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Humble Pi
A Comedy of Maths Errors
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Check link for latest rating. ( 21,391 ratings, 2,280 reviews)
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Humble Pi
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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?
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
Humble Pi by Matt Parker is a captivating exploration into the world of mathematics and its sometimes humorous, sometimes catastrophic failures. The first ever maths book to become a No.1 Bestseller, it delves into what happens when maths goes awry in the real world and brings consequences that are often unexpected and dramatic.
Have you ever wondered what makes a bridge wobble when it shouldn't? Or how billions of dollars can seemingly vanish into thin air? Or why a building might sway to the rhythm of a gym class jumping to Snap's 1990 hit, "I've Got The Power?" The answer, in each of these cases, lies in mathematics. Or, to be more precise, the mishaps that occur when mathematical principles are misunderstood or misapplied.
In Humble Pi, Matt Parker takes us on a fascinating journey through a series of glitches, near-misses, and outright disasters stemming from mathematical miscalculations. Our modern lives are intricately built on maths: from computer programmes and financial systems to engineering marvels. And most of the time, these mathematical foundations operate seamlessly and unnoticed—until they don't.
Parker skilfully explains a litany of real-world anomalies caused by mathematical errors. His narrative covers a wide array of intriguing topics: the role of maths in the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman empire, and even a hapless Olympic shooting team. Each example is a testament to how essential mathematics is, and how spectacularly things can go wrong when it's not quite right.
But Humble Pi is more than just a catalogue of mathematical mishaps. Through his engaging storytelling, Matt Parker shows us that by understanding and embracing maths, we can learn from its failures and prevent future errors. The book also features puzzles, challenges, and geometric socks, sprinkled with jokes about binary code and three deliberate mistakes for readers to catch. By highlighting the humorous side of getting things wrong, Parker makes maths relatable and fun.
Whether you're a maths enthusiast or someone curious about the hidden workings of the world around us, Humble Pi offers a unique and entertaining perspective. Discover the bizarre ways maths can trip us up and gain a newfound appreciation for its indispensable role in our lives. Getting it wrong has never been more enjoyable.
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?
Humble Pi by Matt Parker is praised for being consistently funny and highly entertaining, pulling off something wonderful with superb storytelling. Reviewers appreciate its educational value, humour, and engaging journey through numerical mishaps, making maths both alarming and fun.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780141989143
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 05 March 2020
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 18.0mm
Width: 128.0mm
Height: 196.0mm
Weight: 247g
Pages: 336
About the Author
Originally a maths teacher from Australia, Matt Parker now lives in Godalming in a house full of almost every retro video-game console ever made. He is fluent in binary and could write your name in a sequence of noughts and ones in seconds. He loves doing maths and stand-up, often simultaneously. When he's not working as the Public Engagement in Mathematics Fellow at Queen Mary University of London, he's performing in sold-out live comedy shows, spreading his love of maths via TV and radio, or converting photographs into Excel spreadsheets. He is the author of Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension.
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