Zetetics and the Art of Mathematical Enquiry
Zetetics and the Art of Mathematical Enquiry

Author: Peter Merrotsy

Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Published: 2023-03-28

Total Pages: 261

ISBN-13: 144385722X

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Mathematics has a rich history from cultures around the world, which can extend and enrich the appreciation and learning of mathematical concepts. This book provides inspiration for mathematics educators by exploring the development of mathematical concepts from historical and cultural perspectives. It will also be of interest to general readers with an interest in mathematics. Each chapter uses original historical material to introduce a mathematical concept that is then explored through new and unusual perspectives. The book presents several new mathematical “discoveries and inventions”, and offers a re-interpretation of traditional approaches to a range of mathematical problems, doing so in a rigorous way. Topics discussed here include numeracy, the abacus, Mesopotamian mathematics, public-key cryptography, Pythagoras’ theorem, the holistic nature of trigonometry, and an introduction to integral calculus, among many others. Throughout is reflected the author’s enthusiastic style of teaching and his entertaining approach to mathematics, serving to highlight active engagement with significant mathematical problems and hands-on modelling to build deep understanding of the concepts.

Discovering Mathematics
Discovering Mathematics

Author: A. Gardiner

Publisher: Courier Corporation

Published: 2006-01-26

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0486452999

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The term "mathematics" usually suggests an array of familiar problems with solutions derived from well-known techniques. Discovering Mathematics: The Art of Investigation takes a different approach, exploring how new ideas and chance observations can be pursued, and focusing on how the process invariably leads to interesting questions that would never have otherwise arisen. With puzzles involving coins, postage stamps, and other commonplace items, students are challenged to account for the simple explanations behind perplexing mathematical phenomena. Elementary methods and solutions allow readers to concentrate on the way in which the material is explored, as well as on strategies for answers that aren't immediately obvious. The problems don't require the kind of sophistication that would put them out of reach of ordinary students, but they're sufficiently complex to capture the essential features of mathematical discovery. Complete solutions appear at the end.

Mathematics and Art
Mathematics and Art

Author: Claude Bruter

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2002-08-21

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13: 9783540434221

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Recent progress in research, teaching and communication has arisen from the use of new tools in visualization. To be fruitful, visualization needs precision and beauty. This book is a source of mathematical illustrations by mathematicians as well as artists. It offers examples in many basic mathematical fields including polyhedra theory, group theory, solving polynomial equations, dynamical systems and differential topology. For a long time, arts, architecture, music and painting have been the source of new developments in mathematics. And vice versa, artists have often found new techniques, themes and inspiration within mathematics. Here, while mathematicians provide mathematical tools for the analysis of musical creations, the contributions from sculptors emphasize the role of mathematics in their work.

The Art of Mathematics
The Art of Mathematics

Author: Jerry P. King

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2013-11-11

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1489963391

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The beauty of mathematics eludes all but a small, select handful of people. This monumental classic will illuminate the aesthetic delights of mathematics for all to behold. Why should only a tiny aristocracy hold the key to appreciating the elegance of mathematics? Why should intelligent, cultured people, who can easily articulate the brilliance of Shakespeare's imagery, quake at the prospect of deciphering a simple algebraic formula? Jerry King, a mathematics professor and a poet, razes the barriers between a world of two cultures and hands us the tools for appreciating the art and treasures of this elegant discipline. In his fluid, poetic voice, he initiates us into the splendid wonders of the Mathworld. He provides us with an original framework for contemplating mathematics as art. He deepens our ultimate comprehension of art by comparing the beauty of a Rembrandt as well as a Jackson Pollock with the riches to be mined in an elegant proof. Like the great philosophers of the past, Dr. King searches for pure Truth--a quest possible today only in the realm of mathematics. With his infectious enthusiasm, he explains with utmost clarity the intellectually stimulating underpinnings of both pure and applied mathematics. He goes on to decry how our educational system has failed by perfunctorily teaching us mathematics, depriving us of the pillars of beauty upon which mathematics rests. Never before has a book spoken so eloquently to our soul in instilling an appreciation for the grandeur of mathematics. Through Dr. King, the muses of mathematics will no longer sing for others and not for us. The elegant world of mathematics awaits us all to savor.

The Mathematical Experience, Study Edition
The Mathematical Experience, Study Edition

Author: Philip Davis

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2011-10-27

Total Pages: 522

ISBN-13: 0817682945

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Winner of the 1983 National Book Award! "...a perfectly marvelous book about the Queen of Sciences, from which one will get a real feeling for what mathematicians do and who they are. The exposition is clear and full of wit and humor..." - The New Yorker (1983 National Book Award edition) Mathematics has been a human activity for thousands of years. Yet only a few people from the vast population of users are professional mathematicians, who create, teach, foster, and apply it in a variety of situations. The authors of this book believe that it should be possible for these professional mathematicians to explain to non-professionals what they do, what they say they are doing, and why the world should support them at it. They also believe that mathematics should be taught to non-mathematics majors in such a way as to instill an appreciation of the power and beauty of mathematics. Many people from around the world have told the authors that they have done precisely that with the first edition and they have encouraged publication of this revised edition complete with exercises for helping students to demonstrate their understanding. This edition of the book should find a new generation of general readers and students who would like to know what mathematics is all about. It will prove invaluable as a course text for a general mathematics appreciation course, one in which the student can combine an appreciation for the esthetics with some satisfying and revealing applications. The text is ideal for 1) a GE course for Liberal Arts students 2) a Capstone course for perspective teachers 3) a writing course for mathematics teachers. A wealth of customizable online course materials for the book can be obtained from Elena Anne Marchisotto ([email protected]) upon request.

100 Essential Things You Didn't Know You Didn't Know about Math and the Arts
100 Essential Things You Didn't Know You Didn't Know about Math and the Arts

Author: John D. Barrow

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2015-02-23

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 0393246566

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An entertaining and illuminating collection of 100 surprising connections between math and the arts. At first glance, the worlds of math and the arts might not seem like comfortable neighbors. But as mathematician John D. Barrow points out, they have a strong and natural affinity—after all, math is the study of all patterns, and the world of the arts is rich with pattern. Barrow whisks us through 100 thought-provoking and often whimsical intersections between math and many arts, from the golden ratios of Mondrian’s rectangles and the curious fractal-like nature of Pollock’s drip paintings to ballerinas’ gravity-defying leaps and the next generation of monkeys on typewriters tackling Shakespeare. For those of us with our feet planted more firmly on the ground, Barrow also wields everyday equations to reveal how many guards are needed in an art gallery or where you should stand to look at sculptures. From music and drama to literature and the visual arts, Barrow’s witty and accessible observations are sure to spark the imaginations of math nerds and art aficionados alike.

Greek Mathematical Thought and the Origin of Algebra
Greek Mathematical Thought and the Origin of Algebra

Author: Jacob Klein

Publisher: Courier Corporation

Published: 2013-04-22

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 0486319814

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Important study focuses on the revival and assimilation of ancient Greek mathematics in the 13th-16th centuries, via Arabic science, and the 16th-century development of symbolic algebra. 1968 edition. Bibliography.

Mathematicians on Creativity
Mathematicians on Creativity

Author: Peter Borwein

Publisher: Mathematical Association of America

Published: 2015-10-01

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780883855744

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In their own words, many of the world's foremost mathematicians discuss the art and practice of their work in this book, which shines a light on some of the issues of mathematical creativity. It is neither a philosophical treatise nor the presentation of experimental results, but a compilation of reflections from top-calibre working mathematicians. This approach highlights the creative aspects of the field, illustrates the dramatic variation by individual, and hopes to express the vibrancy of creative minds at work. Organised alphabetically, this book is meant for a general audience and is best read by browsing. It can be used as a supplementary text in mathematics history and mathematics education courses.

Mathematics in Twentieth-Century Literature and Art
Mathematics in Twentieth-Century Literature and Art

Author: Robert Tubbs

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2014-07-15

Total Pages: 181

ISBN-13: 1421413795

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Chips away at the notion of an accidental relationship between math and art and literature. During the twentieth century, many artists and writers turned to abstract mathematical ideas to help them realize their aesthetic ambitions. Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, and, perhaps most famously, Piet Mondrian used principles of mathematics in their work. Was it mere coincidence, or were these artists simply following their instincts, which in turn were ruled by mathematical underpinnings, such as optimal solutions for filling a space? If math exists within visual art, can it be found within literary pursuits? In short, just what is the relationship between mathematics and the creative arts? In this provocative, original exploration of mathematical ideas in art and literature, Robert Tubbs argues that the links are much stronger than previously imagined and exceed both coincidence and commonality of purpose. Not only does he argue that mathematical ideas guided the aesthetic visions of many twentieth-century artists and writers, Tubbs further asserts that artists and writers used math in their creative processes even though they seemed to have no affinity for mathematical thinking. In the end, Tubbs makes the case that art can be better appreciated when the math that inspired it is better understood. An insightful tour of the great masters of the last century and an argument that challenges long-held paradigms, Mathematics in Twentieth-Century Literature and Art will appeal to mathematicians, humanists, and artists, as well as instructors teaching the connections among math, literature, and art.