Description

WINNER OF THE LA TIMES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023 BOOK PRIZE
A New Scientist Best Book of 2023

Why is -(-1) = 1?
Why do odd and even numbers alternate?
What’s the point of algebra?

Is maths even real?

From imaginary numbers to the perplexing order of operations we all had drilled into us, Eugenia Cheng – mathematician, writer and woman on a mission to rid the world of maths phobia – brings us maths as we’ve never seen it before, revealing how profound insights can emerge from seemingly unlikely sources.

Written with intelligence and passion, Is Maths Real? is a celebration of the true, curious spirit of the discipline.

Publisher Review

Praise for x + y: 'A way of seeing this exhausting debate from a completely new angle ... bold and optimistic * Guardian * A fascinating, disarmingly accessible read and a wonderful example of what academics should in general do much more of * Irish Times * Compelling ... x+y provides useful new tools for change, for those - like me - involved in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. For those who are not yet involved, she sets out reasons to become so. And I'm a new fan of pure mathematics. Dr Cheng, can we be friends? * Nature * This book changed my life in the most beautiful way. Eugenia Cheng doesn't just explain why the way our society conceptualizes gender is all wrong - she proposes a new way of thinking about - and beyond - gender. Through accessible graphs and brilliant metaphor, Cheng pushes her readers instead to think about a person's behavior ... Stunning -- Rebecca Ramirez * NPR *