A most elegant equation
Subtitle: Euler's formula and the beauty of mathematics
By: David Stipp
Edition: First edition.
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 221
ISBN-13: 9780465093779
Copyright date: 2017
Subjects: Euler's numbers; Complex Numbers; Mathematics; History
Other titles: Euler's formula and the beauty of mathematics
Description: "Bertrand Russell wrote that mathematics can exalt "as surely as poetry." This is especially true of one equation: ei(pi) + 1 = 0, the brainchild of Leonhard Euler, the Mozart of mathematics. More than two centuries after Euler's death, it is still regarded as a conceptual diamond of unsurpassed beauty. Called Euler's identity or God's equation, it includes just five numbers but represents an astonishing revelation of hidden connections. It ties together everything from basic arithmetic to compound interest, the circumference of a circle, trigonometry, calculus, and even infinity. In David Stipp's hands, Euler's identity formula becomes a contemplative stroll through the glories of mathematics. The result is an ode to this magical field."--Amazon.com.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 193-199) and index.
Table of contents: title: God's equation; title: A constant that's all about change; title: It even comes down the chimney; title: The number between being and not-being; title: Portrait of the master; title: Through the wormhole; title: From triangles to seesaws; title: Reggie's problem; title: Putting it together; title: A new spin on Euler's formula; title: The meaning of it all.