Keith Devlin Knihy

Sedm největších nevyřešených otázek matematiky. V roce 2000 uspořádala nadace Leonarda Claye působící při Harvardské univerzitě matematický kongres. Její představitelé vyhlásili sedm nejdůležitějších nevyřešených problémů matematiky a za vyřešení každého z nich vypsali odměnu jednoho milionu amerických dolarů. Problémy zasahují do mnoha moderních oborů současné čisté i aplikované matematiky, od topologie přes teorii čísel, kryptografii a výpočetní techniku až po letecký design. Keith Devlin, nedostižný popularizátor matematiky, v této knize formou srozumitelnou komukoli vysvětluje podstatu, původ a význam každého ze sedmi problémů. Po přečtení této knihy se čtenář hned může pustit do řešení některé z těchto sedmi hádanek — v sázce je přeci sedm milionů dolarů!

Jak zviditelnit neviditelné. Kniha podává přehledný obraz současné matematiky a historického vývoje jejích nejzajímavějších oblastí, zároveň vyzdvihuje její základní rysy, jimiž je jednoduchost, čistota, přesnost a elegance, zdařile však předkládá i její mnohdy opomíjenou stránku – estetickou působivost intelektuální, vizuální i akustickou.

"The great book of nature," said Galileo, "can be read only by those who know the language in which it is written. And this language is mathematics." A richly illustrated celebration of the beauty and elegance of this ever-evolving language, The Science of Patterns explores the many ways mathematics helps us understand our perceptions of reality--both the physical, biological, and social worlds without, and the realm of ideas and thoughts within.

A nuts-and-bolts explanation of cryptography from a leading expert in information security.

In 2000, the Clay Foundation of Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced a historic competition: whoever could solve any of seven extraodinarily difficult mathematical problems, and have the solution acknowledged as correct by the experts, would receive $1million in prize money. The solutions, if any, to the so-called Milliennium Problems would play a strong role in determining the course of mathematics in the 21st century. They encompass many of the most fascinating areas of pure and applied mathematics, from topology and number theory to particle physics, cryptography, computing and even aircraft design. Keith Devlin describes here what the seven problems are, how they came about, and what they mean for mathematics and science. In the hands of Devlin, each Millennium Problem becomes a window onto the deepest questions in the field.

"Mathematical thinking is not the same as 'doing math'--unless you are a professional mathematician. For most people, 'doing math' means the application of procedures and symbolic manipulations. Mathematical thinking, in contrast, is what the name reflects, a way of thinking about things in the world that humans have developed over three thousand years. It does not have to be about mathematics at all, which means that many people can benefit from learning this powerful way of thinking, not just mathematicians and scientists."--Back cover.

Where does our mathematical ability come from? Our prehistoric ancestors' brains were essentially the same as ours, so they must have had the same underlying ability. What purpose could it serve in 50,000 BC? And what exactly goes on in our brains when we multiply 15 by 36 or prove Fermat's Last Theorem? The answer, according to Keith Devlin, is closely related to the evolutionary changes in the human brain that gave rise to language. It lies within our genes and more specifically with the pattern-making abilities with which we are born. Devlin uses these insights to show why some people loathe mathematics, why others find it so difficult, and why a select few excel at the subject. He also suggests ways in which we can improve our mathematical skills.

The companion to the hit CBS crime series Numb3rs presents the fascinating way mathematics is used to fight real-life crime Using the popular CBS prime-time TV crime series Numb3rs as a springboard, Keith Devlin (known to millions of NPR listeners as the Math Guy on NPR's Weekend Edition with Scott Simon) and Gary Lorden (the principal math advisor to Numb3rs) explain real-life mathematical techniques used by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to catch and convict criminals. From forensics to counterterrorism, the Riemann hypothesis to image enhancement, solving murders to beating casinos, Devlin and Lorden present compelling cases that illustrate how advanced mathematics can be used in state-of-the-art criminal investigations.

In The Maths Gene, Keith Devlin explains how the human mind came to perform mathematical reasoning. He claims the answer lies in our genes, and reveals why some people feel they can't do maths, while a select few excel.