Charming Proofs
Charming Proofs

Author: Claudi Alsina

Publisher: MAA

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 0883853485

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Theorems and their proofs lie at the heart of mathematics. In speaking of the purely aesthetic qualities of theorems and proofs, G. H. Hardy wrote that in beautiful proofs 'there is a very high degree of unexpectedness, combined with inevitability and economy'. Charming Proofs presents a collection of remarkable proofs in elementary mathematics that are exceptionally elegant, full of ingenuity, and succinct. By means of a surprising argument or a powerful visual representation, the proofs in this collection will invite readers to enjoy the beauty of mathematics, and to develop the ability to create proofs themselves. The authors consider proofs from topics such as geometry, number theory, inequalities, plane tilings, origami and polyhedra. Secondary school and university teachers can use this book to introduce their students to mathematical elegance. More than 130 exercises for the reader (with solutions) are also included.

Proofs from THE BOOK
Proofs from THE BOOK

Author: Martin Aigner

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-06-29

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 3662223430

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According to the great mathematician Paul Erdös, God maintains perfect mathematical proofs in The Book. This book presents the authors candidates for such "perfect proofs," those which contain brilliant ideas, clever connections, and wonderful observations, bringing new insight and surprising perspectives to problems from number theory, geometry, analysis, combinatorics, and graph theory. As a result, this book will be fun reading for anyone with an interest in mathematics.

Q.E.D.
Q.E.D.

Author:

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2004-05-01

Total Pages: 65

ISBN-13: 0802714315

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Q.E.D. presents some of the most famous mathematical proofs in a charming book that will appeal to nonmathematicians and math experts alike. Grasp in an instant why Pythagoras's theorem must be correct. Follow the ancient Chinese proof of the volume formula for the frustrating frustum, and Archimedes' method for finding the volume of a sphere. Discover the secrets of pi and why, contrary to popular belief, squaring the circle really is possible. Study the subtle art of mathematical domino tumbling, and find out how slicing cones helped save a city and put a man on the moon.

Icons of Mathematics
Icons of Mathematics

Author: Claudi Alsina

Publisher: MAA

Published: 2011-08-04

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 0883853523

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An exploration of the mathematics of twenty geometric diagrams that play a crucial role in visualizing mathematical proofs. Those teaching undergraduate mathematics will find material here for problem solving sessions, as well as enrichment material for courses on proofs and mathematical reasoning.

Conjecture and Proof
Conjecture and Proof

Author: Miklos Laczkovich

Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.

Published: 2001-12-31

Total Pages: 118

ISBN-13: 1470458322

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The Budapest semesters in mathematics were initiated with the aim of offering undergraduate courses that convey the tradition of Hungarian mathematics to English-speaking students. This book is an elaborate version of the course on Conjecture and Proof. It gives miniature introductions to various areas of mathematics by presenting some interesting and important, but easily accessible results and methods. The text contains complete proofs of deep results such as the transcendence of $e$, the Banach-Tarski paradox and the existence of Borel sets of arbitrary (finite) class. One of the purposes is to demonstrate how far one can get from the first principles in just a couple of steps. Prerequisites are kept to a minimum, and any introductory calculus course provides the necessary background for understanding the book. Exercises are included for the benefit of students. However, this book should prove fascinating for any mathematically literate reader.

Book of Proof
Book of Proof

Author: Richard H. Hammack

Publisher:

Published: 2016-01-01

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 9780989472111

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This book is an introduction to the language and standard proof methods of mathematics. It is a bridge from the computational courses (such as calculus or differential equations) that students typically encounter in their first year of college to a more abstract outlook. It lays a foundation for more theoretical courses such as topology, analysis and abstract algebra. Although it may be more meaningful to the student who has had some calculus, there is really no prerequisite other than a measure of mathematical maturity.

99 Variations on a Proof
99 Variations on a Proof

Author: Philip Ording

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2021-10-19

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0691218978

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An exploration of mathematical style through 99 different proofs of the same theorem This book offers a multifaceted perspective on mathematics by demonstrating 99 different proofs of the same theorem. Each chapter solves an otherwise unremarkable equation in distinct historical, formal, and imaginative styles that range from Medieval, Topological, and Doggerel to Chromatic, Electrostatic, and Psychedelic. With a rare blend of humor and scholarly aplomb, Philip Ording weaves these variations into an accessible and wide-ranging narrative on the nature and practice of mathematics. Inspired by the experiments of the Paris-based writing group known as the Oulipo—whose members included Raymond Queneau, Italo Calvino, and Marcel Duchamp—Ording explores new ways to examine the aesthetic possibilities of mathematical activity. 99 Variations on a Proof is a mathematical take on Queneau’s Exercises in Style, a collection of 99 retellings of the same story, and it draws unexpected connections to everything from mysticism and technology to architecture and sign language. Through diagrams, found material, and other imagery, Ording illustrates the flexibility and creative potential of mathematics despite its reputation for precision and rigor. Readers will gain not only a bird’s-eye view of the discipline and its major branches but also new insights into its historical, philosophical, and cultural nuances. Readers, no matter their level of expertise, will discover in these proofs and accompanying commentary surprising new aspects of the mathematical landscape.

The Pythagorean Theorem
The Pythagorean Theorem

Author: Eli Maor

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2019-11-19

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 0691196885

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Frontmatter --Contents --List of Color Plates --Preface --Prologue: Cambridge, England, 1993 --1. Mesopotamia, 1800 BCE --Sidebar 1: Did the Egyptians Know It? --2. Pythagoras --3. Euclid's Elements --Sidebar 2: The Pythagorean Theorem in Art, Poetry, and Prose --4. Archimedes --5. Translators and Commentators, 500-1500 CE --6. François Viète Makes History --7. From the Infinite to the Infinitesimal --Sidebar 3: A Remarkable Formula by Euler --8. 371 Proofs, and Then Some --Sidebar 4: The Folding Bag --Sidebar 5: Einstein Meets Pythagoras --Sidebar 6: A Most Unusual Proof --9. A Theme and Variations --Sidebar 7: A Pythagorean Curiosity --Sidebar 8: A Case of Overuse --10. Strange Coordinates --11. Notation, Notation, Notation --12. From Flat Space to Curved Spacetime --Sidebar 9: A Case of Misuse --13. Prelude to Relativity --14. From Bern to Berlin, 1905-1915 --Sidebar 10: Four Pythagorean Brainteasers --15. But Is It Universal? --16. Afterthoughts --Epilogue: Samos, 2005 --Appendixes --Chronology --Bibliography --Illustrations Credits --Index.

Complex Proofs of Real Theorems
Complex Proofs of Real Theorems

Author: Peter D. Lax

Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.

Published: 2011-12-21

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13: 0821875590

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Complex Proofs of Real Theorems is an extended meditation on Hadamard's famous dictum, ``The shortest and best way between two truths of the real domain often passes through the imaginary one.'' Directed at an audience acquainted with analysis at the first year graduate level, it aims at illustrating how complex variables can be used to provide quick and efficient proofs of a wide variety of important results in such areas of analysis as approximation theory, operator theory, harmonic analysis, and complex dynamics. Topics discussed include weighted approximation on the line, Muntz's theorem, Toeplitz operators, Beurling's theorem on the invariant spaces of the shift operator, prediction theory, the Riesz convexity theorem, the Paley-Wiener theorem, the Titchmarsh convolution theorem, the Gleason-Kahane-Zelazko theorem, and the Fatou-Julia-Baker theorem. The discussion begins with the world's shortest proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra and concludes with Newman's almost effortless proof of the prime number theorem. Four brief appendices provide all necessary background in complex analysis beyond the standard first year graduate course. Lovers of analysis and beautiful proofs will read and reread this slim volume with pleasure and profit.