Description

A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2023
A NEW SCIENTIST BEST BOOK OF 2023
WINNER OF THE LA TIMES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023 BOOK PRIZE

‘A generous tour of mathematics for anyone whose instincts tend less towards “Just tell me the answer” and more towards “Wait, but why?”‘ JORDAN ELLENBERG

To many, maths feels like an unmapped wilderness. Between abstract concepts like imaginary numbers and infinity, it can sometimes feel like a lot of maths is just made up. Why, for example, is 1 not a prime? Why do two negatives cancel each other out? Where does trigonometry come from? Is maths even real?

Abstract mathematician Eugenia Cheng shows that curiosity is the best teacher. Is Maths Real? takes us on a scintillating tour of the simple questions that provoke mathematics’ deepest insights.

‘Intriguing…celebrates the dizziness and disorientation engendered by childlike questions that hint at the deep mysteries beneath’
NEW SCIENTIST

‘Masterfully uncovers what’s simply profound in the profoundly simple’
FRANCIS SU

‘Discover what it feels like to be a real mathematician’
DAILY TELEGRAPH

Publisher Review

A generous tour of mathematics for anyone whose instincts tend less towards “Just tell me the answer” and more towards “Wait, but why?” — Jordan Ellenberg, author * Shape * A brilliant rebuttal to those who see math as only about right answers, rather than about creative discovery. [Cheng] masterfully uncovers what’s simply profound in the profoundly simple — Francis Su, author * Mathematics for Human Flourishing * Intriguing … Celebrates the dizziness and disorientation engendered by childlike questions that hint at the deep mysteries beneath — Anil Ananthaswamy * New Scientist * Discover what it feels like to be a real mathematician … This is a human pursuit, depicted here from the inside — Simon Ings * Telegraph * An entertaining foray into the more philosophical realms of mathematics … for the budding mathematician in the house, to say nothing of lovers of puzzles and enigmas * Kirkus * Reminds us that maths is driven by human curiosity and creativity – not by right and wrong answers * NPR *