is interested in Mathematics. I enjoyed it as an adult and gifted two copies to High School students. It is a good read at any age. The topics are carefully chosen and it will surely show you the world of mathematics. Another great book is 1,2,3 Infinity by Gamow. Books by Courant have great clarity. I even like his calculus books. This is not a casual read.
M. Nguyen (verified owner) –
This is a great overview of many key areas of modern mathematics. The book is wonderful because it’s not a typical “For Dummies” book. It has some real mathematics in it, and many of the theorems and proofs are mathematical masterpieces that every Ph.D. student should know. If you want to master the basics, I would use this book along with your text books. This book gives a really good overview of many important areas of mathematics.
Danae (verified owner) –
I’m really excited to have gotten this book. I used to hate math, and as a college student, I got lucky enough to have a great teacher who helped me appreciate the subject. This book has everything! The basics all the way through calculus. It’s accessible to many levels too. When I finish school and begin teaching, I will be using this book to create lesson plans. Out toy like math at all, or want to learn, this is a great book.
Chad H. (verified owner) –
Excellent read, I had always wondered; and now I know.
It’s a total nerd book, if you love math at the conceptual level, enjoy history, and the engineering aspect of how things came to be- this is a great book. I’m a network engineer, wife turned me on to this book from her college days – she was a math major. Well written, decently paced given the subject matter, and enlightening.
If none of the above interests you, the book may also be used as a soporific.
Yali (verified owner) –
This is like a mathematics bible!!! It touches on subjects that I have learned as a math major throughout my college career. It is also an easy read and I love how it contains exercises throughout the reading. If you are looking for a math book to refresh your mind on some content, then this is the book for you as well!!!
levk1234 (verified owner) –
I was already kind of old when I learned about this book, but it still influenced every aspect of my life.
These kinds of books teach wisdom, not just the subject in the title. It reveals the beauty of Mathematics and the inconceivable nature of this imperfect world that follows its perfect laws.
Dave (verified owner) –
This book is like discussing with an old friend about mathematics. Whenever I come back to this book, I learn something new and I understand math a little better. This book will teach you advanced concepts and theorems. It does not have the wording of an average textbook. It feels like you are having an intellectual debate. Trivia: Albert Einstein read the first edition of this book.