Pluses and minuses : how maths makes the world more manageable
Buijsman, Stefan2020
Book
Thousands of years ago the inhabitants of Mesopotamia became the first to use numbers. Since then, mathematics has been unstoppable. It's behind almost everything, from search-engines to cruise-control, from coffee-makers to timetables. But now that we hardly ever need to do arithmetic any longer, how relevant is mathematics to everyday life? 'Pluses and Minuses' demonstrates which role mathematics play in human endeavour. It begins with the mathematical skills we all possess from birth, to arrive at the many applications of mathematics today. It turns out that without knowledge of the ideas behind mathematical calculations we find ourselves sidelined. Can mathematics help us to treat cancer more effectively? Buijsman makes connections between philosophy, psychology and history, while explaining the wonderful world of mathematics for absolutely everyone.
Main title:
Pluses and minuses : how maths makes the world more manageable / Stefan Buijsman ; translated from the Dutch by Andy Brown.
Author:
Buijsman, Stefan, authorBrown, Andy (Translator), translator
Imprint:
London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2020.
Collation:
vii, 199 pages : illustrations (black and white), map (black and white) ; 23 cm
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:
9781474612470 (hbk)
Dewey class:
510
Language:
EnglishDutch
Subject:
BRN:
2956292