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Fearless Symmetry

Exposing the Hidden Patterns of Numbers - New Edition
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( 132 ratings, 20 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Fearless Symmetry delves into the fascinating world of number theory and the profound mathematical concepts that underpin our understanding of symmetry. Gross and Ash explore how these ideas have evolved and their impact on modern mathematics, illustrating complex theories with clarity and insight. It's a journey through the hidden patterns of numbers, weaving together history, biography, and scientific discovery.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$8499

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by the beauty of mathematical structures and their symmetrical elegance. It explores the fascinating connections between abstract mathematical theories and practical applications, providing insights into a world where numbers and shapes reveal deeper truths about the universe. Perfect for readers who appreciate a blend of intellectual depth and the wonder of discovery in science and nature.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Mathematicians solve equations, or try to. But sometimes the solutions are not as interesting as the beautiful symmetric patterns that lead to them. This book discusses these elegant and mysterious patterns and the ingenious techniques mathematicians use to uncover them. It addresses representation theory and reciprocity laws.

All too often, abstract mathematics, one of the most beautiful of human intellectual creations, is ground into the dry dust of drills and proofs. Useful, yes; exciting, no. Avner Ash and Robert Gross have done something different--by focusing on the ideas that modern mathematicians actually care about. Fearless Symmetry is a book about detecting hidden patterns, about finding definitions that clarify, about the study of numbers that has entranced some of our great thinkers for thousands of years. It is a book that takes on number theory in a way that a nonmathematician can follow-systematically but without a barrage of technicalities. Ash and Gross are two terrific guides who take the reader, scientist or layman, on a wonderful hike through concepts that matter, culminating in the extraordinary peaks that surround the irresistible, beckoning claim of Fermat's Last Theorem. -- Peter Galison, Harvard University

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Mathematicians solve equations, or try to. But sometimes the solutions are not as interesting as the beautiful symmetric patterns that lead to them. Written in a friendly style for a general audience, Fearless Symmetry is the first popular math book to discuss these elegant and mysterious patterns and the ingenious techniques mathematicians use to uncover them.

Hidden symmetries were first discovered nearly two hundred years ago by French mathematician Évariste Galois. They have been used extensively in the oldest and largest branch of mathematics—number theory—for such diverse applications as acoustics, radar, and codes and ciphers. They have also been employed in the study of Fibonacci numbers and to tackle well-known problems such as Fermat's Last Theorem, Pythagorean Triples, and the ever-elusive Riemann Hypothesis.

Mathematicians are still devising techniques for teasing out these mysterious patterns, and their uses are limited only by the imagination. The first popular book to address representation theory and reciprocity laws, Fearless Symmetry focuses on how mathematicians solve equations and prove theorems. It discusses rules of mathematics and why they are just as important as those in any game one might play.

The book starts with basic properties of integers and permutations and reaches current research in number theory. Along the way, it takes delightful historical and philosophical digressions. Required reading for all math buffs, the book will appeal to anyone curious about popular mathematics and its myriad contributions to everyday life.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Fearless Symmetry is lauded for making a challenging mathematical topic more accessible, offering insight into contemporary research and its relevance beyond scientific circles. Reviewers praise the book's ability to convey the richness of the subject to non-experts while staying true to the subject's complexity. It is recommended for both mathematicians and those without a technical background, providing a vivid portrayal of the vitality in the field of mathematics, particularly related to the Langlands program.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780691138718

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 24 August 2008

Country: United States

Imprint: Princeton University Press

Edition: New Edition

Illustration: 1 halftone. 2 line illus.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 454g

Pages: 312

About the Author

Avner Ash is professor of mathematics at Boston College and the coauthor of Smooth Compactification of Locally Symmetric Varieties. Robert Gross is associate professor of mathematics at Boston College.

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