A biography of the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. The book gives a detailed account of his upbringing in India, his mathematical achievements, and his mathematical collaboration with English mathematician G. H. Hardy. The book also reviews the life of Hardy and the academic culture of Cambridge University during the early twentieth century.
The letters that Ramanujan wrote to G. H. Hardy on January 16 and February 27, 1913, are two of the most famous letters in the history of mathematics. These and other letters introduced Ramanujan and his remarkable theorems to the world and stimulated much research, especially in the 1920s and 1930s. This book brings together many letters to, from, and about Ramanujan. The letters came from the National Archives in Delhi, the Archives in the State of Tamil Nadu, and a variety of other sources. Helping to orient the reader is the extensive commentary, both mathematical and cultural, by Berndt and Rankin; in particular, they discuss in detail the history, up to the present day, of each mathematical result in the letters. Containing many letters that have never been published before, this book will appeal to those interested in Ramanujan's mathematics as well as those wanting to learn more about the personal side of his life. Ramanujan: Letters and Commentary was selected for the CHOICE list of Outstanding Academic Books for 1996.
This book offers a unique account on the life and works of Srinivasa Ramanujan—often hailed as the greatest “natural” mathematical genius. Sharing valuable insights into the many stages of Ramanujan’s life, this book provides glimpses into his prolific research on highly composite numbers, partitions, continued fractions, mock theta functions, arithmetic, and hypergeometric functions which led the author to discover a new summation theorem. It also includes the list of Ramanujan’s collected papers, letters and other material present at the Wren Library, Trinity College in Cambridge, UK. This book is a valuable resource for all readers interested in Ramanujan’s life, work and indelible contributions to mathematics.
Another excellent book long out of print but much in demand. This book is pulled together by Ramanujan's primary mentor, G. H. Hardy, who was the first to recognize the amazing nature of Ramanujan's ideas. Another exceptional classic from the Chelsea list.
"The son of a prominent Japanese mathematician who came to the United States after World War II, Ken Ono was raised on a diet of high expectations and little praise. Rebelling against his pressure-cooker of a life, Ken determined to drop out of high school to follow his own path. To obtain his father’s approval, he invoked the biography of the famous Indian mathematical prodigy Srinivasa Ramanujan, whom his father revered, who had twice flunked out of college because of his single-minded devotion to mathematics. Ono describes his rocky path through college and graduate school, interweaving Ramanujan’s story with his own and telling how at key moments, he was inspired by Ramanujan and guided by mentors who encouraged him to pursue his interest in exploring Ramanujan’s mathematical legacy. Picking up where others left off, beginning with the great English mathematician G.H. Hardy, who brought Ramanujan to Cambridge in 1914, Ono has devoted his mathematical career to understanding how in his short life, Ramanujan was able to discover so many deep mathematical truths, which Ramanujan believed had been sent to him as visions from a Hindu goddess. And it was Ramanujan who was ultimately the source of reconciliation between Ono and his parents. Ono’s search for Ramanujan ranges over three continents and crosses paths with mathematicians whose lives span the globe and the entire twentieth century and beyond. Along the way, Ken made many fascinating discoveries. The most important and surprising one of all was his own humanity."
Age range 6+ A toddler captivated by patterns...A little boy filling his slate with numbers, rubbing them out with his elbow and starting again...A teenager solving complex maths problems...A young man matching the best minds in Cambridge. Bringing the story of brilliant mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan to children, this book follows his singular fascination with numbers!
Mathematics Wizard Srinivasa Ramanujan is a biographical work that explores the life and achievements of the extraordinary mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan. Written by Narendra Govil and Bhu Dev Sharma, the book delves into the remarkable journey of Ramanujan, who made groundbreaking contributions to the field of mathematics despite facing numerous challenges. Key Aspects of The Book “Mathematics Wizard Srinivasa Ramanujan”: Exceptional Mathematical Mind: The book showcases Ramanujan's exceptional mathematical abilities and his innate talent for numbers. It highlights his prodigious intuition and the unique insights he brought to various branches of mathematics, such as number theory, infinite series, and modular forms. Struggles and Determination: The book explores the challenges Ramanujan faced throughout his life, including his limited formal education and financial difficulties. It emphasizes his unwavering determination and relentless pursuit of knowledge, as he continued to explore and develop his mathematical ideas despite the obstacles he encountered. Collaborations and Recognition: The book may highlight Ramanujan's collaborations with eminent mathematicians, such as G.H. Hardy, and the impact of their work together. It may also delve into the recognition Ramanujan eventually received for his groundbreaking contributions to mathematics, both during his lifetime and posthumously. Overall, Mathematics Wizard Srinivasa Ramanujan offers readers an inspiring glimpse into the life of a mathematical genius who defied the odds and left an indelible mark on the field of mathematics. It portrays Ramanujan's incredible talents, perseverance, and enduring legacy that continues to inspire mathematicians and enthusiasts around the world. Narendra Govil and Bhu Dev Sharma celebrate the genius of Srinivasa Ramanujan, one of the most influential Indian mathematicians of all time. His remarkable mathematical discoveries and insights revolutionized the field of mathematics and number theory, and his mathematical brilliance, contributions, and theories continue to be studied and appreciated to this day. From his groundbreaking work in number theory to his intricate mathematical puzzles and equations, Ramanujan's mathematical concepts and principles have shaped the way we think about mathematics. His mathematical achievements, innovation, and legacy have given us new ways of exploring and understanding the world with mathematical thinking. Whether it's his revolutionary mathematical theories or his revolutionary mathematical exploration, Ramanujan's work will continue to be celebrated for generations to come.
Ramanujan is recognized as one of the great number theorists of the twentieth century. Here now is the first book to provide an introduction to his work in number theory. Most of Ramanujan's work in number theory arose out of $q$-series and theta functions. This book provides an introduction to these two important subjects and to some of the topics in number theory that are inextricably intertwined with them, including the theory of partitions, sums of squares and triangular numbers, and the Ramanujan tau function. The majority of the results discussed here are originally due to Ramanujan or were rediscovered by him. Ramanujan did not leave us proofs of the thousands of theorems he recorded in his notebooks, and so it cannot be claimed that many of the proofs given in this book are those found by Ramanujan. However, they are all in the spirit of his mathematics. The subjects examined in this book have a rich history dating back to Euler and Jacobi, and they continue to be focal points of contemporary mathematical research. Therefore, at the end of each of the seven chapters, Berndt discusses the results established in the chapter and places them in both historical and contemporary contexts. The book is suitable for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students interested in number theory.