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99 Variations on a Proof

By Philip Ording

99 Variations on a Proof Mathematics

99 Variations on a Proof

0 - Used - very good
Description
This lively and compelling book offers a unique, 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." Along the way, 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. This mathematical take on Queneau's Exercises in Style--a collection of 99 retellings of the same story--draws unexpected connections to everything from mysticism and technology to architecture and sign language and includes diagrams, notations, and other imagery that are as amusing as they are edifying. With a rare blend of humor and scholarly aplomb, Ording illustrates the inherent creative potential and flexibility of mathematical language despite its reputation for precision and rigor.
Product details
Edition:
1
Number of Pages:
168
Release Date:
2019-02-05
Publication Date:
2019-03-31
Publisher:
Princeton Univers. Press
Languages:
Original: English
ISBN10:
0691158835
ISBN13:
9780691158839
Weight:
906 g
Height:
217 cm
Width:
236 cm
Thickness:
27 cm
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