Böcker av Philip J. Davis

One of the principles of mathematical growth is that the relabelling process often suggests a new generation of problems. Means become ends; the medium rapidly becomes the message. This book is not wholly self-contained. Readers will find that they should be familiar with the elementary portions of linear algebra and of the theory of functions of a complex variable.

" Although there is a connection between the first piece and the second, the four pieces here are essentially independent. This piece purports, as a secondary goal, to present a solution to a certain unsolved historical problem raised in the first piece.

Mathematics has long suffered in the public eye through portrayals of mathematicians as socially inept geniuses devoted to an arcane discipline. This work demonstrates how mathematics surrounds, imbues, and maintains our everyday lives. It takes the reader through a point-by-point explanation of many frequently asked questions about mathematics.