A Passion for Mathematics: Numbers, Puzzles, Madness, Religion, and the Quest for Reality Paperback - 2005 - 1st Edition

First line

IN WHICH WE ENCOUNTER RELIGIOUS MATHEMATICIANS, MAD MATHEMATICIANS, famous mathematicians, mathematical savants, quirky questions, fun trivia, brief biographies, mathematical gods, historical oddities, numbers and society, gossip, the history of mathematical notation, the genesis of numbers, and "What if?" questions.

From the rear cover

A smorgasbord of math puzzles, factoids, quotations, trivia, formulas, and much moreAre you fascinated by numbers and want to learn more? does the vast world of math problems that humans have solved--and the ones we have yet to begin to comprehend--give you goosebumps? If so, this book is for you. A Passion for Mathematics is an educational, entertaining trip through the curiosities of the math world, blending an eclectic mix of history, biography, philosophy, number theory, geometry, probability, huge numbers, and mind-bending problems into a delightfully compelling collection that is sure to please math buffs, students, and experienced mathematicians alike.In each chapter, Clifford Pickover provides factoids, anecdotes, definitions, quotations, and captivating challenges that range from fun, quirky puzzles to insanely difficult problems. Readers will encounter mad mathematicians, strange number sequences, obstinate numbers, curious constants, magic squares, fractal geese, monkeys typing Hamlet, infinity, and much, much more.A Passion for Mathematics will feed readers' fascination while giving them problem-solving skills a great workout!

"Pickover has published nearly a book a year in which he stretches the limits of computers, art, and thought." --Los Angeles Times

"A perpetual idea machine, Clifford Pickover is one of the most creative, original thinkers in the world today." --Journal of Recreational Mathematics