A "biography" of the most vexing and troublesome number in human history reveals how the Babylonians invented it, why the Greeks were afraid of it and the Hindus worshipped it, the role it played in hunting down heretics in the Middle Ages, and its placein the Y2K issue

Like Douglas HofstadterÂ's Gödel, Escher, Bach, and David BerlinskiÂ's A Tour of the Calculus, Euclid in the Rainforest combines the literary with the mathematical to explore logic—the one indispensable tool in manÂ's quest to understand the world. Underpinning both math and science, it is the foundation of every major advancement in knowledge since the time of the ancient Greeks. Through adventure stories and historical narratives populated with a rich and quirky cast of characters, Mazur artfully reveals the less-than-airtight nature of logic and the muddled relationship between math and the real world. Ultimately, Mazur argues, logical reasoning is not purely robotic. At its most basic level, it is a creative process guided by our intuitions and beliefs about the world. BACKCOVER: “This charming book radiates love of mathematics and of life . . . A treasure of human experience and intellectual excitement.Â

Teaches core algabraic concepts, discussing topics such as segments, lines, and inequalities; linear equations; polynomial arithmetic; factoring polynomials; rational expressions; and complex numbers.

Presents a survey of advances in mathematics over the past twenty-five years, including such topics as prime numbers, factories, sets, and number systems

The author examines the nation's burgeoning inability to deal rationally with very large numbers, assesses the impact on government policymaking and everyday life, and shows what can be done about this

Like masterpieces of art, music, and literature, great mathematical theorems are creative milestones, works of genius destined to last forever. Now William Dunham gives them the attention they deserve. Dunham places each theorem within its historical context and explores the very human and often turbulent life of the creator — from Archimedes, the absentminded theoretician whose absorption in his work often precluded eating or bathing, to Gerolamo Cardano, the sixteenth-century mathematician whose accomplishments flourished despite a bizarre array of misadventures, to the paranoid genius of modern times, Georg Cantor. He also provides step-by-step proofs for the theorems, each easily accessible to readers with no more than a knowledge of high school mathematics. A rare combination of the historical, biographical, and mathematical, Journey Through Genius is a fascinating introduction to a neglected field of human creativity.

Offers an introduction to the principles of calculus, covering such topics as limits, differentiation, and integration.

From the author of The Accelerating Universe comes a thought-provoking look at phi or "The Golden Ratio," discovered by Euclid more than two thousand years ago, examining the meaning of this remarkable mathematical proportion in terms of science, biology, art and architecture, philosophy, and other fields.

Ideal for readers who need extra practice and skill reinforcement for exams. Reviews and hones skills for college and graduate school admissions exams. Also perfect for adult test-takers who need to review all the most-tested basic math concepts to score well on vocational and certification exams.

Cast off the curse of calculus! Students no longer have anything to fear: The Complete IdiotÂ's Guide to Calculus, Second Edition, is here. Like its predecessor, it was created with an audience of students working toward a non-science related degree in mind. A non-intimidating, easy-to-understand textbook companion, this new edition has more explanatory graphs and illustrations and double the number of practice problems. • First edition of this book has sold more copies than any of the other 70+ books on the subject • Twice as many practice problems in this second edition • More college students are now required to take calculus in college than ever before • Author is an award-winning calculus teacher praised for his ability to make this topic fun and approachable • His website, calculus-help.com, reaches thousands of students every month