Wonders Beyond Numbers: A Brief History of All Things Mathematical

by Johnny Ball

Overview

An all-encompassing history of mathematics from beloved TV presenter Johnny Ball.

By introducing us to the major characters and leading us through many historical twists and turns, Johnny slowly unravels the tale of how humanity built up a knowledge and understanding of shapes, numbers and patterns from ancient times, a story that leads directly to the technological wonderland we live in today. As Galileo said, 'Everything in the universe is written in the language of mathematics', and Wonders Beyond Numbers is your guide to this language.

Mathematics is only one part of this rich and varied tale; we meet many fascinating personalities along the way, such as a mathematician who everyone has heard of but who may not have existed; a Greek philosopher who made so many mistakes that many wanted his books destroyed; a mathematical artist who built the largest masonry dome on earth, which builders had previously declared impossible; a world-renowned painter who discovered mathematics and decided he could no longer stand the sight of a brush; and a philosopher who lost his head, but only after he had died.

Enriched with tales of colorful personalities and remarkable discoveries, there is also plenty of mathematics for keen readers to get stuck into. Written in Johnny Ball's characteristically light-hearted and engaging style, this book is packed with historical insight and mathematical marvels; join Johnny and uncover the wonders found beyond the numbers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472939975
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	05/07/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.50(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Johnny Ball is a life-long math obsessive and started out as a stand-up comic before appearing on BBC TV's Play School from 1967. His real break, though, came in 1977, with the first series of Think of a Number. A smash hit, this spawned various other shows (such as Johnny Ball Reveals All), as Johnny quickly became one of the most famous faces on British television.

Johnny remains a regular fixture on TV and radio, and is comfortably Britain's most famous mathematician.

Table of Contents

Preface: Mathematics means everything to me… 7

Wow Factor Mathematical Index Explained 11

Introduction: Russian Sums in an English Pub, Circa 1946 13

Chapter 1 The Most Ancient Mathematical Legend 19

Chapter 2 The First Two Great Mathematicians 36

Chapter 3 The Great Age of Grecian Geeks 57

Chapter 4 Archimedes - the Greatest Greek of Them All 92

Chapter 5 The Glory That Was Alexandria 118

Chapter 6 Total Eclipse of the Greeks 147

Chapter 7 Maths Origins, Far and Wide 180

Chapter 8 Mathematics Was Never a Religion 211

Chapter 9 Discovering the Unknown World 243

Chapter 10 The Huge Awakening and a New Age of Learning 265

Chapter 11 The New Age of Mathematical Discovery 295

Chapter 12 How to Calculate Anything and Everything 332

Chapter 13 A Mathematician With Gravitas 363

Chapter 14 The Simple Mathematics That Underpins Science 384

Chapter 15 The Many Tentacles of Mathematics 404

Wow Factor Mathematical Index 435

Bibliography 469

Image credits 471

Index 472

Editorial Reviews

10/23/2017
Ball, a British comedian and pop-math celebrity, charms in this lively, accessible history of mathematics. Relating anecdotes and historical points with equal enthusiasm, Ball begins his work in the ancient world with descriptions of Egyptian papyri showing how to calculate the amount of stone needed to build a pyramid and clay tablets from Sumer and Babylon recording everyday business transactions. Ancient Greeks such as Pythagoras, with his work on music theory and geometry, and Archimedes, of the “eureka” moment and array of siege weapons, come to life in Ball’s account. Stories about astronomer Tycho Brahe’s prosthetic nose, Leonardo da Vinci’s restless inventiveness, and Isaac Newton’s petty feud with rival scientist Robert Hooke reveal personal details about people who are often just names in a textbook. Ball’s book brims with other oddball facts: for example, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, and Ada Augusta Byron (Countess of Lovelace and the “world’s first computer programmer”) were all diehard fans of Euclid’s Elements. Adelard of Bath, a 12th-century English monk, traveled the Middle East in disguise to learn Arabian mathematics; Florence Nightingale invented pie charts. Ball also explores math contributions from ancient China, India, and Central America. Excellent as an introduction to the field, this is a brisk, well-rounded history of mathematics and its practitioners. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"(Ball) charms in this lively, accessible history of mathematics . . . excellent as an introduction to the field." - Publishers Weekly

"Johnny Ball's trademark enthusiasm for mathematics bubbles off every page. Clear, simple, readable, and informative – just as I expected. It's a winner!" - Ian Stewart, author of Significant Figures

"I became an instant Johnny Ball fan when his TV series Think of a Number first aired in the UK, and I saw how he engaged and delighted my two young daughters in a way I, their maths professor dad, could not. With this new book, his passion for, and sheer enjoyment of, mathematics will surely entice yet more generations to the subject we both love." - Keith Devlin, Stanford University mathematician, award-winning author and the 'Math Guy' on America's radio.

"I always found maths intriguing and baffling in equal measure - and the latter triumphed. If only I'd had Wonders Beyond Numbers when growing up. But I now have it and it is a re-awaking into a world of delight and wonder. It is a wonderful book." - Anthony Seldon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham

From the Publisher