Book Details : | |
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Language | English |
Pages | 163 |
Format | |
Size | 1.37 MB |
PDF Free Download | Number and Other Math Ideas Come Alive by by Theoni Pappas.
Contrary to popular belief, math is not just a bunch of math facts and concepts that never change or evolve. Every math idea or problem takes time to evolve while it percolates in the mind of the mathematician.
Imagination and mathematics have always been closely connected. In fact, mathematics is pure fantasy but with one very important element…logic.
Each new idea that is created or uncovered must follow logically from previously established concepts, regardless if they are some new type of number, a definition, a theorem, or other math notion.
They must be shown to be consistent with previous ideas. Looking at the history of mathematics we realize that new ideas were oftentimes not readily accepted.
Some were even considered blasphemous, ridiculous or downright dumb. Look at Leopold Kronecker’s vicious and insidious attack on George Cantor’s innovative work on set theory and transfinite numbers,
consider mathematicians negative reaction to the negative integers when they were first introduced to the European continent or how the Pythagoreans tried to keep the discovery of the √2 secret.
Consequently, in many of the stories in this book the interactions and dialogues between many of the math characters are often contentious.
There are doubts, harsh challenges and animated questioning. Just as it is human nature to often resist change and revolutionary ideas,
so the math characters are reticent to accept mathematical newcomers. Yet, in the end, challenges and questions yield to logical thought and proofs similar to how ideas are actually scrutinized in the world of mathematics.
In NUMBERS & OTHER MATH IDEAS COME ALIVE numbers and math ideas tell us their stories in their own words. We learn about their foibles and strengths.
We see why mathematicians had to develop new concepts when the old ones were not sufficient for the problems at hand, and how math is constantly growing and evolving.
We learn how new numbers appeared, and old ones had to accept the newcomers, and how certain math ideas lay hidden for centuries, until, they were resurrected or discovered by a mathematician.
Love, hate, anger, excitement—all emotions we associate with humans are taken on by these math characters as their stories unfold.
Hopefully you will be intrigued as you look behind the scenes at what numbers, points, lines, and other notions are saying and thinking.
In each story, math properties and characteristics are uncovered and explained through the dialogues and actions of the math characters. In fact, you may forget you are actually learning mathematics as you get caught up in the characters’ private lives
Download Number and Other Math Ideas Come Alive by Pappas in PDF Format For Free.