Keys to Infinity - Couverture souple

Pickover, Clifford A.

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0471193348 ISBN 13 : 9780471193340

Editeur : John Wiley & Sons Inc, 1997

Synopsis

"An original and exciting exploration of how utterly weird, and utterly beautiful, the infinite can be."-Ian Stewart, author of Does God Play Dice? What can we know about numbers too large to compute or even imagine? Do the tiny bubbles in the froth of a milkshake actually form an infinite fractal pattern? What are apocalyptic numbers and recursive worlds? These and dozens of equally beguiling mathematical mysteries, problems, and paradoxes fill this mind-bending new book. In each chapter, acclaimed author Clifford Pickover poses a delightful brain-teasing challenge that reveals the scope and splendor of the world of infinity. Try scaling the ladders to heaven, playing a game of infinite chess, or escaping from the land of Fractalia. Along the way you will encounter a myriad of intriguing topics from vampire numbers, to abduction algebra, to the infinity worms of Callisto. Every problem and puzzle is presented in a remarkably accessible style requiring no specialized mathematical knowledge. Over one hundred illustrations enhance the text and help to explain the mathematical concepts, and stunning color images created by the author reveal the breathtaking beauty of the patterns of infinity. A variety of computer programs offer additional ways to penetrate the enigma of infinity. For anyone who has ever wondered just how big infinity really is, or just how small, this book will provide an endless source of insight, creativity, and fun.

A propos du livre

À propos de l'auteur

CLIFFORD A. PICKOVER, Ph.D., is a research scientist at IBM's T. J. Watson Research Center. He is the primary author of the "Brain Boggler" column in Discover magazine and of the critically acclaimed Chaos in Wonderland, Mazes for the Mind, and several other books.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: John Wiley & Sons Inc
• Date d'édition: 1997
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0471193348
• ISBN 13: 9780471193340
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 350
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible