Fynlar wrote:
Basic algebra (Algebra 1) is IMO one of the most important math subjects for the average person to be familiar with, after basic +-*/ operations and all that.
Gee, maybe that's why they teach it...immediately following basic math.
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Gee, maybe that's why they teach it...immediately following basic math.
Quote:
Gee, maybe that's why they teach it...immediately following basic math.
Yup
Tare wrote:
...of any good books about Mathematics that an adult would enjoy? I want to get Mr. Tare an extra father's day gift and he has been blabbering on to me about math and how he wants to read more about it and learn more about it once he's done his masters.
Do people actually like math? That's crazy to me. :)
Do people actually like math? That's crazy to me. :)
It's not a math book but a book about a mathematician. I liked the Man who only loved Numbers about Erdos and lent it to a mathematician friend of mine who liked it a whole lot too.
Turin wrote:
Seriously, what the f*ck nature?
A Shortcut Through Time: The Path to the Quantum Computer is more quantum physics and computers with a lot on prime numbers and cypher thrown in, then pure math but a very good read for the non physicists among us. Though it bit out of date from what little I've been able to follow from news stories.
I bought the book when it was new and love it. It's right up there with Chaos as one of my favorite Math books that are geared for laymen who never went farther then pre calculus.
I been meaning to read my copy of Godel, Escher, Bach for years, but then got distracted by other books on my reading list. Theres just too many non fiction books that demand way too much time, Where both Shortcut Through Time and Chaos were quick reads for me.
My list of books that I want to read keeps growing no matter how fast I try to read them. I've added a few suggested here to my wish list.
Edited, Jun 18th 2009 10:17pm by ElneClare
I bought the book when it was new and love it. It's right up there with Chaos as one of my favorite Math books that are geared for laymen who never went farther then pre calculus.
I been meaning to read my copy of Godel, Escher, Bach for years, but then got distracted by other books on my reading list. Theres just too many non fiction books that demand way too much time, Where both Shortcut Through Time and Chaos were quick reads for me.
My list of books that I want to read keeps growing no matter how fast I try to read them. I've added a few suggested here to my wish list.
Edited, Jun 18th 2009 10:17pm by ElneClare
In the place of a Dark Lord you would have a Queen! Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the Morn! Treacherous as the Seas! Stronger than the foundations of the Earth! All shall love me and despair! -ElneClare
This Post is written in Elnese, If it was an actual Post, it would make sense.
This Post is written in Elnese, If it was an actual Post, it would make sense.
Flatland is basically a (probably high) 19th century mathematician rambling about dimensions. It's a fun read but has little to do with maths. I'm kind of pressing number theory again here, but either the first couple of chapters of
http://www.amazon.com/Elementary-Number-Theory-Gareth-Jones/dp/3540761977/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245378522&sr=8-1
or as much of
http://www.amazon.com/Number-History-Classics-Science-Mathematics/dp/0486656209/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245378793&sr=8-18
as he can handle alone could be a good start, if the people of amazon are correct.
Hmm. Basically.
If he *actually* wants to do maths then the above is a good place to start, or doing some online / college courses in calculus, geometry, algebra, etc. It won't be a nice present because, if he's anything like most mathematicians I know, he'll have to work tremendously hard for nil return for a very long time. It's not so much that he won't be learning anything, more that he'll need a lot of time just to adjust to the mindset of theorems, definitions and proofs. Then probably some more time to work out why anyone should care about the results when he does understand them. This is what happened to me and most of my friends on my course... 90% of the work when starting out is sheer bloodymindedness in sticking with it.
Number theory is really useful though. Prime numbers are our only real way of keeping information secure - really big ones are used in cryptography as a sort of "key". People with interesting ideas about the more mysterious results about the Riemann Zeta function tend to get a lot of attention either from security agencies or the mob. When you understand number theory basic algebra and day to day arithmatic become a walk in the park. It'll also be a great introduction to mathematical proofs, as you can try examples of a theorem and kind of see why it *has* to be correct.
If all that sounds kind of intense, go for one of the above suggestions. In fact buy him some philosophy books. You get the cool concepts and a good mental workout with none of the equations.
http://www.amazon.com/Elementary-Number-Theory-Gareth-Jones/dp/3540761977/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245378522&sr=8-1
or as much of
http://www.amazon.com/Number-History-Classics-Science-Mathematics/dp/0486656209/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245378793&sr=8-18
as he can handle alone could be a good start, if the people of amazon are correct.
Hmm. Basically.
If he *actually* wants to do maths then the above is a good place to start, or doing some online / college courses in calculus, geometry, algebra, etc. It won't be a nice present because, if he's anything like most mathematicians I know, he'll have to work tremendously hard for nil return for a very long time. It's not so much that he won't be learning anything, more that he'll need a lot of time just to adjust to the mindset of theorems, definitions and proofs. Then probably some more time to work out why anyone should care about the results when he does understand them. This is what happened to me and most of my friends on my course... 90% of the work when starting out is sheer bloodymindedness in sticking with it.
Number theory is really useful though. Prime numbers are our only real way of keeping information secure - really big ones are used in cryptography as a sort of "key". People with interesting ideas about the more mysterious results about the Riemann Zeta function tend to get a lot of attention either from security agencies or the mob. When you understand number theory basic algebra and day to day arithmatic become a walk in the park. It'll also be a great introduction to mathematical proofs, as you can try examples of a theorem and kind of see why it *has* to be correct.
If all that sounds kind of intense, go for one of the above suggestions. In fact buy him some philosophy books. You get the cool concepts and a good mental workout with none of the equations.
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